Grant By A Nose At Rotorua
Tweetpress release
It was defending class champion Ryan Grant from Auckland by a nose in the KZ2 Final at the second round of this year's Mi Sedaap instant noodles Pro Kart series at Rotorua over the weekend, former champion and Grant's long-time rival Daniel Bray just 0.232 of a second - hardly the length of a kart - behind at the flag.
Above: KZ2 class Final winner Ryan Grant
pic - Greg Henderson
That said, Grant - who also won the opening round of the 2012 Mi Sedaap series in Wellington last month - qualified quickest, and after being beaten by Bray in the first race of the weekend on Saturday afternoon, won the other four from Bray with Christchurch's Matthew Hamilton third in the first heat and Pre-Final, series returnee Graeme Smyth third in the third heat and fellow Aucklander Mathew Kinsman third in the second heat and Pre-Final.
As a result, after two of the five rounds of this year's Mi Sedaap-backed series Grant now has a handy points lead over Bray with Mathew Kinsman third and Richard Moore fourth.
Christchurch's multi-time New Zealand and South Island sprint class champion Matthew Hamilton is the dark horse at the moment, having finished third in the Pre-Final only to clash with Graeme Smyth in the Final. Smyth was able to recover and finish fourth but Hamilton could only limp around, eventually crossing the finish line in 11th place and missing out on a possible podium and therefore valuable points scoring opportunity.
In the KZ2 Masters class, defending series class title holder Tom Curran from the Hawke's Bay had it a little easier, being pipped in qualifying by Aucklanders Steve Brown and Mark Lane, but leading home Lane and Brown in the heats, Pre-Final and Final.
Curran still has some work to do the series points standings however, the defending class title holder currently second to Lane with Steve Brown third and the first of the Wheeler brothers, Todd, in fourth.
Above: KF3 (Junior) class winner Aaran Crighton
pic - Greg Henderson
Taking the lion's share of the $1000 prizemoney in the KF3 Junior class, meanwhile, was series new face Arran Crighton, the young Auckland driver winning two of the three heats and the Pre-Final and Final, the latter two from Josh Drysdale from Palmerston North and Jonathan Buxeda from Tuakau.
However, with Crighton having missed the opening round of this season's Mi Sedaap series in Wellington a month ago it is the winner of that round, Josh Drysdale, who leads the series points standings with Buxeda second and Mitchell Turner from the Hawke's Bay third.
After two quick fire summer rounds there is now a four month break until the third round of the Mi Sedaap Pro Kart Series at KartSport Bay of Plenty's Fagan's Valley Raceway over the July 28-29 weekend.
Series points after Rnd 2 of 5
KZ2
1. Ryan Grant 223 points; 2. Daniel Bray 215; 3. Mathew Kinsman 210; 4. Richard Moore 207; 5. Matthew Hamilton 206; 6. Matt Williams 201
KZ2 Masters
1. Mark Lane 217 points; 2. Tom Curran 214; 3. Steve Brown 213; 4. Todd Wheeler 207; 5. Mark Wheeler 205; 6. Garry Claxton 200
KF3
1. Josh Drysdale 219 points; 2. Jonathan Buxeda 212; 3. Mitchell Turner 208; 4. Mitchell Sanders 207; 5. Logan Brown 205; 6. Luke Dobbs 202.
