Top Result at Te Puke Key to Connor's Rotax Comeback

Top Result at Te Puke Key to Connor's Rotax Comeback

Another top result in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class will be key to karter Daniel Connor's Logitech Rotax Max Challenge ambitions at the fourth round of the 2015 series in the Bay of Plenty this weekend.

After battery failure sidelined him in the Final at the opening 2015 series round in Rotorua in January, Connor, from Muriwai on Auckland's west coast, has been on the comeback trail in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class.

He was runner-up to Cambridge ace Andy Schofield at the second round in Hawkes' Bay in February but qualified quickest and completed a clean sweep of the class heats, Pre-Final and Final at the third round in Tokoroa last month.

In so doing he made up another place in the series points standings, moving from third to second equal with Cambridge driver Andy Schofield (who claimed the class win at Rnd 2) just ten points shy of season-long points leader, Palmerston North-based international Josh Hart, who was first home in class at the opening round.

In the other categories, defending title holder Dylan Drysdale from Palmerston North is again favourite in the Junior Max, Auckland international Daniel Bray is after his third win in four events in DD2 and defending class title holder Ryan Urban will be keen to get back on the top step of the DD2 Masters podium after Australian driver Scott Howard claimed class honours at the third round.

With this and two more rounds of the 2015 series to go, however, there is still plenty of time for others to challenge for one of the places on the team to represent New Zealand at this year's Grand Finals meeting at the Portimao circuit in Portugal in November.

Daniel Connor still faces intense competition in 125cc Rotax Max Light from Josh Hart, Andy Schofield, Caleb Huston and Mathew Kinsman, Dylan Drysdale has Liam Lawson and Matthew Payne from Auckland, and Jacob Cranston from Palmerston North breathing down his neck, while Daniel Bray's lead over fellow Aucklander Daniel Kinsman heading into this weekend's round is just three points with young guns Jonathan Buxeda from Tuakau and CJ Sinclair from Auckland not far behind.

There's also real depth in the DD2 Masters field with Josh Hart's brother Fraser, former New Zealand rep Niki Urwin, former UK Rotax series DD2 class winner Tiffany Chittenden and series stalwart Aarron Cunningham snapping at Ryan Urban's heels.

This year's Logitech New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge Series is again twinned with the KZ2-based ProKart Series, with over 100 karters from as far afield as Dunedin and Whangarei making the trip to the KartSport Bay of Plenty club's Te Puke Auto Electric Raceway at Fagan's Rd Te Puke to compete over the weekend.

ENDS

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