Nationals Success Has Team Primed For Pro Tour
| press release | 12 April 2013 |
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A contingency of more than 20 Praga and OK1 drivers will hit the track at Newcastle for practise today (Friday) ahead of the serious race business to be conducted at this weekend’s Rotax Pro Tour.
The points are tight as we approach the halfway mark for the series and for this event the Praga team is boosted by the addition of top NZ Rotax Light driver Daniel Kinsman.
Kinsman jets into Australia and will compete aboard his Praga with high hopes after securing a third National Championship title over Easter at the New Zealand Nationals. Daniel dominated the Rotax Light class winning convincingly followed by Praga teammate Aaron Hodgson also on the podium in third place. Daniel also took home 2nd place in the Yamaha Light class.
Above: Daniel Kinsman
pic - Leith Robertson, SpeedPics NZ
Daniel Kinsman joins the exciting Rotax Light field alongside the impressive upstart Matty Smith (OK1) and experienced Bret Mullavey.
In Rotax Heavy Lane Moore (OK1) was so close to victory at the New Zealand Nationals finishing up with a 2nd place after battling in the wet conditions of the Heats and starting the Final in 9th place and throwing down an awesome drive to hunt down the leader before running out of laps.
Moore was unlucky in Yamaha Heavy with early pace replaced by frustrating troubles seizing two of his engines and ending his meet.
Above: Lane Moore two wheels the OK1 in NZ
pic - Leith Robertson, SpeedPics NZ
Brendon Hart (Praga), brother of NZ export Josh Hart, took home 5th in Rotax Heavy at the NZ Nationals and will also make the trans-Tasman trek to take on Pro Tour this weekend. Hart is leading Rotax Heavy and Rotax Heavy Masters in the NZ Rotax Max Challenge.
Rounding out the strong results from NZ Nationals was Melbourne’s Ricky Capo (Praga) competing in the KZ2 gearbox class and bringing home consistent 3rd and 4th place finishes across the event. His Finals result was 4th and the event will build on Capo’s experience for the Australian CIK Stars of Karting series.
In KF3 Dylan Drysdale qualified on Pole and was fastest on track in his Praga for the first two Heats. Some engine problems unluckily put them on the back foot and they lost their momentum going into the Finals.
Above: Brendon Hart
pic - Leith Robertson, SpeedPics NZ
This weekend for Pro Tour the tenacity of the Junior Max drivers will ensure the most thrilling of races and OK1 and Praga are honoured to work with amazing up and coming talents with three drivers of our drivers in the Top 5 of the Junior Max Rotax Rankings.
Liam McLellan (OK1) is in second place and will be pushing hard for points to take him to the top, Jordan Boys (Praga) in 4th place will be buoyed by a National title win over Easter and Zane Morse in 5th is coming on strong. Additionally drivers like Lockie McHugh (OK1) can’t be discounted.
In Rotax Heavy a who’s who of drivers will contest in the Praga and OK1 chassis. Leading the Rotax Rankings is National Champion Troy Woolston in Praga followed closely by Lane Moore in 3rd in OK1, less than 200 points separate the two with Rick Pringle in between.
Above: Pragas lock out the front row at the New Zealand Nationals
Look out for hard-hitting Rotax Heavy drivers Paul Rodgers, Brad Wyatt, Trent Moore and Brendon Hart all on track in Praga.
In DD2 Masters Danny Wright from Full Tilt Motorsports will take to the track in his Praga and be joined by Trev Whitby.
