Back-to-back Bethune arrives in championship hunt

Josh Bethune made it two from two today at Highlands, putting him back in the chase for the inaugural Bridgestone GR86 Championship.

Starting from pole position, the Right Karts by M2 Competition driver made a clean getaway and led into the first turn with championship leader Hayden Bakkerus and Hugo Allan behind. He quickly established a crucial early lead and despite not breaking away from the chasing pack behind him, he had built enough of a lead to take control.

As the race progressed, the leading five of Josh, Hayden, Hugo, Cooper Barnes and Chris White – also shaping up to be a championship contender – pulled away from the pack. Bethune though, had it all covered and raced away to win number two. In the process he leapfrogged Justin Allen for fourth in the championship points table, just a point behind third-placed Chris White.

“It’s been a good day,” he said after the gruelling 12-lapper. “And it’s great to bounce back after Teretonga. “I have to pay credit to the boys; the competition has been great and it’s been a ripper day.”

His two wins though, weren’t enough to prevent Hayden Bakkerus winning the round and increasing his championship lead marginally over Allan in second.

Behind the top five, Zach Blincoe led the chase ahead of Simon Hunter and Lachlan Evennett and further back from them, the fans at Highlands were treated to a spectacular battle in the lower midfield with more than ten cars dicing nose to tail for much of the race. The high-speed train started at Arthur Broughan and included Dion Pitt, Harry Townshend, Hayden Lines, Blake Knowles, Emerson Vincent, Caleb Byers, Mason Potter, Christina Orr-West, Ray Mallin, Will Morton, Ajay Giddy and Cameron Hill.  Unfortunately, it ended in a large dust up – quite literally – at the final hairpin and after the dust cleared, the major beneficiaries were Byers, Mallin, Morton and Potter.

Justin Allen had a bizarre race too. Something – driver or mechanical gremlin – put the car into limp mode on the first lap and Allen had to turn the car off and restart it. After that, he was flying. The Crème Insurance car – usually pedalled by Thomas Mallard but loaned to title contender Allen after his NAPA car was damaged on Saturday – was lapping as quick as the leaders. Justin hauled back a huge deficit to find himself scrapping in what was left of the midfield battle pack. He would come home 14^th. It was quite a performance and meant he only dropped one place – to Bethune – in the championship points.

After a breathless race, it was Bethune from Bakkerus, Allan, Barnes and White before a gap to Blincoe, a relieved Simon Hunter, Lachlan Evennett in his final race in the championship this season, Cormac Murphy and Australian Jett Murray. Murray had a solid weekend with a seventh, fifth and tenth place finish to give him seventh for the round.

2024-2025 Bridgestone GR86 Championship – Round 4 Highlands – Race 3

Header Image: Bruce Jenkins