Hamilton Benefits From Spectacular End to
Kartsport Sprint Nationals in Blenheim
   

Christchurch's Matthew Hamilton became the only driver to claim two New Zealand titles in two days after a spectacular end to KartSport New Zealand's annual National Sprint Kart Championships at the Marlborough Kart Club's Herkt Kart Raceway in Blenheim on Sunday 23rd March 2008.

Matthew Hamilton
Photo : Fast Company/Ultrapix


Hamilton, who had already successfully defended his New Zealand 125cc Rotax Max Light class title on Saturday, had worked his way up to second place in the Open class Final and looked set to finish the race in that position until the driver who had dominated the class and race up until that point, Auckland's Ryan Urban, lost a wheel within sight of the chequered flag.

Urban and his kart did make the finish line - albeit backwards and half on/half off the track - but Hamilton jinked around it and got to the line first, the margin 0.067 of a second!

Incredibly, Hamilton - now a four-time New Zealand 125cc Rotax Max Light class champion - won his 2007 Rotax Max Light title at Palmerston North a year ago in a similar fashion, the two drivers in front of him tangling on the final corner on the last lap of the Final.

It was a weekend for the defending champions in fact with Hamilton (125cc Rotax Max Light), fellow Christchurch driver Simon Hunter (Senior 100cc Yamaha Heavy) and Auckland international Mitch Cunningham (F100) all keeping their 2007 New Zealand title for another year.

Current Island champions Karl Wilson (Nth Is. Senior 100cc Yamaha Light), Chris Cox (Sth Is. Junior 100cc Yamaha), Maddison Wise (Nth Is. Cadet) and James Penrose (Sth Is. Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha) also added New Zealand titles to their tallies.

Simon Hunter leads the field
Photo : Fast Company/Ultrapix

With the Senior 100cc Yamaha Light title Wilson also won a trip to compete in a major Yamaha-backed kart race meeting in Japan courtesy of Yamaha Motor New Zealand.

And five drivers - Maddison Wise in Cadet, Simon Hunter in Senior 100cc Yamaha Heavy, Mitch Cunningham in F100, Ryan Grant in KZ2, and Hamish Cross in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy - enjoyed the distinction of qualifying quickest and winning every class race they started.

Ryan Urban was looking good to join that group until the last lap of the Open class Final, as was Matthew Hamilton's older sister Fiona - who had out qualified her younger brother Matthew on Saturday and won both class heats and the Pre-Final - until the 125cc Rotax Max Light Final on Saturday.

Young Christchurch drivers Chris Cox and James Penrose were also knocking on the door.

Penrose qualified quickest and only conceded one of his Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha races (the second heat) winning all the others in impressive fashion including the Final after a fantastic battle with eventual runner-up Darrel Hannah from Nelson.

James Penrose
Photo : Fast Company/Ultrapix

Cox meanwhile was beaten to pole position in qualifying but made every post a winning one in Junior 100cc Yamaha, taking the Final and title from pole winner Jesse Craig (ChCh) and Auckland's Tim Vickers.

Cox also featured in Formula Junior, winning three of the races and fighting a race long battle for the lead of the Final - and with it the 2008 title - with young Auckland drivers Daniel Kinsman and Nick Cassidy.

The trio were never more than a few kart lengths apart with the win and New Zealand title going to Kinsman after a daring late race move from Cox, Cassidy and Vickers.

Brook Reeve (Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha ) and Neil Reynolds (Open) were the best performing Marlborough Kart Club members competing at the meeting with 9th placings overall in their classes.

Daniel Kinsman leads Cox & Cassidy
Photo : Fast Company/Ultrapix

Best of the rest was Bevan Paterson who finished 10th overall in Senior 125cc Rotax Max Heavy with Gary Cooze 12th in Formula Junior and 19th in Junior 100cc Yamaha, Marcus Jones 15th in Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha, Andrew Broughton 16th in Senior 125cc Rotax Max Light, David Andrews and Ross van de Water 24th and 25th respectively in Senior 100cc Yamaha Light, Ray White 24th in Senior 100cc Yamaha Heavy and Matthew Straker 27th in Junior 100cc Yamaha.

