Kinsman & Cunningham On Top In NZ MAX Series

press release

Daniel Kinsman was again the class of the Motorex Rotax Max Light field at round 5 of this year's Right Karts Kartstars Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand in Hamilton over the weekend, the 18-year-old Aucklander qualifying on pole then completing a clean sweep of the heats, Pre-Final and Final.


Above: Daniel Kinsman, Rotax Max Light winner
pic - Fast Company/Graham Hughes

Second was Rnd 3 class winner Kane Taylor, third, reigning New Zealand Rotax Max Light Sprint champion Daniel Connor, the latter finally getting the better of multi-time former New Zealand champion Ryan Urban - who had crossed the line third in the Pre-Final - on  the last corner of the last lap of the Final.

In the Strata Networks Rotax Max Heavy class, meanwhile, victory went to Auckland's Aarron Cunningham from Bay of Plenty driver Arryn Hill and the first of the Masters class (over 32 yrs) competitors, Taupo's Teddy Bassick.

Like Kinsman, Cunningham had a great day, qualifying quickest and going on to win three of his four races and finishing second to Hill in the other to increase his lead in the series class points standings.


Above: Aarron Cunningham, 1st in Rotax Heavy
pic - Fast Company/Graham Hughes

In stark contrast, top Masters (over 32 yrs) driver Steven Currie had a round to forget, engine problems seeing him qualify back in 12th position and manage only eighth place finishes in the Pre-Final and Final.

That meant round victory in the Masters category went to Taupo driver Teddy Bassick, though by soldiering on Currie actually extended his lead in the category points standings over Palmerston North's Brendon Hart and Auckland's Gary Claxton.

Cunningham and Currie's KartSport Mt Wellington clubmate Shane Hodgson was another class front-runner who had a round to forget, qualifying and running in the top six in the heats and Pre-Final but being forced out of the Final on the 15th lap of 24 by a puncture.

In his and Currie's absence, Bay of Plenty driver Arryn Hill stepped up, shadowing Cunningham in qualifying and following him home in both the Pre-Final and Final to claim second place for the round.

Christchurch's Scott Manson was again the quickest of the Juniors but he didn't quite manage a clean sweep, being beaten to the finish line in the second heat by young Auckland driver Christopher Sinclair.


Above: Junior Rotax winner Scott Manson
pic - Fast Company/Graham Hughes

So close are the top four driver in the Arai Formula Junior class that each race had a different runner-up, with Sinclair crossing the line behind Manson in the first race, Manson following Sinclair home in the second, then Reid Harker claiming second in the Pre-Final and Josh Drysdale doing the honours in the Final.

With the penultimate round of the Right Karts Kartstars 2011 Rotax Max Challenge series now over the focus turns to the final at the new Rotorua track over the September 24/25 weekend.

Right Karts Kartstars 2011 Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand, Rnd 5 Hamilton Sunday August 28

Motorex Rotax Max Light
Final
1. Daniel Kinsman; 2. Kane Taylor; 3. Daniel Connor; 4. Ryan Urban; 5. Andy Schofield; 6. Mathew Kinsman.

Strata Networks Rotax Max Heavy
Final
1. Aarron Cunningham; 2. Arryn Hill; 3. Teddy Bassick; 4. Daniel Sayles; 5. Scott Fountain; 6. Steven Currie

Arai Helmets Formula Junior
Final
1. Scott Manson, 2. Josh Drysdale; 3. Reid Harker; 4. James Munro; 5. Christopher Sinclair; 6. Jonathan Bexeda

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