IN the wash-up to the Australian Motorkhana Championships hosted by the South Eastern Automobile Club at the Mount Gambier saleyards, several junior competitors from the Limestone Coast finished high up the rankings.
Best of those was Bradley Harry, who claimed the outright honours and the Australian Championship in the production class, but others to do well included Caitlyn Shephard who finished second in the Junior Production, Luke Winterfield (third Junior Production) and Alix Schwarz (second Junior Special).
Other juniors to take advantage of the opportunity to compete at a national level in their own back yard were Ashton Slotegraaf, Josh Becker, Jessica Becker and Joshua Shephard.
For event committee manager Matthias Schwarz, it was a great opportunity for the young drivers in the club.
“People normally don’t travel to this style of motorsport,” he said.
“Unless your junior is really good and they want to go, they usually don’t even go to Adelaide for a championship.
“Because this was in their backyard, we encouraged them to do it.
“All competition is good for kids, but I think this is like an Under 12 footballer watching an AFL game.
“We had the best in Australia to watch and see what they do, plus the juniors were also competing.”
Schwarz said with the friendly nature of the competition, the juniors were welcomed and handled the event with ease.
“The other competitors invite the kids in to have fun,” he said.
“Corrine East, who has won the Australian Championship, will come up and talk to the new girls and boys.
“People watch in the classes and if the kids do something good, they will clap, they don’t just turn their backs and talk.
“If they make a good reverse or a good manoeuvre they complement them and if they do a WD (wrong direction) they will explain it to them.
“It is a friendly atmosphere for an Australian Championship even though they are playing for sheep stations.”
Schwarz said the club produced many good drivers, who pushed the seniors throughout the regular season.
He said that was reflected in the championship results.
“We have always had very strong juniors in our club,” he said.
“Bradley Harry is running in the top five in our normal club level stuff.
“He is pushing us seniors, but to do an Australian championship is even better because they watch the best in the country and learn from them.”