The annual KartSport New Zealand event was run in cool, fine conditions over three days Friday to Sunday inclusive and attracted over 250 entries from all over New Zealand.

FULL RESULTS :-

 

Cadet

Qualifying: 1. Maddison Wise (HB) 46.275; 2. Ryan McPherson (ChCh) 46.433; 3. Thomas Batt (Wgtn) 46.783; 4. Ryan Yardley (ChCh) 46.798; 5. Joel Herbert (Mt W) 46.844; 6. Brent Neill (ChCh) 46.888

Heat 1: 1. Wise 8 laps; 2. Herbert +1.829; 3. McPherson +3.627; 4. Neill +3.770; 5. Yardley +9.044; 6. Rasmussen +9.271.

Heat: 2. 1. Wise 8 laps; 2. Herbert +0.914; 3. McPherson +0.982; 4. Neill +7.800; 5. McDonnell +7.804; 6. Batt +8.074

Pre-Final: 1. Wise 11 laps; 2. Herbert +3.079; 3. Neill +6.849; 4. McPherson +7.015; 5. Rasmussen +13.119; 6. Liam Lotter (Nel)+13.888

Final: 1. Maddison Wise (HB) 13 laps; 2. Joel Herbert (Mt W) +3.420; 3. Brent Neill (ChCh) +3.579; 4. Ryan McPherson (ChCh) +3.761; 5. Seth Rasmussen (Nel) +11.036; 6. Jordan McDonnell  (ChCh) +11.117.

Maddison Wise
Photo : Fast Company/Ultrapix

 

Junior 100cc Yamaha

Qualifying: 1. Jesse Craig (ChCh) 41.027; 2. Alex Geary (Tara) 41.070; 3. Chris Cox (ChCh) 41.126; 4. Gary Cooze (Marl) 41.142; 5. Daniel Kinsman (Mt W) 41.200; 6. Luke Kirk (ChCh) 41.228

Heat 1: 1. Cox 8 laps; 2. Craig +0.192; 3. Vickers +2.577; 4. Cooze +3.260; 5. Patrick +4.161; 6. Daniel Kinsman +4.333

Heat 2: 1. Cox 8 laps; 2. Craig +0.045; 3. Geary +0.868; 4. Vickers +2.719; 5. Patrick +5.110; 6. Daniel Kinsman  +5.179.

Pre-Final: 1. Cox 11 laps; 2. Vickers +1.067; 3. Craig +1.164; 4. Geary +1.501; 5. MacLachlan +9.184; 6. Hadley +9.266.

Final: 1. Chris Cox (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Jesse Craig (ChCh) +0.631; 3. Tim Vickers (Mt W) +1.819; 4. Campbell MacLachlan (ChCh) +7.975; 5. James Hadley (Wgtn) +8.066; 6. Alex Geary (Tara) +8.977.

 

Senior 100cc Yamaha Light

Qualifying: 1. Jamie Conroy (Inv) 41.335; 2. Scott Downes (Nel) 41.364; 3. Mathew Kinsman (Mt W) 41.398; 4. Cody McMasters (ChCh) 41.399; 5. Mitchell Hill (Mwtu) 42.427; 6. Mark Elder (Dun) 41.483.

Heat 1: 1. Downes 8 laps; 2. Hill +0.133; 3. Wilson +0.322; 4. Mathew Kinsman +1.431; 5. Conroy +1.548; 6. Herbert +1.780.

Heat 2: 1. Downes 8 laps; 2. Hill +0.343; 3. Conroy +0.565; 4. Herbert +1.457; 5. Mathew Kinsman +1.682; 6. McMasters +1.887.

