NZ MAX Challenge Continues This Weekend
| press release | 17 August 2016 |
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This year's Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge kart series is set to roar back into life this weekend with the KartSport Wellington club hosting the third double-header round of the season at its George Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Raceway at Kaitoke.
It's been over three months since the second double-header round of the 2016 series in Rotorua and series spokesperson Tony Chambers says everyone involved is looking forward to the Wellington return.
Above: Campbell Joyes (Rotax Max Heavy #1)
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
"It's a great club and a great track and right now some of our best young drivers are from there so it's going to be good to get back there, for sure."
After the first two double-header rounds (in Palmerston North in February and Rotorua in April) the points remain close in all five classes.
In Rotax Max Light defending class title holder Daniel Connor from Auckland has a one point lead over last year's Rotax Junior class title holder and fellow 2015 New Zealand representative Dylan Drysdale from Palmerston North. Just five points, meanwhile, separate current points runner-up Josh Hart from Palmerston North from points leader, Aucklander Mat Kinsman, in DD2.
Campbell Joyes from Hamilton has a nine-point buffer on runner-up Keith Wilkinson from Auckland in Rotax Max Heavy, while 10 points separate top Rotax Junior driver Matthew Payne from Pukekohe and runner-up Ryan Wood from Wellington.
Above: Rianna O'Meara-Hunt (Rotax Junior #69)
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Fast Company/Vicky Jack
Wood is the best placed local but he, Payne and third-placed Reece Hendl-Cox from Rotorua have one of the other local stars, top female karter Rianna O'Meara-Hunt, snapping at their heels.
One of the series' other fast females, former UK Rotax series class winner and dual UK/NZ representative Tiffany Chittenden, is in second place in DD2 Masters behind 2015 NZ class and Grand Finals winner Ryan Urban.
Wellington sisters Ashleigh and Madeline Stewart, who this year have been contesting both the Australian and New Zealand Rotax Challenge series, are also expected to feature in Rotax Max Light on their home track.
After this weekend's double-header round in Wellington the Giltrap Group Rotax Max Challenge concludes at a final double-header round in Hamilton over the September 10-11 weekend.
Above: Ryan Urban (DD2 Masters #90)
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
2016 Giltrap Group New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge
Points after Rnd 4 of 8
Rotax Max Light
1. Daniel Connor 346 points; 2. Dylan Drysdale 345; 3. Kaleb Currie 328; 4. Chris Cox 319; 5. Jacob Cranston 317; 6. Caleb Huston 306.
Rotax Max Heavy
1. Campbell Joyes 357 points; 2. Keith Wilkinson 348; 3. Daniel Bugler 323; 4. Sam Carpenter 309; 5. Kevin Barker 306; 6. Teddy Bassick 302.
DD2
1. Mat Kinsman 353 points; 2. Josh Hart 348; 3. Daniel Bray 335; 4. Dylan Drysdale 309; 5. James Blair 303; 6. CJ Sinclair 296.
DD2 Masters
1. Ryan Urban 364 points; 2. Tiffany Chittenden, 336; 3. Karl Wilson 333; 4. Callum Orr 322; 5. Stuart Marshall 321; 6. Aarron Cunningham 317.
Rotax Junior
1. Matthew Payne 343 points; 2. Ryan Wood 333; 3. Reece Hendl-Cox 319; 4. Madeline Stewart 309; 5. Rianna O'Meara-Hunt 303; 6. Jaden Ransley 302.
Above: Daniel Connor (Rotax Max Light #96)
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes