Campbell Owens has carried on the momentum from his second round win a fortnight ago in the 2025/26 North Island Formula Ford Series (NIFF) to this time take victory at the Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon third round in Feilding over the weekend.
Three race wins, including the Dan Higgins Trophy 18-lap finale and a second placing, have moved Owens up the leaderboard within striking distance of the top.
“Super pleased to come away with the round win,” said Owens.
“It definitely didn’t come easy, with a few tangles with other drivers, otherwise some good, hard racing. A great weekend.”
Jack Groenewald continued to collect points for the overall title race, now with a slightly reduced lead of 71 points back to Oliver Sentch.
Groenewald had a new engine for the round, but as it lacked top-end speed, the decision to swap this out Saturday night for his older engine saw a return of pace for the final two races on Sunday.
Owens has been the big mover on the points table, now up from seventh to third, just five behind Sentch. Also on the move at the round was William Beck from eighth to fifth behind Shane Drake in fourth.
Toby McCormack qualified fastest, claiming the $500 Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy cash prize, and then went on to finish runner-up to Owens in the opening race and took the win in Race 2.
A fourth in race three was unfortunately followed by a retirement from the final 18-lapper after a brake disc exploded heading into the fast Turn 7, dropping him from fifth to sixth on the leader board.
“I started off from third for Race 1 after having a braking issue in qualifying,” said Owens.
“Toby (McCormack) and I had a massive battle for the lead over four or five laps before I went the long way around him on the outside of the final corner.”
“Race 2 was more of the same with some good hard battling,” continued Owens.
“I picked up a five-second (driving infringement) penalty, which dropped me back to second. I just had to take that one on the chin, learn and bounce back for the final two races.”
Beck followed up his podium in Race 1 with another third place, ahead of Shane Drake and Groenewald.
Race 3 on Sunday morning saw another battle between McCormack and Owens, with the latter taking the win from Beck and Sentch.
The race wasn’t without further controversy, though, as Owens and McCormack came together on the exit of Turn 6, which sent Owens off the road. This resulted in McCormack picking up a 15-second penalty for the collision.
“For the 18-lapper Dan Higgins Trophy race (Race 4), I got an average start and just managed to keep up with Toby (McCormack),” said Owens.
“Something failed on his car, which saw him drop out, and a safety car was called to retrieve him. Meantime, Willie (Beck), Jack (Groenewald) and Shane (Drake) had caught us, and it was a matter of looking less in my mirrors and focusing on my race.”
The battle for second was as good as it gets in Formula Ford, with many positions changing as drivers fought for the runner-up spot.
With Higgins as a major sponsor, Owens’ objective for the weekend was to win the feature race.
“It is really special for me and my family to have won this Trophy,” said Owens.
“Higgins has been great and backed me, so it is my way of giving back.”
There was an impressive four-way battle for second place, where ultimately Jack Groenewald took the spot ahead of Beck, Sentch and Drake.
The NIFF organising committee acknowledge the Higgins family for bringing back the prestigious Dan Higgins Trophy and prize money to the Manfeild round and Formula Ford.
Also, the support of the major sponsor, the Giltrap Group, along with the Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy cash prize for the fastest qualifier at each round.
Yokohama is continuing its backing of the series, along with NAPA’s support through its Driver of the Day award.
Overall Points after 3/5 rounds
- Jack Groenewald 593
- Oliver Sentch 522
- Campbell Owens 517
- Shane Drake 504
- William Beck 450
- Toby McCormack 446
- James Collie 249
- Dylan Grant 227
- Olivia Lorenzen 171
- Braxton Kraayvanger 129
- Maxim Kirwan 67
Race Results (Position, Driver, Chassis)
- Campbell Owens, Ray GR21
- Toby McCormack, Spectrum 010
- William Beck, Spectrum 010
- Ollie Sentch, Van Diemen Stealth
- Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
- Jack Groenewald, Mygale SJ07A
- Olivia Lorenzen, Van Diemen
Race 2:
- Race 2
- Toby McCormack, Spectrum 010
- Campbell Owens, Ray GR21
- William Beck, Spectrum 010
- Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
- Jack Groenewald, Mygale SJ07A
- Ollie Sentch, Van Diemen Stealth
- Olivia Lorenzen, Van Diemen
Race 3:
- Campbell Owens, Ray GR21
- William Beck, Spectrum 010
- Ollie Sentch, Van Diemen Stealth
- Toby McCormack, Spectrum 010
- Jack Groenewald, Mygale SJ07A
- Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
- Olivia Lorenzen, Van Diemen
Race 4 Dan Higgins Trophy:
- Campbell Owens, Ray GR21
- Jack Groenewald, Mygale SJ07A
- William Beck, Spectrum 010
- Ollie Sentch, Van Diemen Stealth
- Shane Drake, Van Diemen RF92
- Olivia Lorenzen, Van Diemen
- Toby McCormack, Spectrum 010 (DNF)
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
