James Black of Dunedin drew first blood when the 2025/2026 Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series got underway at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding today (Saturday).
Black, who first joined the category in the middle of last season, scored his first series victory in a strong drive from third on the grid. He initially took the lead on lap 3 and was briefly headed late in the race by Stuart Lawton of Paraparaumu before regaining the lead to take the chequered flag from Callum Pratt of Auckland and the 2022/2023 North Island Champion, Rex Edwards of Tauranga.
Alex Canty of Auckland capped off a strong day with fourth place with reigning North Island Champion and runner-up in last year’s National Series Lawton next. Lawton had taken pole in qualifying earlier in the day ahead of Pratt, Black and Edwards but after leading dropped back late in the race as he ran out of fuel, nursing the car home to cross the line fifth.
Rudi Kronstrom of Auckland, announced his arrival in the series with a fine sixth place, taking Rookie honours in the process, while Bryan Walker of Christchurch finished seventh. Nigel Edger of Hamilton was eighth and the first Masters (Over 50) competitor across the line ahead of fellow Masters driver Steve Brown of Auckland. Another rookie, Tomas Climo of Hamilton, also made an impressive series debut in tenth place.
It was an exciting first race to ignite the season with some tight competition in a clean, fast and competitive opener.
Tomorrow morning competitors will contest a 12-lap race with a starting grid based on a reverse of the top ten finishers in today’s clash while later in the day they will face a 10-lap finale with a grid determined by points scored to that point of the weekend.
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