October 30th, 2011 – Pro Tour Round 1: Canberra

Maiden Pro Tour Podium for Davey Racing! After 3 years of persistence Todd and John were finally able to secure a podium position in the hotly contested Rotax Pro Tour at the Fairburn Karting Complex in Canberra on Sunday.

Having won the ACT tile at the same track earlier in the year, the team had both high confidence and expectations going into the first round of the latest Rotax Pro Tour season and started the weekend well with a strong 3rd place qualifying result.

Through the heat races Todd battled with Australian champion, Troy Woolston and Pro Tour front runner, Aaron Rintoul, striving to get the Jameson Group Tonykart to the front. Each time however the number 29 did not quite have the measure finishing 3rd and slipping and sliding back to 4th in the wet pre-final.

Starting on the outside in 4th for the final with 22 laps ahead, Todd was keen to get a good start and dove down the outside of 3rd into the first series of turns. Running the outside in turn 1 placed the 29 on the inside of fellow competitor Daniel Stein for turn 2, who was reluctant to give up the position. Contact ensued exiting turn 2 and the result was Stein’s kart becoming airborne and spinning to the infield. A broken chain would see the 88 Exprit sit out the rest of the final. Todd immediately set out after the leaders which following the incident had managed to extend a lead of 8-10 kart lengths but although getting close could not come with in range to challenge.

After the first lap the rest of the race ran smoothly for the 29. Although not closing the gap to the leaders the Jameson Group Tonykart set equal fastest lap with the eventual winner Woolston and saw Todd gain enough points to reach the top of the National Rotax Rankings.



September 1st, 2011 - Rotax Nationals: Geelong

The 2011 Nationals were a rolla coaster ride for the number 29 and a big learning curve with a brand new TonyKart chassis. After two difficult qualifying sessions, a DNF and 2 heat results outside the top 20, Saturday afternoon could not come soon enough. After promising lap times in Friday practise the team was determined to turn around Saturday's dissapointing results and overhauled the set-up of the Jamieson supported Tonykart.

After dry racing conditions from Friday morning, Sunday brought a change in weather with morning showers delivering a completely wet track. Confidence was high heading into the pre-final after the morning practice session in which the Davey Racing Tonykart showed front running pace. Starting from 23rd Todd was eager to work through the field and that he did, dicing from one end of the field to the other in treacherous conditions, eventually passing 17 of Australia’s top rotax competitors to finish 6th.

FINAL: The sun emerged from behind the clouds and put pay to any further wet racing conditions for the final. Starting from 6th and facing 30 intense racing laps the focus moved from all out attack to conservation and maintaining pace with the other front running competitors. The low grip racing surface favoured the 29 and Todd quickly moved into 3rd position with two factory Arrow drivers in hot persuit. Multiple national champions Matthew Wall soon found the rear crash bar of the 29 and bumped Todd wide on his way through to the front. This allowed 4th and 5th to also shuffle through knocking the Davey racing machine back to 6th. It was in this position the 29 sat until the final lap when Todd made a good run on the multiple state title holder, Brendon Nelson in an attempt to claw back 5th. Being the last lap of the Australian Championship, Nelson was in no hurry to give up 5th with both karts colliding mid corner. Nelson retired from the race and Todd dropped back to 10th position.

Although disappointed to miss out on a top five position, the Davey Racing team was estatic with the performance of the Jamieson Group Tonykart in the final. A strong team effort with support from Adam Hunter at Karting World saw a complete turnaround in the performance of the kart from the start of Saturday to Sunday afternoon. The result provides Todd and John with confidence moving toward the end of the 2011 season as they strive for their first national level podium position.