Bryan Walker of Christchurch leads the way as the Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series heads to Taupō International Motorsport Park in Taupō for Round 2 of their series this weekend.
Walker, who was seventh in last year’s series, comes to Taupō with a slender nine-point lead over Hamilton driver Nigel Edger with Simon Baker of Kapiti just two points behind. Rudi Kronstrom of Auckland is next, fourth overall and leading the Rookie Championship. He is followed by Jesse Gould of Raumati Beach, Finley McQuade, James Black of Dunedin, Garrod Brader, Leon Davis and Anthony Tork. Alex Canty of Auckland had a tough weekend at the opening round and will be looking to bounce back this weekend after finishing third overall in last year’s series.
Another exciting weekend of racing is on the cards after the opening round of the series at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon last month provided superb racing with three different winners – Walker, Black and Baker. Black and Baker both rebounded from setbacks in the first race at Manfeild to share Sunday’s race wins.
There were several other impressive performances at round one and joining the fun this weekend after missing round one is Stu Lawton of Paraparaumu. Lawton is a former North Island Champion in the class and has been the runner-up in the New Zealand Series for the last two years.
This weekend the Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Series is part of the PTS Logistics Season Opener of the Repco NextGen NZ Championship.
Series competitors will be on track for two practice sessions on Friday before qualifying at 9am on Saturday morning. Race 1 of the round over 10 laps follows at 12.20pm that afternoon before two races on Sunday – the first on Sunday morning over 12 laps from a grid with the top ten on the grid based on the reverse of Saturday’s result, before a 10-lap finale over 10 laps from a grid based on round points to that point.
