Over 100 keen kart racers from all over the upper North Island will descend on Auckland this weekend for the second round of this year’s Hampton Downs Top Half Series.
That will make it one of the biggest meetings the host club, KartSport Auckland, will run at its Giltrap Group Raceway on Rosebank Domain, this year – testament, reckons Top Half Series President and Promoter Roger Smith to the value of – and on-going need for – inter-club competition.
The annual, now Hampton Downs-backed Top Half Series, provides a key link between club and national level competition, offering drivers young and old the opportunity to learn new tracks and test their skills against their peers from other clubs.
Set up over 24 years ago now by the KartSport Auckland, Mt Wellington, and Hamilton clubs, the series is run each year in conjunction with the five other clubs in the northern half of the North Island; KartSport Whangarei, KartSport Bay of Plenty, KartSport Tokoroa, KartSport Rotorua and KartSport Eastern Bay of Plenty.
A bumper prize pool has been a major drawcard in recent years. This year is no different with over $37,000 worth of product and/or cash up for grabs.
As well as individual glory for the drivers, the member clubs also compete every year for the prestigious Roundabout Kart Shop Trophy.
This year the series is made up of four rounds with club members encouraged to sign up for all four.
“You can only go so far competing on the same track, against the same drivers,” says Smith. “By encouraging members, particularly those from our smaller clubs, to travel, we are also – if you like – investing in the future of our sport.”
Class winners at the opening round on this year’s series at Hamilton last month were Riley Boswell (International Kart Supplies Cadet ROK), Mitchell Sparrow (Supreme Kart Supplies Vortex Mini ROK), Josh Richmond (Spartan Auto Dismantlers Junior Rotax), Ayrton Williams (Supreme Kart Supplies Vortex DVS Junior), Graeme Smyth (Westspeed Motorsport KZ2), Jason Lee (Right Karts Rotax DD2), Braeden Snowden (Urban Performance Rotax Max Light), Caleb Hartley (TCB Motorsport Rotax Max Heavy) and Stephen Muggeridge (WRB Karting Supplies ClubSport 120).
Earning $500 for her efforts meanwhile in winning the reverse grid Spartan Auto Dismantlers Junior Rotax class Dash for Cash race sponsored by Giltrap Group/Robert Cunningham Construction/Duffett Doors was 14-year-old female racer Breanna Morris.
She started the race from P19 on the grid but made up 13 places on the first lap, another on the second then the other four on the third to take a lead she would never lose on the fourth.
More information on this year’s Top Half series can be found on KartSport New Zealand’s website http://www.kartsport.org.nz/events/2018-top-half-series and Facebook page www.facebook.com/TopHalfSeries
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