City of Sails Meeting Attracts Karters From All Over NZ

22-01-20

By Emilee Wright

Karters from all over New Zealand will join their hosts in celebrating Auckland’s Anniversary at the annual 2-day Strata Networks City of Sails Challenge race meeting at the KartSport Auckland club’s track on the Rosebank Domain in the city’s inner west this weekend

It will be an all-action couple of days at the 658 metre Giltrap Group Raceway circuit as competitors qualify for their grid positions for the weekend on Saturday morning then run through a programme per class of three heat races, a Pre Final (the race which determines the grid for the Final) then Final with all points counting for the weekend’s overall result.

Class by class starting with the 6-9-yr-old Carter’s Tyre Service-sponsored Cadet ROK, and Hamilton youngster Carson Daly will be looking to back up his strong performances from 2019 alongside club mate Miles Baker. Aucklander Marco Manson will also be another one to watch over the weekend. Joining the youngsters from Christchurch, meanwhile, is Zack Tucker.

In the next age group class up, the 9-12-yrs Pool & Spa-sponsored Vortex Mini ROK, the driver to watch will be established local ace, Ashton Phipps, as the entry is boosted by a number of Cadet ROK class drivers making the move up a class.

Included in this group are Riley Boswell, Cole Turney and Ethan McLeod.

One of the biggest classes this weekend is the Lascom Motorsport-sponsored Rotax Junior. Nationally-ranked Auckland drivers Dylan Grant, Liam Sceats and Nathan Crang will be the drivers to watch here, each having the home track advantage.

This is another class bolstered by drivers stepping up from one age group-based class to another, three of the best, making their Rotax Junior debut, Jay Urwin from Tauranga, Sebastian Manson from Auckland, and Ollie Workman from Nelson.

Praga New Zealand is the proud sponsor of the 125cc Rotax Light class, where current New Zealand Sprint champion Fynn Osborne will now have the challenge of his younger brother Clay Osborne making the move up to the senior class. Aucklanders Ryan Crombie and Charlie Coleman will be two of the other youngsters vying for the win at their home track.

Darren Walker from the Bay of Plenty, will look to headline the Right Karts-sponsored 125cc Rotax Heavy class with competition set to come from Manawatu veteran Brendon Hart and impressive Urban Performance-supported youngster Aaron Tahu, the latter after his strong showing during the second half of 2019.

In Mojo Tyres Rotax DD2 current North Island Champion Jason Lee will be looking for another strong result after claiming the title at Giltrap Group Raceway at Labour Weekend last year. This weekend’s meeting will also see 15-year-old Roman Harker-Ferguson step up to Rotax DD2 from Rotax Juniors.

With youngsters Michael Adolph, Sam Wright, Joshua Parkinson and Connor Wilson keen to take the challenge to top local driver Graeme Smyth, and Masters drivers Regan Hall and Kevan Storr also keen to get in on the action the Employment Law-sponsored KZ2 class, meanwhile, is sure to entertain,

Finally, the MJC Building Ltd-backed ClubSport 120/LO206 class will see 18 drivers line up with Shannon Noble and Steve Muggeridge sharing favourite status having both shown strong pace throughout 2019. Goldstar champion Tim Allen is also joining a strong field for the weekend.

Gates Open 9am on Friday with practice starting at 12pm at Kartsport Auckland with Gear Check and Documentation from 3pm till 5pm on Friday and action on the track from 10.00am on Saturday and Sunday.

Ends

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