The return to the driver’s seat this weekend of top New Zealand karters Daniel Bray and Ryan Grant has been welcomed by Giltrap Group ProKart Series promoter Steve Brown.
Both drivers, from Auckland, are multi-time series and NZ title holders in the premier 6-speed-gearbox/125cc KZ2 class and Brown says that their return – as drivers – at the second round of this year’s Giltrap Group ProKart Series at the KartSport Rotorua club’s Century Batteries International Raceway this weekend is a real boost for the sport.
“Neither Daniel nor Ryan have anything else to prove on the track but just having them out there is going to be huge in terms of the speed I know they still have in them as well as their race craft.”
These days, Bray, 33, devotes most of his time to running a multi-faceted business – N-Zed Motorsport – importing and selling karts and parts and running other drivers at major kart meetings around the country. As well as having twice won the KZ2 class title at the annual New Zealand championships meeting (first in 2012 then again in 2015) Bray is also a multi-time KZ2 class winner as well as placegetter in the KZ2-based ProKart Series, which he has been contesting since he was 16 years of age.
In that time Bray has also parlayed success here with a glittering career on the International stage, winning the premier S1 class title over the multi-round SuperKarts USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour in the United States in 2011, and finishing third in the Final at the CIK-FIA International Super Cup – KZ2 in Europe in 2013.
Ryan Grant, 36 , has also enjoyed considerable success over a long career in the KZ2 class, particularly in the ProKart Series, which he has won a record seven times.
Because the Rotorua round of the COVID-19 truncated 2020 Giltrap Group ProKart Series was eventually cancelled it will be two years since competitors last ran on the full 1.2km international-style circuit situated high in the Mamaku Ranges west of Rotorua.
There will be action on track both days over the weekend with qualifying and three heat races per class on Saturday, then a fourth heat plus the Pre-Finals and Finals for each class on Sunday,
Drivers expected to take the battle to Bray and Grant in the KZ2 class include Hamilton round winner Mat Kinsman and his young teammate Joshua Parkinson, and Grant’s own long-time teammate (and former series class title-holder) Graeme Smyth.
In the other two KZ2 classes, Auckland ace Regan Hall proved too good for the rest of the KZ2 Masters field at the opening 2021 series’ round at Hamilton last month while in the cost-controlled KZ4 class Hamilton winner Tony Walker is again expected to face strong competition from former class title holder Garry Cullum and fellow Aucklander Jason Lee.
Driers to watch in the 125c Rotax Max support classes include Zac Stichbury and Josh Richmond in Lights, James Higgins in Heavies, and Mitchel Sparrow, Emerson Vincent, Sebastian Manson and Tom Bewley in the Junior division.
Sebastian Manson’s younger brother Marco, qualified quickest and won all six Vortex Mini ROK races from pole position at the first 2021 series round at Hamilton – despite only leading one heat race (the 4th) from start to finish.
Eventual class runner-up Miles Baker and third-placed Riley Boswell from Hamilton were both absolutely relentless in their pursuit of Manson and ae keen to go one better at Rotorua this weekend.
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