Hamilton & Manson Lead KZ2 Charge At Tokoroa
| press release | 31 May 2013 |
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Christchurch drivers Matthew Hamilton and Scott Manson led the charge in the premier KZ2 class at the fourth round of this year's Formula S ProKart Series at Tokoroa last weekend.
Young gun Manson, only just out of the Junior ranks, was quickest in qualifying and won the first heat, but old hand Hamilton, a multi-time New Zealand sprint class champion in the direct drive classes, worked his way forward through the heats before winning both the Pre-Final and Final and with it the round from established series star Graeme Smyth and defending class champion and the winner of the first three rounds, Ryan Grant.
Above: Matthew Hamilton claimed his first Formula S ProKart Series KZ2 class round victory of the year
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
Grant spent the weekend dialing in a new kart and though his decision to run wet tyres rather than slicks on a damp track helped him win the second heat he ended up back in eighth place in the Pre-Final, meaning he had to work extra hard in the Final to make it back up to third across the line behind Hamilton and Manson and claim third place for the round behind Hamilton and Smyth.
Visiting Australian driver Ricky Capo ran mid-field in the heats on Saturday and Sunday morning but worked his way up to fourth in the Pre-Final and sixth in the Final to end the weekend eighth overall.
The big news in the KZ2 Masters class was the winning return from injury of defending class title-holder Tom Curran from the Hawke's Bay, though it was his admirable consistency - never finishing lower than fourth - which won class series' points leader Snow Mooney the round.
Above: Consistency won series points leader Snow Mooney his second KZ2 Masters victory of the year
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
Such is the depth of competition in the class at the moment that there were four different race winners, Bay of Plenty round winner Brett Hollander in the first heat, former New Zealand rep Mark Lane in the second, Tom Curran in the third and Pre-Final and Mark Wheeler - claiming his maiden win - in the Final.
In the KF3 junior support class, meanwhile, Bay of Plenty youngster Mitchel Sanders claimed his first round win of the season after getting quicker each time he ventured out onto the track.
North Island class champion Mitchell Turner, who won the class at the first two rounds of this year's series, won the first and second heats but Sanders won the third as well as the Pre-Final and Final to top score over round three class winner Arran Crighton from Auckland and Hawke's Bay driver Turner.
Above: Mitchel Sanders topped the round podium in KF3
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
The weekend's round was the fourth of six of this year's Formula S ProKart Series with subsequent rounds in Hawke's Bay in August and Auckland in September.
2013 Formula S KartSport ProKart Series
KZ2
Round
1 Matthew Hamilton 12 points; 2. Graeme Smyth 15. 3. Ryan Grant 19; 4. Scott Manson 22; 5. Christopher Cox 30; 6. Mark Swetman 31. (also) 8. Ricky Capo 43
Points after Rnd 4 of 6
1. Ryan Grant 441 points; 2. Matthew Hamilton 422; 3. Chris Cox 414; 4=. Jordan Morris 398; 4=. Shaun Grocock 398; 6. Mitch Brown 395
KZ2 Masters
Round
1. Snow Mooney 13 points; 2=.Mark Lane 15; 2=. Tom Curran 15; 4. Mark Wheeler 26; 5. Leo Bult 32; 6. Todd Wheeler 33.
Points after Rnd 3 of 6
1. Snow Mooney 433 points; 2. Mark Wheeler 423; 3. Brett Hollander 418; 4. Todd Wheeler 413; 5. Leo Bult 410; 66. Garry Claxton 406.
KF3
Round
1. Mitch Sanders 8 points; 2. Arran Crighton 12; 3. Mitchell Turner 14; 4. Logan Brown 20; 5. Oscar Drummond 23; 6. Thomas Batt 31.
Points after Rnd 3 of 6
1. Arran Crighton 435 points; 2. Mitchell Turner 433; 3. Mitchel Sanders 425; 4=. Thomas Batt 411; 4=. Logan Brown 411; 6. Oscar Drummond 408
