Hundreds of rev heads will gear up in Bendigo this weekend to race in the first round of the 2019 Golden Power Series.
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Hosted by the Bendigo Kart Club, the first round will see around 180 competitors take to the track across a range of race classes.
Ethan Cornwill, 12, can’t wait to go wheel-to-wheel against the other racers.
Cornwill has been racing karts for around three years – he first took it up after watching videos on YouTube –and it was only a matter of time and a few laps later before he was hooked.
“I love karting because it’s fun and I get to do it with all of my friends,” Cornwill said.
He still remembers his first time behind the wheel down at the BKC’s Marong Raceway, crashing into fences.
But now after years of experience, Cornwill is more than confident in his ability to set a fast pace around the track, especially through the “thunder dome” – his favourite sector of the raceway.
Cornwill is set to race in the Cadet 12 class, alongside fellow club members, which includes Harry Arnett.
The club will showcase its 650m long bitumen anti-clockwise circuit, a track which BKC president Matt Ferrari believes will test even the best racers.
“It’s a very technical track compared to some of the others on the series, it’s also shorter so there will be plenty of laps done this weekend,” Ferrari said.
“The track definitely challenges drivers who are used to long open corners, whereas the ones here are tight and twisty.”
Spectator entry is free throughout the weekend, with the community invited to come check out the karting action.
The club’s goal is to build on the success of hosting the GPS in previous years and to make it a family-friendly event.
“This year there are a few changes to the structure and format – three heats and a final and no practice on Friday,” Ferrari said.
“Our goal is to make it an overall family event so children don’t have to take time off school on the Friday and parents won’t need to take days off work.”
The club will have 35 members competing out of a field of around 180 racers, with 700 people expected at the track over the course of the weekend.
“People will be coming from across Victoria, NSW and South Australia, there will even be an official travelling from Tasmania to help out,” Ferrari said.
“Fingers crossed the club will have some strong results across a lot of the race classes.”
The Golden Power Series is a five round event with racers competing to be crowned as an overall champion of the series which concludes in November.
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