World title holder to return for Coast race

PAOLO De Conto has declared his intentions to return to Australia next year to complete a Race of Stars threepeat.

The Italian star successfully defended his 2016 title in unusual circumstances, when a torrential downpour forced the finals of the KZ2 Elite and KA2 categories to be cancelled on safety grounds.

That left the placings to be determined by total points accrued during the four heat races held across the weekend.

De Conto’s effort to chalk up three wins was enough to take the honours, ahead of Australian surprise packet Pierce Lehane and Belgium’s Rick Dreezen.

Though the “terrible storm” prevented him from putting on a final show, 25-year-old De Conto was pleased to seal back-to-back crowns in a highprofile field.

He already is hoping to be back for a third visit Down Under to race at Xtreme Karting in Pimpama.

“Yeah I hope so,” he said. “I hope and I want. It is my second time here and for the second time I won.

“Coming to Australia is always special to me because it’s a really nice country with a lot of really good people and I really enjoyed the time I spent here.”

De Conto, also the reigning two-time world champion, is next set to race at the Las Vegas Supernationals in early November.

In a blow for the Race of Stars, Supercars driver Nick Percat was forced to withdraw due to a last-minute sponsor commitment.

That did not prevent the circuit from boasting a Supercars presence, with James Courtney overseeing his JC Kart program and Brad Jones Racing co-drivers Macauley Jones and Todd Hazelwood also on-site.

Jones, Percat’s endurance co-driver, even got his hands dirty in the pits.

Among other notable names, 2016 runner-up Marijn Kremers placed eighth and Swede Joel Johansson was 10th, one spot above former champion David Fore.