GUEST speaker Greg Murphy kept a 170-strong crowd entertained at Eastland Kart Club’s prize-giving at the Emerald Hotel last Saturday night.
Four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Murphy talked about his racing career — from karts to V8 Supercars to rallying — and presented trophies, posed for pictures and signed autographs.
This was the club’s third prize-giving function, and vice-president Murray Michie said it was hard to believe how the club had grown from its first year, when 40 people attended.
Paul Cosson was standing down after three seasons as club president, so he and wife Marie were farewelled.
Lance Sutherland was master of ceremonies for the night and kept things lively.
Female competitors featured in several classes. Claire Ellmers won the rookies’ class and Aimee Whiteman won the young guns’ class. Sibling rivalry played out in the latter division, with Aimee heading off younger sister Tara.
In the KTS division, Ethan Rogers was second to his uncle Wayvern Vause.
Four drivers in the club have won the season points prize twice: Benny Benson (Open 2014, Proclass 2015); Paul Farmer (KTS 2015, Rotax first equal 2016); Robin Trueman (Rotax 2015, Proclass 2016); and Wayvern Vause (both KT and Shifter class in the same season, 2016).
Fern Sutherland won awards for being equal-top points-scorer in the Women’s Limited, and the club’s most helpful member. She was second in the Women’s Race Motor class.
Sharyn Rogers was second in the Women’s Limited and third in the Women’s Race Motor class.
Young drivers all received a participation certificate.
Awards presented were Most helpful club member: Fern Sutherland.
Pics Karts and Parts sportsmanship award: Robb Gomm.
Hard-luck mechanical award: Roger Moss.
Most spectacular incident: Tess Kemp and Jake Moroney.
Most promising driver: Julian Walford.
Dorrell Floor Sanding perseverance award: Tess Kemp.
Dorrell Floor Sanding best-presented kart: Toby White.
Hard-luck award: Connor Gibson.
Best parent helpers: Aaron Whiteman and Peter Lamont.
Best young helper: Kate Schultz.
Michie Family Trophy for highest points overall: Terence Dorrell (Junior Restricted) and Fern Sutherland (Women’s Limited).
Mechanical meltdown: Phil Kemp.
Wicked Tints Trophy for Women’s Race Motor: Kelly Gough 1; Fern Sutherland 2; Sharyn Rogers 3.
White Pointer Boats Trophy for Women’s Limited: Fern Sutherland 1; Sharyn Rogers 2; Anna Kemp 3.
Kevin McKay Memorial Trophy for Rotax: Kyle Prosser, Paul Farmer e qual 1; Julian Walford 3.
Pics Karts and Parts Trophy for KT100s: Wayvern Vause 1; Ethan Rogers 2; Richard Taylor 3.
Eastland Kart Club Trophy for Junior Restricted: Terence Dorrell 1; Cooper Allen Johnstone 2; Tate Wilson 3.
Cosson Family Trophy for Rookies: Claire Ellmers 1; Layton Rogers 2; Koby Gooch 3.
Gisborne Curtains Trophy for Young Guns: Aimee Whiteman 1; Tara Whiteman 2; Tyler Michie 3.
Dennis Trueman Memorial Trophy for Shifters: Wayvern Vause 1; Roger Moss 2; Dion Coote 3.
Tyre General Trophy for Proclass: Robin Trueman 1; Ben Briant 2; Phil Kemp 3.