Technology News

Interschool Karting Challenge: A Decade of Racing Excellence

The Interschool Karting Challenge, launched by the Smith Family in 2014, has become a cornerstone event in fostering collaboration between schools, communities, and industries. Originally involving four schools—Marist College, Padua College, St Paul’s School, and Sandgate District State High School—the challenge aimed to engage students in a hands-on learning experience that would build foundational skills in the automotive and engineering fields. A decade later, the event has expanded to include seven schools, 18 karts, and nearly 100 students. While Marist College and Sandgate District State High School remain from the original lineup, new participants include Mueller College, Bray Park State High School, Ripley Valley College, Matthew Flinders College, and Nudgee College.

Initially conceived as a boarding activity, the program has since been integrated into the curriculum. It now serves as a key component of the Certificate II Engineering Pathways course, which feeds into the Formula High School Program. In this program, Year 12 students take on the challenging task of fabricating and assembling a Le Mans race car, culminating in a six-hour endurance event at Lakeside Park in October.

The karting challenge day begins bright and early, with a 7:00am departure from the College and a traditional McDonald’s breakfast at Jindalee before arriving at Champions Way, Willowbank. Once at the track, the team quickly sets up, and the roar of engines breaks the morning calm as testing gets underway. After the mandatory photo sessions and a comprehensive safety briefing at 8:45am, practice laps begin at 9:00am. The day then moves into qualifying sessions, where kart positions on the grid are determined by transponder-timed laps. Each kart and driver accumulate points throughout the races, with final scores determining the overall standings. The event is the result of countless hours of preparation, where even a minor $2.00 part failure could end a team's day. Fortunately, this year’s event saw minimal issues, with all drivers and karts performing exceptionally well.

In the end, Marist College claimed 1st, 2nd, and 5th place, along with the fastest lap of the day—a fantastic achievement given the increasingly fierce competition.

A special thank you goes to Bruce Lewis from Onguard Safety Training, our naming rights sponsor, and Angela and her team at Ipswich City Dirt Kart Club for their invaluable support. We also extend our gratitude to Mitchelton Mowers, who recently joined as a sponsor, ensuring our engines were in top condition throughout the day.

None of this would have been possible without the dedicated staff at Marist College. Special thanks to Adrian Gray, Peter Gaiter, Brian Dougherty, Blair Whitlock, and Sister Ellie Hotston for their assistance on race day, as well as to the Marist College Leadership Team for their ongoing commitment to the program.

The Interschool Karting Challenge continues to grow stronger each year, providing students with valuable lessons in teamwork and mutual support. We eagerly look forward to next year’s event and the chance to defend our title.