Project X Racing had a team of 6 drivers across 6 different classes take on the final round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship over the weekend. The Project X Racing team had taking 4 round wins over the championship with Patrick Buckley and Jai Brown taking the spoils. With Buckley looking to take out the championship, Brown looking to come home in 3rd and Cadet 9 driver Blake Haigh also looking to come home in 3rd, the team were in for a nerve racking weekend of racing.
Buckley went into the weekend looking to take out his maiden Junior Australian championship. Buckley qualified in position 7 in qualifying and was consistent across Saturday’s 3 heats taking a 5th, 8th and 7th place finish. Patrick came out in heat 4 and drove the wheels off his Eos kart with the championship on the line. Buckley was able to take victory in the 4th heat and clinch the Australian Kart Championship. Buckley unfortunately ended up on the side lines in the final but he had already done enough to be the KA4 Junior Australian Kart Championship for Project X Racing!
Project X Racing’s youngest driver Blake Haigh took on the Cadet 9 category. Haigh qualified just outside the top 5 in position 6 and while battling illness was able to take out position 7 in heat 1, position 3 in heat 2 and position 8 in heat 3. Blake came to race on Sunday with his Tecno kart working well and his driving at a top level to win heat 4. Haigh was in a front pack battle in the all important final and looked a shot at victory. Haigh was able to come home on the podium in a brilliant drive in 2nd spot. Haigh was able to clinch 3rd in the championship in a great season!
Will Marshall was 1 of the 2 senior drivers for Project X Racing taking on the TAG 125 class. Marshall qualified in position 27 overall and moved up 5 spots in heat 1 and a further 8 in heat 2. Marshall raced around the top 25 in his remaining 2 heats before taking his best result of the weekend in the all important final in position 18 overall!
Seth Huth was another young driver in the Project x Racing team, this time in Cadet 12. Huth qualified in position 27 overall and was busy in his opening 2 heats making up spots, with 9 paces gained in heat 1 and 6 gained in heat 2. Seth raced on the edge of the top 15 in his remaining 2 heats with position 17 in heat 3 and position 18 in heat 4. Huth left his best race until last making his way into the top 15 and crossing the line in position 13.
Isaac Mcneill was the sole Project X Racing driver in the premier KA2 Junior class. Mcneill qualified inside the top 10 in position 8. Isaac was consistent across all 4 heats finishing 11th in heat 1 and 3, 10th in heat 4 and 8th in heat 2. Mcneill started outside of the top 15 for the combined final but was able to move his way forward into position 15 overall by the chequered flag.
Jai Brown was the final Project X Racing driver competing for 3rd in the championship in KA3 Senior. Brown qualified in the top 5 in position 4 but had a poor opening heat, finishing in position 13. Jai bounced back as being the devil racer he is, finishing 2nd in heat 2 and 4th in heat 3 to close Saturday. Brown was able to finish heat 4 in position 6 and was going into the final battling for 3rd in the championship. Brown raced hard in the top 5 and crossed the line just off the podium in 4th position which was enough to clinch 3rd in the Australian Championship!
Project X Racing owner William Yarwood spoke post weekend on the team’s championship results. “Newcastle has always been good to me on the track and it looked to do the same for our drivers in Project X Racing. It’s not the easiest track to get your head around but once you understand the principles to making lap time here it really rewards. For half our team this was their first look at the Sugarloaf circuit and while this was portrayed in their lap times on Friday, we turned that around over the weekend, so for that I am proud of them. Young Blake was all but out with sickness Friday but by Sunday he was fighting for the win, this fight back secured him his 3rd place for the Championship. Jai Brown also secured 3rd in his class for the championship with the points going down to the wire, he raced hard all weekend in a highly completive class. But defiantly my highlight for the weekend was watching young Patrick Buckley seal his first Australian championship. We have been involved with this family since Pat Snr and I were racing together as kids so to see this full circle it’s fantastic. AKC was overall a win in our books as we weren’t going to enter the team’s championship to nearly making the podium was beyond expectations with our small group. So, look out for us in 2023 as we aim to better our 4th place and aim for the #1 spot. We now move our attention on to our club day formats and the State cup in October. Plus, we have a small group heading to the Supernats in Las Vegas. Thanks to my customers and team partners with Parolin kart, Eos kart and JT Motorsport”.
