Kart racing takes off

IT was mate against mate at the Gympie kart track yesterday as Danny Rye and Scott Elms slugged it out on the tarmac.

Picture: Craig Warhurst

IT was mate against mate at the Gympie kart track yesterday as Danny Rye and Scott Elms slugged it out on the tarmac in preparation for tomorrow's kart meet at the industrial estate.

The Cooloola Coast businessmen have a friendly rivalry on the track with the pair finishing first and second in last year's leopard heavy class.

But this year, Rye has just purchased a new $9000 Arrow kart in a bid to regain the title from Elms.

Rye had the 125cc water-cooled machine's tyres squealing around the tight Gympie circuit as Elms pushed his kart to the limit in a bid to overtake him during practice.

“The kart is only three days old so we're doing some hot laps to try and get the setup right for the weekend,” Rye said.

And the pair had better get the set up just right if they are going to beat the current national champion who is turning up to race on the Sunday.

Cooloola Kart Club president Dale Coomber said people from all over the country had been turning up to the Gympie track for recent meets.

“We're holding the Queensland open titles here in July, so a lot of people have been coming to Gympie just to get a feel for the track before the big meet,” Coomber said.

“We're expecting more than 500 karts.

“It will be a big thing for the club,” he said.

Originally published as Kart racing takes off