The Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Series has provided some of the best motor racing action of the summer this season, and that level of excitement looks set to continue at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park this weekend as a field of 27 competitors battle it out in Round 3 of both the New Zealand and North Island Championships.
Having already wrapped up the South Island title for this season, Chris White arrives at this weekend’s round leading both the National and North Island Championship points after taking the top step of the podium at the opening rounds of both championships to date.
In the National Championship, he leads from Will Kitching, who ventures north to continue his impressive rookie campaign. Aucklander Karl Gaines sits third, close behind Kitching.
Others lining up who are prominent in the battle are Aucklanders Sam Dashfield, Warren Crowther, and ex-pat South African Stiaan Kriel. Matt Dodd is another southerner heading north for the round.
White leads the North Island Championship battle from Aucklanders Leo Bult, Crowther, Gaines, Nigel Edger, Steve Brown, Lance Gerlach and Elton Wichman, as well as Stu Lawton of Wellington, who are all fighting it out within the top ten.
Reigning national champion Simon Baker will be absent from the action this weekend.
There will be plenty of interest in the progress of young karting graduates Arthur Broughan of Tuamarina near Blenheim and Mac Templeton of Prebbleton, who showed plenty of speed in their South Island debut appearances.
The quality of the racing in the respective championships to date has been tight, and with another large field vying for points this weekend, plenty more action is expected at Hampton Downs.
The Mazda Racing Series competitors face their traditional race format this weekend. Qualifying is on Saturday morning before a 10-lap race that afternoon.
On Sunday morning, a 12-lap race, with a grid where the top ten is based on the reverse order of the previous day’s result, is followed by a 10-lap finale that afternoon.
For those who cannot be trackside this weekend, Sky Sport will cover Sunday’s action, which features the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Series’ final two races of the round.