Pre-Final: 1. Downes 11 laps; 2. Hill +0.293; 3. Herbert +0.865; 4. Wilson +1.326; 5. Tolson +2.409; 6. Conroy +2.502.

Final: 1. Karl Wilson (Wgtn) 17 laps; 2. Mitchell Hill (Mwtu) +2.719; 3. Justin Herbert (BoP) +2.929; 4. Hamish Cross (ChCh) +6.697; 5. Simon McLennan (Wgtn) +6.802; 6. Phillip Watkins (Wgtn) +8.095

 

Senior 100cc Yamaha Heavy

Qualifying: 1. Simon Hunter (ChCh) 42.060; 2. Shane Boote (ChCh) 42.405; 3. Mark Coulbeck (ChCh) 42.726; 4. Tony Partridge (ChCh) 42.744; 5. Stuart Marshall (Mt W) 42.746; 6. Grant Bristow (Mt W) 42.792

Heat 1: 1. Hunter 8 laps; 2. Shane Boote +2.728; 3. Coulbeck +3.988; 4. Tosswill +5.592; 5. Partridge +5.760; 6. Tyrrell +6.227

Heat 2: 1. Hunter 8 laps; 2. Shane Boote +1.773; 3. Partridge +1.901; 4. Tosswill +2.676; 5. Michael Kiser +2.919; 6. Bristow +3.827.

Pre-Final: 1. Hunter 11 laps; 2. Tyrrell +1.952; 3. Partridge +2.958; 4. Shane Boote +3.966; 5. Marshall +5.370; 6. Coulbeck +5.822.

Final: 1. Simon Hunter (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Stuart Marshall (Mt W) +9.546; 3. Aarron Cunningham (Mt W) +0.792; 4. Nic Tosswill (Mt W) +1.516; 5. Michael Kiser (Tara) 0.272; 6. Shane Boote (ChCh) +1.289.  

 

125cc Rotax Max Light

Qualifying: 1. Fiona Hamilton (ChCh) 39.960; 2. Matthew Hamilton (ChCh) 40.209; 3. Mitchell can der Weert (ChCh) 40.362; 4. Matthew Williams (ChCh) 40.422; 5. James Macdonald (ChCh) 40.447; 6. Thomas Emmerson (ChCh) 40.477)

Heat 1: 1. Fiona Hamilton (ChCh) 39.960; 2. Matthew Hamilton (ChCh) 40.209; 3. Mitchell van der Weert (ChCh) 40.362; 4. Matthew Williams (ChCh) 40.422; 5. James Macdonald (ChCh) 40.447; 6. Thomas Emmerson (ChCh) 40.477.

Heat 2: 1. Fiona Hamilton 8 laps; 2. Matthew Hamilton +0.858; 3. van der Weert +1.809; 4. Williams +2.791; 5. Macdonald +3.061; 6. Urban +4.210.

Pre-Final: 1. Fiona Hamilton 11 laps; 2. Matthew Hamilton +0.376; 3. van der Weert +1.974; 4. Williams +2.604; 5. Macdonald +3.334; 6. Urban +4.777

Final: 1. Mathew Hamilton (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Fiona Hamilton (ChCh) +0.316; 3. Matthew Williams (ChCh) +0.848; 4. James Macdonald (ChCh) +5.666; 5. Mitchell van der Weert (ChCh) +5.857; 6. Grant Kugener (Nel) +6.980.

