New Zealand has another winner on the international karting stage, Aucklander Daniel Bray having claimed SuperKarts USA's premier S1 class title with a fine third place finish in the S1 class at the final round at the 15th annual SKUSA SuperNationals kart racing meeting in Las Vegas this afternoon (NZ time).
The 24-year-old has been leading the series points standings since the first round but had to beat top US driver Tom Dyer in today's S1 Final to make the title his.
That job was made much harder on Friday when, in qualifying, the front sprocket carrier on Bray's kart came off on the second lap, meaning he did not get to set a competitive time.
That saw him start each of the three heats from the back row of the grid (23rd position) and though he managed to work his way up to fifth in the first heat, he ended up 16th in the second and 25th in the third - the later after being as high as fourth on the last lap only be be taken out on the second to last corner by the driver he had just passed.
Bray's luck changed today though, despite the fact that the Aucklander started the 25-lap Final from P13 on the grid.
After what he described as a 'horrible' start Bray worked his way forward until only the two top European KZ2 class drivers in the field, Mirki Torsellini and Indy Dontje, were ahead of him.
Had Tom Dyer, who started form P3 of the grid, gone on to win the race - and set fastest race lap - he could have scored enough points to deny Bray the 2011 SuperKarts USA ProTour series S1 title
But the American was out early thanks to a multi-kart accident after only three laps, meaning that the title - and trophy - are set to come home with Bray for the rest of 2011 and 2012.
After the race he told reporters; 'I'm just so happy. Things didn't start particularly well but they came good in the end."
For his troubles, Bray - who drives for the GP Karts factory here and in the United States - wins $5,000 in prize money and next year gets a slew of bonuses from the series organisers which includes free entry, free fuel and free tyres
