Blake Dowdall has extended his lead in the 2025 Napa Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship after the first two of four races at the final round in Feilding on Saturday. Now with a 98-point lead and two remaining races on Sunday, Dowdall has one hand on the title trophy, ahead of Toby McCormack who has moved up from third place.
During a hectic and stop-start qualifying on a damp Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Toby McCormack (1:15.470) went quickest winning the $1,010.10 cash cheque supplied by the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy. He was followed by Dowdall (1:15.503) Dylan Grant (1:15.503), Will Neale (1:16.016), Izaac Fletcher (1:16.174) and James Penrose (1:16.178).
The opening race saw Dowdall initially lead from McCormack with the two dicing for the win over the proceeding 12-laps. Behind them it was a race for the remaining podium position between Neale and Penrose while Jacob Begg, Izaak fletcher, Dylan Petch, Jack Groenewald, Shane Drake, Dylan Grant, Campbell Owens and Mason Potter battled over the remaining top ten positions.
“Really good to have someone you’ve raced for a very long time, and you trust,” commented Dowdall. “We weren’t leaving anything in it. It’s a home track so I know my way around this really well. Some parts of the track were wet and some dry there’s definitely some strategy to know where to place your car in the right place before a corner in order to force the other driver on a worse line.”
It was McCormack that got the advantage in the second 12-lap race. Although Dowdall lead for three-quarters of the race, McCormack got the chance and took his opportunity to hit-back and get ahead for the win.
“He was really good at covering both the inside and outside,” said McCormack. “He knew where he was strong, so he put his car there. I managed to squeeze him quite hard and kept it between the lines and got passed.”
Third was Penrose followed by Neale, followed by Grant, Begg, Petch, Groenewald, Drake, Fletcher and Owens.
Sunday holds two races including the 18-lap Morrie Smith Memorial Trophy final race of the season.
2025 NZ Formula Ford Championship
Overall Points (Top ten) – with two remaining races
1/ Blake Dowdall 773
2/ Toby McCormack 675
3/ Will Neale 665
4/ James Penrose 617
5/ Dylan Grant 577
6/ Jacob Begg 537
7/ Lincoln Taylor 511
8/ Izaak Fletcher 456
9/ Campbell Owens 341
10/ Dylan Petch 339
Race 1 (12-laps)
1/ Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015,
2/ Toby McCormack, Spectrum 015,
3/ Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94,
4/ James Penrose, Ray GR20,
5/ Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A,
6/ Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20,
7/ Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93,
8/ Jack Groenewald Mygale SJ07A
9/ Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
10/ Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03,
11/ Campbell Owens Ray GR21,
12/ Mason Potter, Van Diemen Stealth
13/ Josh Thomas, Mygale
14/ Diesel Thomas, Mygale SJ08A,
15/ Toby Musico, Musico
16/ Tony Graham, Swift
17/ Nick Buxeda, Van Diemen RF01
18/ Kim Crocker, Van Diemen RF01
Race 2 (12-laps)
1/ Toby McCormack, Spectrum 015,
2/ Blake Dowdall, Spectrum 015,
3/ James Penrose, Ray GR20,
4/ Will Neale, Van Diemen RF94,
5/ Dylan Grant, Van Diemen RF03,
6/ Jacob Begg, Mygale SJ08A,
7/ Dylan Petch, Van Diemen RF93,
8/ Jack Groenewald Mygale SJ07A
9/ Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
10/ Izaak Fletcher, Ray GR20,
11/ Campbell Owens Ray GR21,
12/ Mason Potter, Van Diemen Stealth
13/ Diesel Thomas, Mygale SJ08A,
14/ Toby Musico, Musico
15/ Tony Graham, Swift
16/ Kim Crocker, Van Diemen RF01
17/ Josh Thomas, Mygale
DNF/ Nick Buxeda, Van Diemen RF01
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