A very strong field of twenty-seven drivers has entered Round 2 of the 2025/2026 Mazda Racing Super Series at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in North Waikato this weekend, with a number of them capable of taking race wins across the three races that make up the round.
Auckland driver Callum Pratt leads the way after the opening round at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon last month, where he won two of the three races, securing the early series lead from Tauranga driver Rex Edwards and Stu Lawton of Paraparaumu.
Alex Canty of Auckland sits fourth after the first round, while Dunedin driver James Black, the other race winner at Manfeild, is fifth in the points after a non-finish in the final race of Round 1 dented what would have been an even healthier points tally.
The scene is set for some tremendous racing this weekend as all the frontrunners from the opening round return, where they will be joined by some serious competitors who missed the opener. Among them are Simon Baker, a two-time New Zealand Champion.
Baker took the title in 2022/2023 and also in 2020/2021 – a season in which he also took the South and North Island series honours. Other potential frontrunners, Sam Dashfield of Auckland and Jesse Gould of Raumati Beach, return to the action, as does Peter Farrell, who entered the first round but did not start.
Farrell brings an extensive motorsport CV, including a rallying background and IMSA experience in the United States.
While the outright battles will be intense, so too will the fight for both Rookie and Masters (Over 50) honours. Black took Rookie honours at Manfeild, but Aucklanders Rudi Kronstrom and Ajay Giddy, plus Tomas Climo of Hamilton, all showed glimpses of what they are capable of over that weekend.
Meanwhile, Elton Wichman of Auckland, Nigel Edger of Hamilton and Steve Brown of Auckland are already engaged in a tight battle for Masters honours.
The series will follow the usual format this weekend with a qualifying session on Saturday morning to set the grid for a 10-lap race that afternoon.
On Sunday, a 12-lap race with a starting grid based on the reverse top ten from Saturday’s finishing order takes place in the morning before a 10-lap race in the afternoon, this time with a starting grid determined by points scored to that point of the weekend.
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For point standings in our various series, go to Season Points / | Mazda Racing Series
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
