Harpas Takes First WinPosted by Mark Jones, 7 June 2009, 1:11 PM |
Yiani Harpas broke through for his first Australian Superkart Championship race win after a three lap duel with Sam Zavaglia, before Harpas driving the Zip Eagle-BRC supported by Internode, Metaplanners and Davtec, raced clear to win Race 2 at Mallala Motor Sport Park round of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships.
Zavaglia again won the start in the Sam Zavaglia Racing Stockman-Yamaha, but was unable to keep the local racer behind him, and in the end would lose second place to the blisteringly quick Gary Pegoraro (Marron Excavations / Dunlop Kartsport Anderson-FPE) who raced faster than his qualifying time to climb from the back of the grid back into second position at the chequered flag.
Reigning series champion Darren Hossack (Safe Evolutions Anderson-SAFE) just held onto fourth place at the line under blowtorch pressure from Ilya Harpas in the second of the Internode / Metaplanners / Davtec Zip-BRC.
Hossack's own teammate V8 Supercar racer Shane Price (Safe Evolutions Anderson-Safe), also climbed from the rear of grid to claim sixth position with Warren McIlveen (Mac's Marine / Soundy's Electrical Stockman-Honda) finishing seventh.
Robert Oakley (Nick Paul Stockman-Honda), Kristian Stebbing (Suburban Accounting Stockman-Honda) and Jason Laker (1800 Bumber Stockman-Honda) completed the top ten finishers. Anton Stevens (Dunlop / ART Motorsport PVP), Dan Ramerman (Auto Clean Products Stockman-Honda) and Russell Jamieson (Coach Design Stockman-Honda) all fell foul of the same corner, spinning of track at the first of the esses at the end of the lap.
The same corner blighted the 125cc race with Jeff Reed losing control of the Telgrit Stockman-Honda when presented with a stalled 250cc kart in front of him on track and was hit by John Pellicano (Giova Jewellery Design Avoig-Honda) while both were trying to avoid the incident. This left Steven Tamasi (Domain Prestige Homes Stockman-Honda) untouchable to claim the class win, like Yiani Harpas it was his first Australian championship race win, ahead of Chryss Jamieson (Coach Design Stockman-Honda). Rod Conn (Arconn Refrigeration Stockman-Honda) and Drene Jamieson (Coach Design Stockman-Honda) swapped places on the final lap with Conn just beating Jamieson to the finish line in a drag race with Mehmet Sinani (Kylope Hire Benson-Honda) claiming fifth in class.
Points after Race 2: Y.Harpas 37, Zavaglia 35, Hossack 28, I.Harpas 24, McIlveen 19, Pegoraro 17, Oakley 16, Laker 13, Stevens 12, Price 10 etc
125cc Class: Tamasi 37, C.Jamieson 30, Conn 26, D.Jamieson 21, Sinani 20, Reed 20 etc
