An ever-improving Kian Spies bounced back from a Qualifying exclusion to claim fourth overall in a tough Senior MAX grid at the weekend as Round 3 of the Northern Regions Rotax Kart Championships got underway in Benoni.
Spies, who has been steadily improving over the last few months, showed again why he is a serious podium contender in one of the most challenging Rotax classes this season. After being excluded from the qualifying results because of a technical infringement, Spies steadily worked his way up the results sheets in Saturday’s three heats at the Formula K Kart Circuit.
Starting from 13th in the opening heat, the Johannesburg driver made up four positions over the opening lap and another place by Lap 2 before settling into a steady rhythm and a comfortable eighth place. Towards the latter stage of the race, he gained another position before losing it on the final lap. After a post-race penalty to a competitor, Spies would inherit the seventh position. Heat 2 would see another impressive driving display, with the teenager progressing from sixth to third halfway through the 10-lap race. With only a few laps remaining, the Kosmic Kart driver could not fight off the challenge of Roshaan Goodman and finished fourth to secure his best finish on the day. The final heat would see Spies claim another fourth position after he had led the battle for second over the first few laps. His pace would drop off slightly, and Oleratu Sekudu soon passed him and, later, Roshaan Goodman to end his day agonisingly close to a podium result.
“It was an impressive performance by Kian today. He has been slowly improving at every event, and I’m starting to see a hunger in the eyes of the young man. If he continues this trend, he will certainly get onto that podium. It’s always so rewarding to see the hard work they put in paying off,” said Neil Basilio of NBR Racing.
Spies returns to Formula-K Kart Circuit for the second national South African Rotax MAX Challenge round on 28-29 April 2023.
Published by: Motorsport Fanatix – Raymond Cornwell
Picture Caption: Kian Spies
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