08/06/2026
DAMASCHINO: NEW SEASON, NEW APPROACH
The KA3 Junior points battle is the closest across the 2026 Penrite Australian Kart Championship, with just 18 points covering the top five.
Shepparton’s Jensen Damaschino claimed the win at round two to take over the series lead from Archie Bristow by a slim three points, with only another four points back to Josh Williams, a further three to Oliver Williamson and another eight to Monty Jamieson.
“It’s really close but that’s probably got a bit to do with how everyone has got more serious this year,” he says. “We used to finish a race, then leave the kart with our dads and then go and hang out and muck around until the next race. But now most of us stay around with the kart, look at data, be there for the changes and then go and watch the racing to see what the other classes are doing to be prepared for the next race.”
The new approach between races matches his new approach on the track, which is less defensive and more intentional.
“I was leading the Cadet 12 championship after the first round last year, so to keep the lead I decided to focus on finishing races rather than trying to win them, but that didn’t work, because I missed a lot of opportunities being too defensive, so this year I’m going out more focussed on getting the best result I can each time. From here on, the job stays the same, and that’s to try our best every time we go out.”
That new approach starts with qualifying, and Damaschino admits it’s the main area of his racing program that need to improve if he is to maintain the series lead.
“I love racing against others and I feel confident passing, but I really need to get better at qualifying to make my racing a bit easier.”
Like many of his rivals, Damaschino has never been to Townsville, forecasting a very interesting championship battle in North Queensland that will be broadcast live and free on 7+ on Saturday July 4 from 12:30pm and 11:30am on the Sunday. Sun City Raceway is 20 minutes west of Townsville on Shaw Road and offers free entry for spectators along with excellent amenities, and refreshments available for purchase.
Pics: Pace Images
EKS Kart Australia
