Double KZ2 Australian Karting Champion, Sam Dicker has elevated himself into contention for a third consecutive Australian Title after winning the 50th round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship in Ipswich.

Incredibly, it is Dicker’s first win since round three in 2002 in Victoria, claiming both his Championships without a round win. After a disastrous round one and round three, unbelievably, Dicker is within five points of the Championship lead.

Dylan Guest continues to lead the Championship after amassing just 12 points. His weekend was compromised after not completing qualifying on Saturday morning. Fortune came the West Australians way in the final on Sunday though. Entering the race, he held a 13-point advantage over Scott Chaston.

Chaston was running in a solid top five position before Bailey Sagaidak’s radiator hose came adrift, spilling water on the track. Both Chaston and round two winner, Jac Preston left the track after running through the fluid.

Following Dicker home were Troy Loeskow and Nick Mitic. Mitic received a bodywork infringement penalty post-race - his second of the weekend - dropping him to eighth placing, elevating Jay Coul to the podium.

Ultimately, Guest weaved his way through the field to finish in seventh position, having started 17th, while Chaston would come home in ninth.

Chaston is now equal third on points with Jay Coul, some 15 points from Guest’s lead. Mathematically, Preston (minus 39 points), Loeskow (minus 43 points) and Bailey Sagaidak (minus 73 points) can challenge for the Championship.

It was all smiles on the Cadet 9 podium
 

Milan Sami once again proved to be a class above the Cadet 9 field, annexing a perfect weekend with an 8.7 second win in the final. He ended the weekend 123 points in front of his closest opposition in the Championship, Ryder Xiong.

RJ Bellbowen finished second and Luke Robinson third, however, he was relegated to fourth for a driving infringement, elevating Hudson Kelly to third place.



Hamish Campbell leading the KA2 field 
 

Hamish Campbell kept his slender hopes of the KA2 Junior Australian title alive with an emotional win in the final. He won all but one race through the weekend with Sunday morning’s heat being taken by Championship leader, Liam Carr.

Only one of those two can win the Championship, with 59 points separating the duo. Carr tried valiantly to get through to second place, however, was denied by Jye Flynn, who held onto second place by just 0.07 of a second.

The OTK Australia Team celebrating their double victory
 

To continue OTK Australia's great day was its senior spearhead, Mika Lemasurier took his maiden TaG 125 win. He got to the top step 2.2 seconds ahead of Marc Tulloch who had a bounce back to form this weekend and Hugo Garraway, returning to the podium for the first time since Emerald last year.

In the Championship chase, Jackson Souslin-Harlow extended his title lead to 44 points through finishing fourth, aided by closest rival, Harrison Hoey coming to a standstill a lap from home in Sunday morning’s heat. The defending Australian Champion dropped back to 21st at one stage in the final, pushing forward to finish in eighth placing.

Will Thompson on his way to victory in KA3 Senior
 

In KA3 Senior, Zach Heard managed to close the gap to Christian Estasy in the Championship battle to just eight points after a near perfect weekend. For the second time this season, he scored 66 of the 75 points on offer.

Although fighting valiantly in the final, Heard had to settle for second behind Will Thompson, who jumped to the lead from the start, eventually taking a one-tenth of a second win, his first in KA3 Senior. Estasy would stem the flow of points loss by finishing in third. Jett Adamson dropped to third on points with Thompson moving to fourth. Josh Elliston and Toby Spinks also both have a mathematical chance at becoming Australian Champions.

Paddy Buckley returned to the winner's circle in KA3 Junior
 

Another title that had a dramatic twist this weekend was KA3 Junior. Braxton Regan’s runaway lead at the top of the chart was cut to just seven points after a non-finish on Saturday and tough going in the final. He mustered a 13th placed finish, with Paddy Buckley taking a euphoric win, compounding the pain of Sydney-sider, Regan.

Ensuring it was an all-Queensland podium was Dima Micale and Lana Flack, who finished in second and third place respectively. Such is the competitiveness of the category, up to eight drivers remain in contention to claim the Championship in Coffs Harbour in September.

Brodie Whitmore signing the Winner's Wall for the second consecutive round
 

Brodie Whitmore’s march towards the X30 Championship became even stronger after an emphatic win, his second on the trot. The New South Welshman won by 6.6 seconds to extend his lead to 52 points over Max Walton, who was runner up in Ipswich.

Originally, Jace Matthews crossed the line third however he and Jaiden Pope, who finished behind, were handed post-race bodywork infringements - both drivers’ second for the weekend - dropping them to seventh and eighth respectively, handing the third place to Isaac McNeill. Not all is lost for Matthews and Pope, both sitting equal third on the scoreboard, 68 points behind Whitmore.

After what could have been the weekend for Oliver Williamson to end in history as only the second driver to win the Cadet 9 and Cadet 12 Championships in consecutive years has provided him with some consternation ahead of Coffs Harbour. Spinning at turn one from the second row of the grid, he came from 100 metres behind the field to finish in 17th position.
 

Jude Ammoun enjoying the spoils of victory in Cadet 1

Jude Ammoun took the win after a fast charge to the lead, managing to hold out the charging Cooper Clavell - who has more than pushed himself into the stage for the Championship fight. They were joined on the podium by Ladies Trophy leader Alana Gurney.

Just 37 points separate Williamson and Clavell with Ammoun 48 points behind the Title leader. A tough weekend for Jay Kostecki dropped him to third on points, similarly Aston Mills dropping to fourth.

Thus completes an action packed 50th round of the Australian Kart Championship era that featured new Champions and countless Championship implications. The Championship will come to a stunning conclusion over the weekend of September 5-7 on the Coffs Coast at the Coffs Harbour Kart Club.
 

Full on-demand replay of Saturday and Sunday’s action is available on 7plus here.
 

Full results from the fourth round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol are available here.