Congratulations to Sandra and Noel Hocking on being honoured with life memberships!
We did say there would be a special or announcement or two today, and we're so happy that many of you were there for it.







Full speech below:
Noel Hocking started racing back in about 1980 here at the Ballarat Kart Club and right there next to him was his wife, Sandra.
Apart from the normal volunteering at the club like in the
canteen, within 2 years Sandra had taken on the role of club secretary, and as shown up on our honour board she was club secretary for 3 years from 1982 through to 1984.
It wasn’t just these 3 years as club secretary that was significant at the club, but it was her many, many years of race secretary and lap scorer. I unfortunately can’t give you the exact number of years but I am sure both Sandra and Noel can give the specifics.
From one of my sources who left the club in 1984 and returned in 1996 Sandra was still the race secretary and lap scorer when he returned 12 years later.
Just to put things into context, this is well before the days of computers, CMS, KOMP or electronic transponders.
This involved both Sandra and Noel taking phone calls from up to 200 karters for a big meeting; recording names, class, which chassis and engine you are using, consolidating, and forming classes on paper.
The lap scoring was also done via pen and paper and I find it hard
to fathom how hard and the pressures this must have been to manage. I have heard awhisper that Sandra might have done lap scoring up to State and even Nation championship
level.
Noel was also representing Ballarat at the highest level where he was so close to winning an Australian Championship in the 1980’s where he finished second. (By 1 point)
Noel and Sandra stopped racing around the very late 1990’s and it was their nephew, Ray Dumseny’s decision to return to karting in the about 2017 that renewed the spark in Noel as
he returned as his mechanic/support.
I remember being grid marshal that first day and like I am to all the new karters on P platers I gave the encouragement to don’t worry if you get lapped. Little did I know the years and years of experience that was between those two as he finished very well in his heat.
It didn’t take long for Noel to get the bug again and to buy a kart and engine off his good mate Remo and to start karting again. Noel still has that passion today to race and I believe
still has ambitions to take the restrictor out and to race TAG.
But as you might not have noticed, Noel doesn’t hit the track as often as he possibly could, like today’s club day for instance.
The reason for this is that Noel has stepped up once
again and completed his officials training. Noel often sacrifices his racing even at club level, so we have enough officials to race a club day and is often the starter.
For those who don’t know, for the last couple of years Noel has been the started for most VCS rounds when he is not travelling, and at most of these rounds Sandra has been by his
side still supporting karting.
Noel is also known to turn up in his ute midweek by himself and to do a little tree pruning and shredding, keeping the place respectable but with very little fuss about what he has
done. It is noticed and appreciated.
When I talked to our club life member Kevin O’Donohue about the contribution of Sandra over the years, Kev immediately replied that he doesn’t think the Ballarat Kart Club recognised her contribution over the years, he went and opened a dusty bottom drawer and
pulled out a little shield he had made before Covid to thank Sandra for her contributions. This was obviously never presented to her but here it is today.
So as the current President of the club, I am proud to acknowledge and recognise both Noel and Sandra Hocking for their many years of service to the Ballarat Kart Club and would like to congratulate and to present them both with Life Memberships to the Ballarat Kart Club.
Justin Malcolm
President
Ballarat Kart Club

  • Free Cadet Tyres just begging to be given way if a Cadet class forms!
  • Great early practice for next year's first VCS round.
  • Special long 36 lap final as something new.
  • BBQ and Beers after competition.
  • 2024 Club champions awarded.
  • A special announcement or two...


You must enter by MIDNIGHT Friday night, we can no longer do late entries on the day with KOMP.

Practice/E Grade license holders - DON'T Forget - Most practice licenses can enter ONE club day per year to ACTUALLY race.
As long as you have the compliant equipment, this is a great chance to meet your fellow club members and jump in at the shallow end.

Spectator entry is free, and questions about getting into the sport are welcome.

 
During the nicer months, we will offer a 30 minute session before our monthly committee meeting for any new member to attend.
This will allow you to meet some of the crew, get to know how the club works, and ask any kart/tech questions.
We get a heap of questions via phone and social media from new members, and this will allow us to help more of you together.
Even if you have been with the club a while, you are welcome to come along.

