Trip Incentive Keeps Prokart Racers Coming

Trip Incentive Keeps Prokart Racers Coming

There's another bumper entry for this weekend's Formula S ProKart Series at the KartSport Hawke's Bay club's The Rock Raceway on the outskirt's of Hastings - something to do no doubt with the very real chance competitors across the popular annual series' two senior and one junior class have of winning a trip to Las Vegas later this year.

This weekend's round is the fifth of six and when the points scores are tallied up after the final round in Auckland next month the names of the top six finishers in each class will go into a draw for three (two senior and one junior) trips to the 17th annual SuperKarts USA (SKUSA) Supernationals meeting in Las Vegas over the November 23/24 weekend.

The trips - valued at $6000 apiece - are not just to go to the meeting to watch either. Included - as part of an agreement with top US team Team Aluminos - is a kart to drive and a fully-paid entry to the event.

The link with the annual Supernationals event in Las Vegas - with over 600 entries expected now widely considered the biggest kart race meeting in the world - was originally forged when members of the Formula S KartSport club paid their own way in 2007. And since then Kiwi drivers like Auckland-based international Daniel Bray have become regulars at the converted downtown hotel carpark venue.

Defending champion Ryan Grant from Auckland continues to lead the points standings in the premier KZ2 class heading to the 'Bay this weekend though Christchurch driver Matthew Hamilton claimed his debut series class round win at the most recent round at Tokoroa and is now just 19 points back in second place in the class series points standings.

Young teammate Scott Manson has also had an impressive series debut, qualifying quickest, winning the first heat and going on to finish fourth behind Hamilton, Aucklander Graeme Smyth and Grant at Tokoroa in May.

It's just as close in the main senior support class, KZ2 Masters, despite Snow Mooney claiming his second round of the season at Tokoroa, in this case from fellow Auckalnder Mark Lane and last year's class title holder Hawke's Bay driver Tom Curran.

Mooney currently leads fellow Aucklander Mark Wheeler by 10 points in the series points standings but it will be interesting to see how quick Curran - who missed the first three rounds of this year's series recovering from a non-racing related accident - is at his home track this weekend.

Where the points are closest, however, is the KF3 junior support class with Aucklander Arran Crighton - currently the only driver who has won his class at more than one round of this year's series - leading the points standings by just two points from Hawke's Bay driver Mitchell Turner, the reigning North Island champion, with Tokoroa round class winner Mitchell Sanders third a further eight points back.

The weekend's round is the fifth of six of this year's Formula S ProKart Series with the final round in Auckland in September.

2013 Formula S KartSport ProKart Series

KZ2
Points after Rnd 4 of 6
1. Ryan Grant 441 points; 2. Matthew Hamilton 422; 3. Chris Cox 414; 4=. Jordan Morris 398; 4=. Shaun Grocock 398; 6. Mitch Brown 395

KZ2 Masters
Points after Rnd 3 of 6
1. Snow Mooney 433 points; 2. Mark Wheeler 423; 3. Brett Hollander 418; 4. Todd Wheeler 413; 5. Leo Bult 410; 66. Garry Claxton 406.

KF3
Round
Points after Rnd 3 of 6
1. Arran Crighton 435 points; 2. Mitchell Turner 433; 3. Mitchell Sanders 425; 4=. Thomas Batt 411; 4=. Logan Brown 411; 6. Oscar Drummond 408

Calendar
Rnd 1 Jan 26-27 Mi Sedaap CIK Trophy of NZ meeting, CRC Raceway, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt
Rnd 2 March 09/10 KartSport Rotorua International Raceway, Mamaku, Rotorua
Rnd 3 April 20/21 Fagan's Valley Raceway Te Puke
Rnd 4 May 25/26 Tirau Earthmovers' Raceway Tokoroa
Rnd 5 August 17/18 The Rock Raceway, Royshill, Hastings
Rnd 6 Sept 21-22 KartSport Auckland Raceway Auckland

ENDS

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