Long-time category standard bearer Ryan Grant was back to his best at the second round of this year’s ProKart Series in the Hawke’s Bay over the weekend
Aucklander Grant dominated the premier KZ2 class at the Hastings’ meeting, qualifying quickest and winning all four class races from teammate, and round one class winner, Graeme Smyth.
Smyth was never far behind – the difference between P1 and P2 in qualifying was just 0.028 of a second – and continues to lead the series points standings in the KZ2 class, albeit now just four ahead of Grant and five ahead of reigning South Island class sprint title holder Chris Cox from Rangiora.
The young gun battle pack behind Grant and Smyth got even bigger in the Hawke’s Bay with Aaron Wilson, Rollo Davies, Mitchell Brown and Kent Wheeler joined by Tokoroa ace Bradley Tremain.
Top local driver Tom Curran was again the early pace-setter in the KZ2 Masters class but luck deserted him on Sunday, the Hawke’s Bay driver breaking a gear lever linkage in the Pre-Final and suffering engine problems in the Final.
In his place Aucklander Mark Wheeler stepped up to win both the Pre-Final and Final, the latter from former Stock Car ace Graeme Lambert from Mangakino, and gearbox category stalwart Grant Kugener from Nelson.
However, Curran’s winning form at the opening round of the ProKart Series in Rotorua a fortnight ago means he still holds the series lead, with Mark Wheeler second, Grant Kugener third and Jared Mackenzie fourth.
Auckland driver Garry Cullum remained unbeaten, meanwhile, in the KZ2 Restricted class, despite the best efforts of young guns Connor Adam and Gerhard Benadie.
Finally, the big story in the Vortex Mini ROK junior support class was North Island champion Josh Parkinson’s drive in the Final. Parkinson set the second quickest qualifying time and won the first heat but couldn’t get his kart to start in either the second heat or the Pre-Final, meaning he had to start the Final from the back of the grid.
He kept his head though, working his way from P13 to the front with half the race to spare.
KartSport Mt Wellington club mate Billy Frazer set a new class track lap record (35.310) on his way to a frantic fifth place in the Pre-Final then followed Parkinson (who set another class track record of 35.071) home in the Final with Fynn Osborne from Hamilton fourth and series class points leader Ryan Wood fifth.
This year’s ProKart Series is again twinned with the New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge, with over 100 karters from as far afield as Dunedin and Whangarei making the trip to Hawke’s Bay to compete across the two series over the weekend.
Both series resume over the May 09-10 weekend at Holsters TradeZone Raceway in Tokoroa.