Upcoming Dates for 2024:
Wed October 9 7:00pm
Wed November 13 7:00pm (Apologies, there was a mixup on this meeting date)
TBC December
TBC January
TBC February

Location: Haddon Club Rooms.

We cant wait to get out of winter and into some spring racing.
Make sure you save the date. 
NOTE: There is no October club day planned , so this is your second last chance to race a club day this year.



Calendar is provisional, all dates are subject to changes/variations


Congratulations to the winners, and thankyou to our army of officials and volunteers, and also the Haddon community.

Big events are absolutely NOT easy to run.
We all worked dusk till dawn for 2 days and still got through the weekend with most of our sanity intact.
So now it's time to kick our feet up for a bit.

We sincerely hope that whatever your final result, you had fun and enjoyed the challenge this weekend.

We are massively proud of this track upgrade, and our club

Its been a great start to our new circuit, with many karters out burning a groove into the new surface.

This month is a busy month and we are expecting some great action and big entries.

Sunday April 14 - Club day with the VC4SS Trail

Saturday - Sunday April 27-28 DPE Victorian Country Series Round 2

We need plenty of help from our members for both events, so make sure you pencil these weekends in.

Congratulations to all members who have stepped up to take a bigger role in the club for 2024.
We particularly thank life member Michelle Shields as our long serving canteen manager.
That position is temporarily vacant as Michelle steps back, and we will be looking to transition the role.

President:                            Justin Malcolm

Vice President:                   Mitch Arrow

Secretary:                           Paul Feely

Treasurer:                           Daniel Findlay

Race Secretary:                  Bill West

Member Protection Information Officer: Justin Templar

New Member Liaison:         Mal Mason

Karting Victoria Delegate:  Ray Dumesny

Co  Delegate:                       Mal Mason

VCS Delegate:                      Daniel Findlay

Club Safety Officer:            Mal Mason

Canteen Manager:              Vacant

Trophy  Buyer:                    Ray Dumesny

 

 

2024 Committee:                                   


Justin Malcolm
Bill West
Mal Mason
Paul Feely
Ray Dumesny
Mitch Arrow
Daniel Findlay
John Page
Matthew Bristow
Justin Templar
Jason Carter
Jason Douglas
Charles Carnie
Grant Johnson

Junior advisors
Flynn Carnie
Dom Kucina

Q: My club is open again, but how do I practice at the track?

1 KAC KAC KAC
We have been shut for a while, and private practice requirements have changed in a BIG way while we were closed.
You MUST register or join a social karting session in KOMP to use the track AHEAD of time. (eg the day before)
There MUST be a qualified Karting Activity Controller (KAC) present.

2 - Track hours are 9am-6pm
Track is closed TUESDAYS (No engines)
Please RESPECT our neighbours and finish up on time.

3 Use your member key to open the top gate
If you are do not want others to join your session, shut the gate behind you.

4 This is a learning curve for all of us.
We will be patient as a club with any genuine mistakes, but we will also monitor compliance.
Anyone ignoring the requirement will be contacted by the committee.

Links

https://www.karting.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-To-Get-KAC-Licence-2.pdf

https://www.karting.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-To-Onsite-Karting-Activity-Controller.pdf


AGM and Track Opening details have been emailed to every member.
If you did not get a copy, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Every Saturday morning from 8:00am we are cracking on with the final jobs for YOUR track upgrade.
We want to see all able members join in, and feel a sense of accomplishment with a bit of hard work.
Its only through volunteers that we will be  on-track to re-open for the March 17 Club Day.

Bring: Work shoes, gloves, hats  tools etc
Garden tools: Wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels etc


We are very happy to announce that sealing works have begun at the end of January.
The asphalt layer will follow this week, and then we have various works to complete before we open again in March. 

So roll up those sleeves, we will have a regular stream of working bees to cap of this major project.

  1. 2023 Club Member of the Year - Justin Malcolm
  2. 2023 VCS concludes at South West Kart Club
  3. Important track and VCS round 6 update
  4. Track Earthworks Underway for Spring!
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