The Ron Brooker Memorial is the Weipa Dirt Kart Club’s biggest event and the two-day race meeting will feature top class racing from both local and visiting drivers.
“We’re hoping for a big crowd, especially on Saturday night,” club president Anthony Newsome said.
“The club will have the bar and canteen up and running and it’s a great night out for families, who can watch from the stands or on the hills with their chairs or picnic blankets.”
Racing begins at 4pm and will continue under lights until late on Saturday, before kicking off again at 9am Sunday.
“Entry is free, which means there is no excuse not to come down and support the club,” Mr Newsome said.
“There may even be a comeback from one or two drivers that will be sure to get tongues wagging.”
The Ron Brooker Memorial race meeting was first staged in honour of a man that never actually raced a dirt kart in Weipa.
But his impact on the club and its members was worthy of cult hero status.
The father of club stalwart Michael “Kimba” Brooker and grandfather of Rachel, another Weipa Dirt Kart Club champion, Ron was always helping out in the pits.
And not just for his family.
“His pit area was the one that everyone would be at, either watching Ron fix, fiddle or maintain the off-road buggy,” said former club president Derek Mowles.
“Others would be there just wanting to hang around this great bloke and chat and take in the valuable advice he’d be giving for free.
“The devout family man loved what the Weipa Dirt Kart club stood for with it’s ‘all about the family’ attitude.
“He’d talk to our young drivers, trying to help with whatever he could and guide them into how they could be better on the track or deal with the ups and downs that motor racing brings.”
