A superb weekend for Christchurch’s Blake Knowles has seen him take his break-through first race win in the 2022/23 Yokohama South Island Formula 1600 Championship after the second round at the Timaru International Raceway on Saturday. The Christchurch Boys High School student won all three races from NZ Formula Ford champion, Alex Crosbie, and now has the overall lead in the six-round series.
“It was awesome weekend,” commented Knowles. “My first pole in Formula Ford and then to top it off we won all three races.”
At the beginning of the one-day event, Knowles (Van Diemen RF05) pipped Crosbie (Ray GR21) for pole position by just 0.008 seconds winning the $500 Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy cash prize for fastest qualifier.
“We had strong pace all weekend,” said Knowles. “Battling with Alex (Crosbie) was cool, he is a hard charger.”
While Knowles finished the day with three wins and Crosbie three second placings, it was the battle for the final podium position that produced some top performances for the round. Dylan Petch (Ray GR21) won the NAPA Auto Parts $230 cash prize for ‘Driver of the Day’ in his battle with Daniel Brown (Ray GR21). Petch claimed third place in the first two races while Brown beat him home in the final
Also making top five results were rookie drivers Will Neale (Van Diemen Stealth) and Caleb Byers (Ray GR21).
In the final 12-lap race of the day, Crosbie managed to eke out a lead over Knowles which he held for 10-laps, only to be caught and passed with under two laps remaining.
“I was initially battling with Daniel (Brown) in the first few laps until I got passed and got ahead of him. Alex (Crosbie) got a bit of a lead which I was able to bring back. We had a bit of a battle at the end and I managed to get passed and hold the lead to the end!”
Knowles now holds a 15-point lead over Crosbie while Petch has moved into third overall ahead of Daniel Brown and Caleb Byers.
Drivers and teams now have a break until the third round at Crosbie’s home track, Teretonga Park in Invercargill 3-4 December 2022.
Overall Points after 2/6 rounds (Top 12)
1/ Blake Knowles 384
2/ Alex Crosbie 369
3/ Dylan Petch 317
4/ Daniel Brown 331
5/ Caleb Byers 230
6/ Will Neale 214
7/ Dominic Robertson 220
8/ Jake Bryant 117
9/ Dan Kelly 205
10/ Jacob Cunniffe 128
11/ Rachael Beck 82
12/ Thomas Flynn 150
Race Results
Race 1 (8-laps)
1/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
2/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
3/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR21
4/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
5/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
6/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
7/ 3, Dominic Robertson, SC94 Swift
8/ 58, Dan Kelly, Van Diemen Stealth
9/ 83, Thomas Flynn, Swift SC92
10/ 30, Jacob Cunniffe, SC96 Swift
11/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen Stealth
12/ 63, Rachael Beck, Van Diemen RF92
DNF #75 Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
Race 2 (10 laps)
1/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
2/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
3/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR21
4/ 25, Daniel Brown, Ray GR21
5/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
6/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen Stealth
7/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
8/ 3, Dominic Robertson, SC94 Swift
9/ 58, Dan Kelly, Van Diemen Stealth
10/ 30, Jacob Cunniffe, SC96 Swift
11/ 63, Rachael Beck, Van Diemen RF92
DNF #75 Jack Noble-Adams, Ray GR21
DNS 83, Thomas Flynn, Swift SC92
Race 3 (12-laps)
1/ 50, Blake Knowles, Van Diemen RF05
2/ 1, Alex Crosbie, Ray GR21
3/ 25, Daniel Brown, RayGR21
4/ 17, Dylan Petch, Ray GR21
5/ 73, Caleb Byers, Ray GR21
6/ 28, Will Neale, Van Diemen Stealth
7/ 77, Jake Bryant, Van Diemen Stealth
8/ 3, Dominic Robertson, SC94 Swift
9/ 30, Jacob Cunniffe, SC96 Swift
10/ 58, Dan Kelly, Van Diemen Stealth
DNF 63, Rachael Beck, Van Diemen RF92
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