Making light of the wet and cold conditions young Auckland driver Richard Moore claimed overall victory in not one but two classes at the second round of KartSport Mt Wellington's Three-Way Series sponsored by Merlot Investments Ltd, CRC & Bridgestone on Sunday.
Mini Challenge front-runner Moore, one of a growing number of young racing drivers who continue to race karts during the motor racing off-season, won four out of the five races in both the 125cc Rotax Max and 100cc Senior Yamaha Light classes at the KartSport Mt Wellington meeting to lead home fellow kart/car star Andrew Waite in the Rotax class and Deon Forrest in the Yamaha one.
Run on the high speed 'oval' course at the Tainui Rd circuit, the second round of the annual Three-Way Series attracted a large number of club members and ran smoothly despite the trying conditions.
Competition in all classes was keen, though in four - Open, Yamaha Heavy, Junior Restricted and Cadet - the overall winners completed heat and final clean-sweeps. In the Open class that honour went to Superkart star Ryan Urban, in Yamaha Heavy it went to Steven Currie, in Junior Restricted Paul Blomqvist and in Cadet Joel Herbert.
In the Cadet class Thomas Mclean from Whangarei who finished second to Joel Herbert was consistent and fast all day with Matthew Wilson finishing third also showing good driving skills in the wet.
In Junior Restricted Callum Quinn continued his good form as shown at the recent Blossom meeting, driving hard all day to finish second behind Paul Blomqvist with Ben Drummond taking third.
In other classes, Matthew Griffin and Joel Thrupp again fought a pitched battle for victory in Formula Junior with the nod going to Griffin from Thrupp and Tom Blomqvist.
Blomqvist won two of the heats and the final, but Griffin and Thrupp won a heat race apiece and neither finished a race outside the top four.
Joel Thrupp was another competing in two classes and also finished second in Junior Yamaha behind Tim Vickers.
In 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, one of the best supported classes, victory went to Brent Gilchrist from Chris Jensen and Peter Ball, while in Unrated Cadets it was Bradley Wilson who won the day from Oscar Grant and Ryan Mackinnen.
A special feature of this year's series Three-Way Series is the main prize, or rather prizes, two 7-Day accommodation packages at the Oakridge Resort Grand Mercure hotel in Wanaka valued at $3000 each donated by overall series co-sponsor Merlot Investments Ltd and to be drawn at the end-of-series prizegiving on October 13 at the Waipuna Hotel and Convention Centre.
CRC and Bridgestone are also providing spot prizes to be given away at each round and at the end of series prize giving.
The 2007 KartSport Mt Wellington Three-Way Series sponsored by Merlot Investments Ltd, CRC & Bridgestone is made possible with the assistance of supporting sponsors Davie Signs and Blow Fish Sushi, and class sponsors Spartan Auto Dismantlers, Brian Tinney Motors, Roundabout Cars, Right Karts, Thrupp Builders, Auckland Hydraulic Supplies, Kartside Insurance, Spargs Auto Tune, Hopscotch and P&S Auto Centre.
Club members now have the final of the annual Three-Way series to look forward to at KartSport Mt Wellington's track on Sunday September 23.
2007 KartSport Mt Wellington Three-Way Series sponsored by Merlot Investments Ltd, CRC & Bridgestone
Results Rnd 2
Open
1. Ryan Urban; 2. John Lovich; 3. Steven Purcell
125cc Rotax Max Light
1. Richard Moore; 2. Andrew Waite; 3. Lian Croudis
125cc Rotax Max Heavy
1. Brent Gilchrist; 2. Chris Jensen; 3. Peter Ball
Senior 100cc Yamaha Lights
1. Richard Moore; 2. Deon Forrest; 3. Jason Butterworth
Senior 100cc Yamaha Heavy
1. Steven Currie
Club Class
1. Gary Taylor; 2. Nigel Kurtz; 3. Chris Ellson
Formula Junior
1. Matthew Griffin; 2. Joel Thrupp; 3. Tom Blomqvist
Junior 100cc Yamaha
1. Tim Vickers; 2. Joel Thrupp; 3. Kendyll Hanley
Junior 100cc Yamaha Restricted
1. Paul Blomqvist; 2. Callum Quinn; 3. Ben Drummond
Cadet
1. Joel Herbert; 2. Thomas Mclean; 3. Matthew Wilson
Unrated Cadets
1. Bradley Wilson; 2. Oscar Grant; 3. Ryan Mackinnen
Calendar
Rnd 1: Sunday August 19 2007 (anti-clockwise)
Rnd 2: Sunday September 9 2007 (oval)
Rnd 3: Sunday September 23 (clockwise)
