HyperRacer drivers, Dean Crooke and Jon Crooke, have had a spectacular debut at the Island.

The weather was perfect and the new HyperMAXracer/Phoenix Superkart, with its stunning bodywork and flip up steering wheel was a real attention grabber.

The HyperMAXracer's were finished the night before race day, so the team had not done any testing of the new design.

Dean had raced at the Island in 2000 as a junior in Superkarts.
Jon had never raced at the Island, having only done 10 laps around the track in a road car in 2001.

PRACTICE / QUALIFYING
In the 8 lap practice / qualifying session, Dean had to run in an engine and then go for a qualifying time. In a masterly display he trundled around for 7 laps and then, with the motor run in, he did a Senna. With one lap to go, he ignited the fuel, switched on the afterburners, opened the waste-gates and blitzed around the Island to stick his new HyperMAXracer on pole, 2.5 seconds faster than the rest of the field. Jon was still learning the track, but was very happy to be the best of the rest and second on the grid, with a box stock engine.

1st Dean Crooke 1:59.7910
2nd Jon Crooke 2:02.2281
3rd Dean Davis 2:02.2379

Because both Hyper drivers are P platers, they both had to start at the rear of the grid in each race.
14 interstate and local karts in the race.
3 x 5 lap races

RACE 1
Dean was challenging the front runners into Southern loop on the first lap when he got a tap from behind that turned him around. Finished 7th. Fastest lap 2:00.9777.

Jon got a great start and passed the entire field to lead across the line at the end of first lap. For 3 laps he traded the top 3 places with Rod Clark and John Grant, before having to spin the kart at the hairpin to avoid hitting the driver in front.
Finished 5th. Third fastest lap 2:01.6453.

RACE 2
Dean, in a sensational drive, worked his way through the field from the back of the grid to take the lead on lap 3 and then drove away to a 4 sec lead.
Finished 1st. Fastest lap 1:59.9479.

Jon got a shocking start to trail the field into turn one, but worked his way back to 4th, finishing 7 seconds behind the winner and setting, apart from Dean, the next fastest lap of the meeting.
Finished 4th. Second fastest lap 2:01.4727.

RACE 3
Jon got a great start and had passed 11 karts by the time he exited Southern Loop, On the run down to the hairpin he lined up the leading 2 drivers Clarke and Grant, and slipped down the inside under brakes. But as he lead the field for the run over Lukey Heights, he was nailed from behind by Rod Clark, resulting in a 100mph reversing maneuver that is not recommended by the RACV.
Finished last. Second fastest lap 2:02.4294.

Dean glued himself to Jon's rear for the start of the first lap and was right behind the leaders when the Lukey Heights incident occurred. With karts spinning and taking to the grass to avoid the carnage, Dean managed to miss everyone and stay on the track. He immediately assumed the lead and lapping 2.3 seconds a lap faster than the next fastest driver (Jon in last place) drove away for the win.
Finished 1st. Fastest lap 2:00.1476.

OVERALL RESULTS
1st Dean Crooke
2nd Rod Clarke
3rd John Grant

Having to start every race from the rear of the grid made Dean's dominating performance all the more spectacular. It was a great result for the Hyper team with Dean fighting back from a first race spin, and Jon returning to racing, after 20 years, to be on the pace (of everybody except Dean) and able to play with the front runners.
The team is looking forward to a great year.