Sport
25 March, 2025
Kart Club puts Mako to the test
TWENTY go kart drivers from the Cairns Kart Racing Club visited the MakoTrac in Mareeba this month to hold their first races of the year and put the track that will host the 2025 Queensland State titles to the test.
Although the Cairns club usually operates out of the Edmonton Speedway, as hosts of the state titles, they decided to move the event to the bigger and more suitable venue, the MakoTrac.
After postponing their first meeting of the year due to the incessant rains in early February, the club was finally able to meet on 8 March and race the track as preparation for the championship taking place from 4-6 July.
The next meeting is on 5 April at the MakoTrac and they’re encouraging more people to attend.
“We do about seven to eight meetings a year from February to early November,” Cairns Kart Racing Club committee member Sebastian Di Salvo said.
“This year we’re holding the state titles up in Mareeba because the track in Edmonton is too small. We’ll continue to hold our meeting there until the big event.
“After the state titles we’re probably going to use both facilities – Edmonton and Mareeba.
“For the state titles, we could get up to 200 competitors so we’re excited to have MakoTrac to host the event.”
The Mareeba meeting on 8 March saw plenty of great racing.
The Cadet 12 class was dominated by Cairns driver Heath Schweitzer who claimed a win in all five of his races.
The KA 3 Junior class was contested by five racers, all from Cairns. Alex Boscarini and Luca Seeto battled it out fiercely throughout the day, but ultimately it was Boscarini who edged out Seeto for first place in all of the races.
The TAG 125 Restricted Medium class fielded the biggest group in the event with nine drivers.
There was some “hard and clean racing” in this class, but it was former Australian Kart Champion Jack Stockman from Kairi cleaning up in all the races.
Reigning State Cup Champion and Mareeba local Sebastian Di Salvo battled it out against the former champ and managed to claim second in all the heats.
But in the final race, Cairns driver Jeremy Evans passed Di Salvo at the start and it was enough to edge him into third.
Mr Di Salvo encouraged more people to attend the meetings and join the club, and wants current members to get their first races of the year in to test the MakoTrac ahead of the state titles.
“Just over 20 drivers entered our first meet of the year with a few drivers coming up from Townsville to get some laps on the track before the state titles,” he said.
“We have a bit of a slow start to the year because of the weather, we usually get about 40 people in our meetings but with the heat at the start of the year that number goes down to approximately 20.
“These meetings are critical to prepare for the state titles – some people even come from Townsville and North Queensland so they can set up the go kart for this specific track.
“You get to get a feel of the track, so when state titles come you know what to expect and what set up you need.
“For people interested in joining the club I recommend you attend the meetings, you can watch and you can come talk to the members. At the beginning of the meetings, we usually hold a come and try where more experienced drivers lend the go karts for newcomers to try.”
To find out more, www.facebook.com/CairnsKartClub
Results:
Cadet 9
1st - Hudson Griffin
Cadet 12
1st - Heath Schweitzer
2nd - Sophie Accatino
3rd - George Aciddao
KA 3 Junior
1st - Alex Boscarini
2nd - Luca Seeto
3rd - Jace Fewtrell
TAG 125 Restricted Light
1st - Joey Metcalfe
TAG 125 Restricted Medium
1st - Jack Stockman
2nd - Jeremy Evans
3rd - Sebastian Di Salvo