 

Open

Qualifying: 1. Ryan Urban (Ham) 37.292; 2. Andrew Hoare (Mwtu) 37.557; 3. Thoma Emmerson (ChCh) 37.930; 4. Mark Elder (Dun) 38.069; 5. Neil Reynolds (Marl) 38.165; 6. Regan Carter (Inv) 38.318

Heat 1: 1. Ryan Urban 8 laps; 2. Hoare +1.432; 3. Emmerson +3.278; 4. Matthew Hamilton +4.364; 5. Carter +5.574; 6. Reynolds +10.399

Heat 2:  1. Ryan Urban 8 laps; 2. Matthew Hamilton +1.099; 3. Emmerson +1.897; 4. Elder +2.739; 5. Carter +3.040; 6. Reynolds +4.969

Pre-Final: 1. Ryan Urban 11 laps; 2. Emmerson +1.349; 3. Elder +2.388; 4. Reynolds +6.582; 5. Anisy +7.456; 6. Melissa Urban +8.524

Final: 1. Matthew Hamilton (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Ryan Urban (Mt W) +0.067; 3. Mark Elder (Dun) +2.325; 4. Thomas Emmerson (ChCh) +5.395; 5. Melissa Urban (Mt W) +15.208; 6. Regan Anisy (Wstlnd) +15.513.


 KZ2

Qualifying: 1. Ryan Grant (Akl) 37.533; 2. Andy Knight (ChCh) 37.956; 3. Graeme Smyth (Akl) 37.957; 4. Niklaus Kiser (Tara) 38.002; 5. Karl Wilson (Wgtn) 38.251; 6. Brett Sullivan (Nel) 38.298

Heat 1: 1. Grant 8 laps; 2. Smyth +1.478; 3. Knight +1.625; 4. Niklaus Kiser +6.734; 5. Kugener +7.904; 6. Sullivan +8.144

Heat 2: 1. Grant 8 laps; 2. Niklaus Kiser +1.903; 3. Smyth  +2.530; 4. Knight +2.984; 5. Taryn Kugener +7.326; 6. Sullivan +7.513.

Pre-Final: 1. Grant 11 laps; 2. Smyth +1.335; 3. Niklaus Kiser +1.505; 4. Knight +4.301; 5. Sullivan +6.068; 6. Michael Kiser +7.788

Final: 1. Ryan Grant (Ack) 17 laps; 2. Niklaus Kiser (Tara) +7.369; 3. Graeme Smyth (Ack) +8.623; 4. Michael Kiser (Tara) +11.885; 5. Brett Sullivan (Nel) +12.478; 6. Taryn Kugener (Nel) +17.819.

 

Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha

Qualifying: 1. James Penrose (ChCh) 42.956; 2. Darrell Hannah (Nel) 42.959; 3. Scott Manson (ChCh) 43.066; 4. Aaron Wilson (Akl) 43.074; 5. Shaun Grocock (Mt W) 43.419; 6. Stephen Appleton (BoP) 43.426

Heat 1: 1. Penrose 8 laps; 2. Hannah +1.846; 3. Manson +2.054; 4. Grocock +5.834; 5. Alexander +6.167; 6. Michael Collins +6.481.

Heat 2: 1. Hannah 8 laps; 2. Penrose +0.216; 3. Manson +0.469; 4. Grocock +0.656; 5. Wilson +0.838; 6. King +3.835

Pre-Final: 1. Penrose 11 laps; 2. Hannah +1.345; 3. Grocock +4.601; 4. King +4.668; 5. Manson +4.998; 6. Wilson +5.423

Final: 1. James Penrose (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Darrell Hannah +0.723; 3. Shaun Grocock (Mt W) +6.089; 4. Aaron Wilson (Ack) +7.738; 5. Josh Drysdale (Man) +9.136; 6. Tom Alexander (ChCh) +11.142

 

Formula Junior

Qualifying: 1. Luke Kirk (ChCh) 40.269; 2. Jesse Craig (ChCh) 40.537; 3. Chris Cox (ChCh) 40.634; 4. Daniel Kinsman (Mt W) 40.772; 5. Campbell MacLachlan (ChCh) 40.828; 6. Nick Cassidy (Mt W) 40.866

Heat 1: 1. Cox 8 laps; 2. MacLachlan +4.291; 3. Vickers +4.481; 4. Daniel Kinsman +4.780; 5. Kirk +5.764; 6. Tom Blomqvist +5.773

Heat 2: 1. Cox 8 laps; 2. Craig +0.534; 3. Daniel Kinsman +0.749; 4. MacLachlan +2.606; 5. Hutton +2.988; 6. Webb +8.576.

