Ashlon Gardner

Ashlon Gardner born 14 February 1996 is Australia Number 15 and Queensland Number 5 (Rookie class Kart Racer as according to Kart Magazine's 2008 Top 50 (February 2009)). He's clocked an incredible 91 career starts in karting with 24 career round wins, a staggering 55 Podium Positions + 5 Championships all in the period of 4 and a bit years.
On top of his sporting commitments, achievements and ambitions he also topped his year level by winning the most prestigious award for his year level, the "Benowa Medal" and becoming Student of the Year for 2009 in his year level.
Before Racing
As a young 6 year old, Gardner was one of the fastest long distance runners on 2 legs. He rapped up countless medals in numerous running competitions including the Powerbar & Dulbo Junior Darts. He also became a 2 time champion of the Bellevue Park State School Cross Country in 2002 & 2003.
Early Career in Racing
Ashlon Gardner made his karting debut in the Midgets Class at the Gold Coast 'C' Grade Meeting in January 2006 in Matthew Brabham's 2005 Arrow AX-8 Midget/Rookie Kart. Starting from the back as all 'P' Platers do, he then battled his way through the fields.
Gardner began to find his feet and also find the tyre bundles when an experienced rival was sick of being beaten by a rookie. This rival prevented Gardner from getting anywhere near the podium at the end of the race weekend by deliberately pushing him off the track.
It didn't take long for Gardner to learn the art of driving and be much faster than his experienced rival that he wasn't a problem to Gardner's race weekends anymore. Gardner proved his speed by getting his first ever podium position as a first place on June 25, 2006. He had finally conquered his rival and didn't just make the podium for the first time, but stood on the top step of it as the victor.
Gardner backed his first win up with another one the following weekend in which he beat his newly formed rivals Aaron Seton and Lachlan McHugh. He continued his form for the remainder of the year by winning the Queensland 5 Track Series and taking the lap record for Midgets at Days Park Raceway by 3 tenths of a second at a 39.326 second lap compared to the previous record of a 39.6 second lap.
Lap Record Fiasco
Gardner's lap record was though unwillfully and unfairly declined as lap record, despite the fact that Gardner had annihilated the previous lap record by 3 tenths of a second. Gardner had even had his engine stripped and measured and completely complied with the 2006 AKA rules and regulations with flying colours.
Championship
Gardner came home in runner-up position in the 2006 Gold Coast Club Championship by a minuscule margin to Dylan Higgins.
2007
Midgets
Gardner started his year off quite well with his switch from Brabham's AX-8 Midget Rookie Kart to the 2006 Model Gillard Chassis by winning, on debut with the new kart, the Junior Gold Cup by half a lap in all 4 races. Gardner also attended the "Yamaha" in Coffs Harbour for the first time and took advantage of a late error (2nd last corner) in the wet by Chris Corbett (Local Driver) in the final to take 2nd place.
After coming in at runner-up in the 2006 Gold Coast Club Championship by a minuscule margin he had one hand on the championship trophy and became more determined than ever to put his second hand on that trophy. After a long year he could say that he had finally done it, He was the Gold Coast Region's top driver in Midgets by winning the 2007 Gold Coast Club Championship.
Rookies
Gardner made the step up to Rookies (10-12yrs) in early September of '07 and found himself competitive immediately in his '06 Spec Gillard. His second venture out on the track was at the Closed State Titles held at Willowbank Raceway (Queensland Raceway).
Gardner started off quite slowly qualifying in 7th. He fought through the field to be at the front of the grid in the Final. He also rediscovered his midget rival who collided into Gardner at the end of the back straight on the last lap of Heat 2 while Gardner was leading. Gardner's kart control was known now as he recovered from certain non-finishing to come home in second.
It came Final time and Gardner lead from start to finish increasing his lead over the course of the race to come home with a lead the length of the 150 meter back straight (4 seconds).
2008
Rankings
Gardner finally made himself widely known in the Australian Karting scene making his way to number 15 on the Australian Top 50 and number 5 on the Queensland Top 50 for the Rookies class.
Major Wins
Gardner rapped up the Queensland Closed Titles for the second time in style. Gardner helped Nicholas Andrews and himself increase a considerable lead over young Aaron Seton. Gardner made his move into the first corner on the second last lap and extended his lead going into the Final Lap. Andrews made one last desperate effort to grasp the title going into Turn 3 but failed miserably and Gardner easily avoided contact and had a large enough lead to grasp his second consecutive title.
Gardner also went back to Coffs Harbour to improve 1 more position from last year's result at the "Yamaha". Gardner was successful at achieving this goal with victory in the Pre-Final, Pole in the Final and victory in the Final beating rivals Mitchell Gee, Brock Plumb and Dylan Higgins.
Gardner also took victory at his Inaugural Appearance at the Junior Challenge by a considerable margin.
Championship
Due to Gardner missing the 1st round of the Gold Coast Club Championship and a few others due to other racing commitments and illness, he was out of contention for the Gold Coast Club Championship this year though he competed in Round 2 and took victory easily.
Though not able to compete for the Gold Coast Championship, Gardner still managed to take victory in a Championship; Warwick Club Championship. Gardner showed dominance in all the rounds he competed in by taking victory with the exception of the first round due to the same racing commitment that caused him to miss the first round of the Gold Coast Championship.
Partners
TechAire (2006-2011), Screemin' Squeegees (2006-2011), Arrow Karts (2007-2010), Kaos Karting (2008-2010), Intrepid Karts Australia (2010-2011)
Epic Sports Distribution (2008-2011), Howard Group (2009-2010).

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