Alex Canty, of Auckland, leads the points by the barest of margins as the series heads south. He holds a one-point margin over 14-year-old Ajay Giddy of Silverdale, with Stu Lawton, of Paraparaumu, just four points behind and Auckland’s Callum Pratt just a further two points back. Dunedin driver James Black sits fifth, just five points adrift of Pratt. That means as the much-anticipated action arrives at Teretonga Park the top five drivers are within 12 points of each other.
Spectators are bound to see another weekend of frantic and exciting racing in a series which delivers a great spectacle every time it hits the track.
Canty has the series lead due to good consistent results at both opening rounds whereas Giddy, after a troubled run at round one, surged into second in the points after a dominant clean sweep at the second round. Lawton is always competitive and holds third ahead of Pratt, who won the opening round before he, too, struck problems at the second round. Black, in fifth, is the only other driver apart from Pratt and Giddy to have taken a race win to date.
There are so many more top contenders on the grid this season. Sam Dashfield, of Auckland, and former champion Simon Baker, of Kapiti, both missed round one at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon but were right in the mix at round two, held at Hampton Downs. Stephen Brown, of Auckland, rookie Tomas Climo, of Hamilton, and Bryan Walker, of Christchurch, plus several others will ensure that the 22-car grid provide super-exciting racing.
Brown leads the masters (over-50) points coming to Teretonga Park from Nigel Edger of Hamilton, who is not entered this weekend, with Anthony Tork and Phil Clemas next while Giddy leads the rookie standings from Black and Climo.
In the series teams championship, the two-and-a-half drivers team of Black, Pratt and Walker lead.
After practice on Friday competitors have a 15-minute qualifying session at 11.10am on Saturday with their first race of the weekend over 10 laps at 3.24pm that afternoon. On Sunday a 12-lap reverse top ten grid from Saturday’s race results starts at 8.30am, with the finale over 10 laps at 1.16pm.
By Lindsay Beer