Pre-Final: 1. Cox 11 laps; 2. MacLachlan +2.291; 3. Daniel Kinsman +2.547; 4. Vickers +3.301; 5. Hutton +3.898; 6. Cassidy +4.413

Final: 1. Daniel Kinsman (Mt W) 16 laps; 2. Chris Cox (ChCh) +0.327; 3. Nick Cassidy (Mt W) 0.851; 4. Tim Vickers (Mt W) +3.108; 5. Arie Hutton (Mt W) +7.239; 6. James Hadley (Wgtn) +8.192


Formula 100

Qualifying: 1. Mitch Cunningham (Mt W) 38.447; 2. Simon Hunter (ChCh) 38.539; 3. Phillip Watkins (Wgtn) 38.648; 4. Simon McLennan (Wgtn) 38.817; 5. Scott Downes (Nel) 38.833; 6. Joshua Burgess (ChCh) 38.903

Heat 1: 1. Mitchell Cunningham 8 laps; 2. Hunter +2.591; 3. McLennan +5.869; 4. Waters +6.407; 5. Burgess +6.899; 6. Herbert +9.971.

Heat 2: 1. Mitchell Cunningham 8 laps; 2. Hunter +2.950; 3. Watkins +3.362; 4. Joshua Burgess +4.028; 5. Downes +4.533; 6. Jeremy Burgess +5.855

Pre-Final: 1. Mitchell Cunningham 11 laps; 2. Joshua Burgess +2.885; 3. Hunter +3.397; 4. Watkins +3.592; 5. Waters +6.839; 6. Downes +7.843.

Final: 1. Mitch Cunningham (Mt W) 17 laps; 2. Phillip Watkins (Wgtn) +3.743; 3. Simon Hunter +6.727; 4. Scott Downes (Nel) +7.033; 5. Scott Waters (Inv) 8.602; 6. Aaron Adcock (Nel) +20.743

 

125cc Rotax Max Heavy

Qualifying: 1. Hamish Cross (ChCh) 41.194; 2. Bryce Coulbeck (ChCh) 41.626; 3. Richard Mason (ChCh) 41.714; 4. Murray Press (ChCh) 41.741; 5. Adam Boote (ChCh) 41.783; 6. Paul Booth (Dun) 42.0187.

Heat 1: 1. Cross 8 laps; 2. Adam Boote +1.263; 3. Aarron Cunningham +1.508; 4. Bryce Coulbeck +3.934; 5. Murray Press +4.159; 6. Booth +4.398

Heat 2: 1. Cross 8 laps; 2. Zaloum +2.169; 3. Adam Boote +3.290; 4. Aarron Cunningham +3.348; 5. Coulbeck +4.359; 6. Press +4.584

Pre-Final: 1. Cross 11 laps; 2. Aarron Cunningham +0.708; 3. Zaloum +1.930; 4. Adam Boote +5.138; 5. Coulbeck +5.320; 6. Hart +5.693

Final: 1. Hamish Cross (ChCh) 17 laps; 2. Zach Zaloum (HB) +0.096; 3. Aarron Cunningham (Mt W) +5.178; 4. Bryce Coulbeck (ChCh) +7.688; 5. Adam Boote (ChCh) +8.278; 6. Brendon Hart (Mwtu) +8.465.

 

Arrow won the Manufacturers Cup.

Click here to download the full results from the Manufacturers Cup.

 

Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of KartSport New Zealand. To find out more about the 2008 KartSport NZ National Sprint Kart Championships sponsored by Gary Cockram Hyundai contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at ross@fastcompany.co.nz
   

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