Gore Driver Takes New Zealand Junior Clubsport Title

Media Release
23 May 2012

Gore Driver Takes New Zealand Junior Clubsport Title

Gore driver Craig Hewlett was officially crowned the 2012 Motorsport New Zealand Junior Clubsport Champion at the Motorsport NZ Awards evening at Sky City in Auckland last weekend.

Hewlett, a member of the Eastern Southland Car Club executive, took the title in an impressive performance when the championships were held in Invercargill recently. He took maximum points in all three disciplines - the
Motorkhana, Autocross and Bent Sprint - to take the Junior title from Callum McKenzie of Karori with Invercargill 13-year-old Joseph Oliver third. It was only the second time Hewlett had competed at the National Clubsport Championships, his only other appearance coming when sixteen-years-old, four years ago. Hewlett has turned twenty-one since he won the title meaning that this years championship was his last opportunity to contest the Junior Title.

As one of Motorsport New Zealand's champions Hewlett took to the stage on Awards Night to receive his award along with all other New Zealand motorsport champions of the past twelve months.

"Stoked" was Hewletts reaction to his success at the time of his victory. "I wasn't expecting to win. I am really rapt. The motorkhanas have given me trouble in the past."

The victory was not totally trouble free. The alternator in his Toyota Starlet died on the opening day as he contested the Motorkhana. "We cooked the battery and the car was full of gas and acid. We were lucky we had a jump pack. We plugged that in and that got us through the remainder of the event." After the Motorkhana, competition moved to the Autocross at Teretonga Park followed by the Bent Sprint at the Southern Aggregates Gravel Plant near Oreti Beach the following day.
Hewlett starred in the Sprint, not only completing the clean sweep in the Junior category but also placing third overall against experienced opposition from all over New Zealand.

Hewlett shared the Toyota he used to snare his first New Zealand title with his father Errol who is a member of Motorsport New Zealands Clubsport Commission.

Another Eastern Southland Car Club member, David Kirk, is the member of the Motorsport New Zealand Executive who chairs the Clubsport Commission.

Other Eastern Southland Car Club members also went particularly well at the champs. Apart from the Hewletts, Roger Laird and Michael Gunn also competed with distinction. The Clubsport Championships were hosted this year by the Southland Sports Car Club who won praise for the quality of the event.

Each year the Eastern Southland Car Club offers the National Junior Clubsport Champion free entry to the Catlins Coast Rally which will be held this year on 4 August. The young champion describes that prize as "quite timely". Hewlett has already built up plenty of experience in rallies and gravel hillclimbs and his goals for the coming year are to compete in upcoming club rallies and of course the Catlins event.

Clubsport is a branch of motorsport in which competitors can take part without the need for specialised vehicles or expensive equipment. A Motorkhana requires competitors to negotiate a set course at low speed with penalties applied for errors. Autocross events require competitors to tackle a set course at speed while a Bent Sprint is run on a road course (either gravel or seal) with at least one bend. The National Championship alternates between the North and South Island each year in order to keep the competition affordable for competitors.

Hewlett, an apprentice mechanic, is also a member of the newly established motorsport youth commission while he is also a part of top ranked New Zealand rally driver Emma Gilmour's service crew during the National Rally Championship.

ENDS

© Scoop Media