Illawarra Go Kart Challenge 2016

07 April 2016 / Report & Photos Julie Farquhar

Well, I didn’t think you could get into a smaller space than an MX5  ... but I was wrong!  Go-Karts have taken the smallest space award. The Illawarra Chapter delights in trying to find new challenges and improve on past records while hurling themselves around a tyre festooned race track.

On one early Monday evening recently, several MX5 members and family friends met at the Kembla Grange Go-Kart track to squeeze themselves into tiny vehicles and go at extremely fast speeds around tight corners, while trying to out-jockey everyone else.  There were three groups – the young ones – fiercely competitive and with a devil may care attitude; the - I’ll show the kids how it’s done - group – fiercely competitive and all with a death wish and the patient - no you go first– fiercely competitive... hmmm ..have I repeated myself?  .. and out to have a good time group.

 I must admit all groups showed skills and abilities that enabled fast cornering and lively competition. There were disappointments, when the times weren’t captured because of an electronic glitch, but the men manfully got over this with stories that could be likened to the fish-that-got-away scenarios. Jan and Garry provided plenty of sustenance so that no-one fainted from lack of food. There is nothing better than a chicken sandwich and the laughter of recounted near misses.

For old hands, like Brendan, Bryan, Alex, Wolf, Jan and Garry there was a chance to improve on past times and further their already honed skills. For newcomers to the sport it was a matter of survival and getting in the way of the pros. Paul, Thom and Matt were forces to be reckoned with... some just from the blocking they provided on the course, others from the challenge they gave the old hands.

And then there were the family feuds with Allyson challenging Alex; and Darren and Travis showing friendly brother-in-law rivalry. But it was all with good spirits and made the night so much more than a few laps around a worn track.

Brendan and El President, Alex and Allyson, Jack and Tom recorded the fastest times. Some notable laps were witnessed with young Alex S, Kayla and Ashleigh having a great time whizzing past parents who looked on calmly as their heirs defied gravity.

For someone who hadn’t been on a Go-Kart experience before, it was a great evening and one that should be experienced by all... Go-Karting may not be the MX5 replacement but it was certainly lively, good fun and an energetic way to spend the evening in the company of good friends.