FIM MiniGP Australia Series hits Ipswich this weekend for round three

2024 Fusport FIM MiniGP Australia Series
Round Three – Ipswich Go-Kart Track, Queensland Preview

With Mark Bracks, Images by RbMotoLens

The third round of the 2024 Fusport FIM MiniGP Australia series clicks into gear this weekend at the Ipswich Go-Kart Track, situated adjacent to Queensland Raceway. This weekend is also a local derby with seven young riders from South-East Queensland competing for local bragging rights in the two classes.

They’ll be joined by several interstate riders from South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales as they vie to be the best up-and-coming junior road racer of 2024.

The FIM MiniGP is a worldwide initiative with 20 countries participating to provide a pathway to motorcycle Grand Prix stardom. There are two categories for two different age groups, with all competitors riding the same Ohvale motorcycles. Competition is limited to the confines of go-kart tracks—a perfect venue in a controlled and safe environment to hone their racecraft.

The “junior” class is the 160 cc class with 10-inch wheels for those aged 10-14, with the larger capacity 190 cc machines with 12-inch wheels for older riders aged 12-16-years-old.

The series also doubles as the Junior Australian Road Racing Championships.

The championship has five rounds, with the top two place-getters from the 160 cc class and the top three from the 190 cc class invited to the end-of-season FIM MiniGP World Cup, contested in the same week as the final MotoGP of the year at Valencia, Spain.

In the 160 cc class, South Australian Judd “Rocket Ronny Plaisted rules the roost, undefeated so far from Victorian Cooper Horne in second overall. Sunshine Coast lad Chaz Williams is in his first year of road racing and is off to a great start in third.

Judd Plaisted is a firm favourite for the title as it is his third year in the series. Plaisted is the most experienced and has a commanding 31-point lead from Horne, with Williams a further three points adrift.

Austin Attard and Chaz Williams hail from the Sunshine Coast and have received special dispensation to race as they are just nine years old. While Williams has experience in dirt track racing, Attard has never competed in any form of bike racing but has taken to the task with aplomb.

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The final South-East Queensland rider is Zac Afeaki from Brisbane. Zac is ten-years-old and is yet another youngster who has been successful on the dirt track circuit for a number of years.

In the 190 cc class, Levi Russo from Sydney leads from Bodie Paige and Riley Nauta, who both hail from the Gold Coast. Bodie dropped vital points when he crashed out of the first race at the previous round but returned to the winner’s circle in the next race.

Nauta is a solitary point behind and won a race at the previous round. Russo’s brace of second places keeps him 29-points ahead of Paige, with Nauta a further point behind.

This year, Bodie has his younger brother, Jake, to compete against in the class.

Another Queenslander, Hunter Corney from Toowoomba, is a newcomer to the class after graduating from the 160 cc category, where he finished third overall.

All four riders have competed in dirt track racing, with the Paige boys and Nauta racing against each other for a number of years. Nauta and Jake Paige have claimed a number of Australian Championships.

Hunter Corney missed out on the coveted trip to Spain by two-points and the agonising time gap of two-tenths of a second that saw his dreams snatched from him in the final race last year and is out to make amends for that this year.

Over the weekend, there is practice and qualifying on Saturday, two races for each class on Sunday, and a series of support classes: an Open class for riders too old for the FIM MiniGP classes, and a Veterans class for those who haven’t quite grown up yet.

Admission is free, and on-track action commences at 0900 each day.

FIM MINIGP 160 cc Standings

FIM MINIGP 190 cc Standings

Support Class Standings
Mini Motard / Groms Round Results/Standings

Ohvale Novice Round Results/Standings

Ohvale Pro Round Results/Standings

Ohvale Veterans Round Results/Standings

Supermotard Clubman Round Results/Standings

Supermotard Pro Round Results/Standings