Suzuki Swift racer, Christchurch’s Chris Cox, was the star at this year Thomson Memorial which was also the 2nd round of the 2011 Mainland Series held over the weekend of 12/13 November at Kartsport Dunedin.

Cox walked away with the Thomson Memorial Trophy, but didn’t have it all his own way getting pushed hard by Invercargill’s Vaughan Marshall and Dunedin’s Chad Patrick, needing to win the final to beat Marshall to the title. Along with the Thomson trophy Cox also claim the KZ2 title from Dyson Freeman and also the Senior Light title on Saturday went to Cox edging out Dunedin’s Josh King and Patrick. Invercargill star Jamie Conroy had a weekend not often seen by them but even with all their dramas he finished 4th. 

The senior Heavy title went to Dunedin’s Chris Dixon but was pushed hard all day by Invercargill’s Michael Smith who worked overtime all weekend keeping the family’s 3 karts on the track.

Christchurch’s Reuben Adams looks like a young talent to keep an eye on as he took 6 of 9 wins to keep the Dunedin trio of Jack Martinac, Josh Bethune and Travis Smith from getting their hands on the prize.

In Junior Restricted the Christchurch pairing of Ryan Yardley and Lewis Ball battled hard all weekend but Yardley showed his experience to take all 9 wins.

The competitive field of Juniors had class written all over it with National star Jordan McDonnell showing why he has NZ3 on the side of his kart, McDonnell did have one bad heat but that wasn’t enough to stop him winning from Christchurch’s pairing of Olivia Yardley and Tyler McPherson.

In the Rotax Max classes is was an all Dunedin affair with Josh King taking 8 wins in the Lights from a competitive Morgan Fraser with Christchurch’s Dean Sutherland claiming third,

The Heavy field had 3 different race winners over the weekend with new comer Dunedin’s Simon Richards claiming his first ever race win, but it wouldn’t be enough to get on the podium for the weekend. The local pairing of Daniel Harvey and Kerry Bowen showed local knowledge to be too strong to make it a two horse race for the title with the pair taking eights wins between them, but Harvey claimed the title with a faultless drive on day two and that left Christchurch’s Andrew Downes to take third spot, from fellow club mate Mike Pulley with Richards finishing 5th.

All the competitors got to experience ‘first hand’ the meaning of this weekend to Kartsport Dunedin and its members as at prize giving the Thomson Family gathered to present the trophies in memory of their Brother who lost his life so tragically 30 plus years ago travelling back from an Invercargill Kart meeting. 

The third round of the 2011 Mainland series takes place at the Spirit of the Nation Champs held at Kartsport Southland on the 21^st and 22^nd of April next year.  

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