Hamilton And Grant Head Lineup

KARTSPORT NEW ZEALAND

Hamilton And Grant Head Lineup At Combined Rotax/125 Shifter Series Round

Christchurch's Matthew Hamilton and Auckland's Ryan Grant head the lineup at the combined Gen-i KartStars Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand and Steward Motors Formula S 125 Shifter Series meeting at KartSport Auckland's Pallet Company Raceway this weekend.

Both are multi-time New Zealand champions with Hamilton heading to Auckland with an early lead in the points standings in the TotalSpan 125cc Rotax Max Light class and Grant in a similar position in KZ2.

This weekend's meeting hosts the third round of both series with three classes per series, TotalSpan 125cc Rotax Max Light, Arai Formula Junior and Strata Networks 125cc Rotax Max Heavy on the Rotax Max roster and KZ2, F125S and Formula Junior on the Shifter Series one.

New Zealand's Rotax Max Challenge series is one of over 60 around the world based round the Rotax company's 125cc kart engine. Each year affiliates around the world run Challenge series like the New Zealand one with the winners of each class (plus some place-getters depending on numbers) earning invitations to an annual Grand Challenge which brings all the series together.

The Steward Motors Formula S 125 Shifter Series, meanwhile, is a multi-round series for gearbox equipped 125cc karts, the KZ2 class catering for machines with purpose-built 125cc kart engines, F125S for karts powered by 125cc motorcycle engines. That series has also added a support class for Juniors who race CIK-spec KF3 and JICA karts.

Action in the TotalSpan 125cc Rotax Max Light class this weekend is expected to involve series points leader - and Rnd 1 winner - Matthew Hamilton, Rnd 2 winner Simon Evans, recently crowned New Zealand Sprint champion Ryan Urban, and local hot shot Kane Taylor.

In Arai helmets Formula Junior the battle should be between points leader Daniel Kinsman, fellow Aucklander Aaron Hodgson and Cambridge driver Andy Schofield.

While in Strata Networks 125cc Rotax Max Heavy Auckland's Bradley Alexander heads into the meeting with an five point advantage over Dunedin's Paul Booth who in turn has a nine point buffer on third placed Brendon Hart from Palmerston North.

To the Steward Motors Formula S 125 Shifter Series and in KZ2 Ryan Grant has claimed round victory at the first two rounds so is definitely the man to beat at his home track this weekend.

Wellingtonian Karl Wilson is still within striking distance however, having claimed the runner-up spot both times so far while New Zealand Sprint champion Graeme Smyth leads a four driver battle pack consisting of John Lovich, Daniel Dufty and Richard Moore which is separated by five points.

In F125S Kevin Storr and Mark Swetman are the class of the field at the moment, the pair finishing one-two at both previous rounds with Snow Mooney third and John Steward fourth.

Finally, New Zealand class champion Arie Hutton has proved the class of the field in the new KZ3/JICA support class and he heads into the Auckland round favourite four points up on Paul Blomqvist with Callum Quinn third and Bradley Hicks fourth.

There will be action at the Pallet Company Raceway on Saturday and Sunday with Time Trials and the first two heats per class on Saturday and the rest of the heats, Pre-Finals and Finals on Sunday.

The 2009 Kartstars Gen-i Rotax Max Challenge is brought to you with the support of Gen-i, TotalSpan, Arai Helmets, Strata Networks and Right Karts. And the Formula S 125 Shifter Series is brought to you by Steward Motors.

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