Pegoraro wins Race 2 and Championship fight tightens

Gary Pegoraro has taken the lap record on his way to victory in Race 2 of the Australian Superkart Championship to lead home Jason Smith, Darren Hossack and Russell Jamieson as the championship points battle tightens.

Pegoraro lowered the Queensland Raceway lap record to 1:09.0740 as the Dunlop Kartsport/BRC Engines team found pace overnight moving him into slight championship favouritism, unless Smith and the Fuji Xerox/.Zahl 1 Kartin team can respond in Race 2. Darren Hossack climbed into third place after starting from the rear of field after his Race 1 collision with Warren McIlveen yesterday. The three championship leaders are now covered by just four points.

The race was marred by a safety car on the opening lap as Carlo Cheraz spun the Buildersmile Constructions SKE, re-engined with a PVP engine overnight. Additionally a multi-kart collision furhter back in the pack put Bernie Walsh (Anderson-Honda) and Jason Laker (Buildersmile Constructions SKE-FPE) into the sand trap at turn 1. Garry Haywood additionally limped around in the Bakker Motorsports/Tunnel Car Wash Bakker-Honda with a flat battery.

Krisitian Stebbing finished in fifth position in the first of the "motorcycle" powered karts home in the Suburban Accounting & Taxation Stockman-Yamaha finishing three second ahead of Brett Purdie in the Martelco Equipment Hire PVP-Yamaha. Purdie continues to accumulate points and sits in a strong fourth position in the championship although Jamieson and Stebbing are closing in. Ant Basile was seventh continuing to impress in the Race Tech Motorsport Anderson-BRC just out dragging Stuart Kostera (Denture Professionals Zip-BRC) to the line. Dean McGinty (Lofty Coaches PVP-Yamaha) and Martin Latta (Viper Racing UK/MJR Bricklaying Anderson-FPE) completed the top ten.

Brendan Luneman broke the 250 National lap record with a 1:14.3945 on his way to the class win in the Autobarn Dandenong/Some Building Services Anderson-Yamaha. The win now places Luneman 31 points ahead of Joe Tyrrell in the Race Tech Motorsports/Angel Blue Marketting Anderson-Honda in the class battle all Luneman needs to do is finish Race 3 to secure the title, although Luneman himself is now concerned with the fight for the round win against Tyrrell and Walsh.

Jeff Reed's second victory in the Chrome Shop/MG Tyres Stockman-Honda puts him tree points ahead of Matt Bass (Top Torque Engines Stockman-Honda). Third in the race was Tim Philp in the Floth Building Consultants Avoig-Honda until he was assigned a 27 second penalty for overtaking prior to the safety car restart. This promoted Paul Campbell (Redback Racepaint Avoig-Honda) to third place ahead of Sam Zavaglia.

250 International points: Jason Smith 99, Gary Pegoraro 96, Darren Hossack 95, Brett Purdie 70, Russell Jamieson 64, Kristian Stebbing 53, Warren McIlveen 49, Martin Latta 47, Charles Maddern 30, Jason Laker 28, Josh Barnett 26, Steve Murray 24, Dean McGinty 20, Ant Basile 19, Stuart Kostera 14, Shannon Novaski 11, Sam Zavaglia 10, Carlo Chermaz 6, Darren Kitchen 5, Todd Johnson 4

250 National points: Brendan Luneman 115, Joe Tyrrell 84, Dalton Rowell 76, Bernie Walsh 63, Michael Ward 29, Barry Kunowski 15

125cc points: Jeff Reed 105, Matt Bass 102, Tim Philp 76, Paul Campbell 66, Garry Haywood 63, Doug Amiss 57, Lindsay Jamieson 51, Phil Silcock 43, Brian Wild 36, Robert Xerri 29, Sam Zavaglia 28, Anthony Lappas 27, Tracey Crawford 22, Stewart Bell 20, Drene Jamieson 18

The 2012 Australian Superkart Championship continues as part of the Shannons Nationals presented by Hi-Tec Oils.

Catch all of the racing on live streaming at: http://www.itvlive.com.au/

Race 3 will be at 11:40am AEST on Sunday August 12, with twelve lap Race 4 final at 4:00pm.

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