Due to Mother Nature having a wee party at Bay of Plenty’s Fagans Valley Raceway a few weeks ago the second round of the 2009 Top Half Series subsequently became round one & was hosted by Mt Wellington Kart Club in Auckland on Sunday May 10th.
As predicted by the weather media the conditions in Auckland on Saturday were horrid & not one competitor expected anything other than a wet meeting come race day on Sunday. However, there were patches of blue sky to be seen come Sunday morning & the day boded well.
Twenty seven Cadets presented themselves for racing at Round 1; making for an oversubscribed field under the Top Half race format and forcing six separate heats to be contested prior to the final for this class alone. As the races progressed it became clear that the points battle was to be between Alex Edwards & Chelsea Herbert. Then Matthew Podjursky & Blake Harris came into the equation, having ‘sat out’ the first two heats. Overall it was close; Edwards taking the round win just one point ahead of Herbert and Podjursky in third on count back from Harris.
Junior Restricted class had the bad luck to experience the first rain shower of the day - about 3 laps in to the first heat it bucketed down making parents & supporters on the sidelines watch the ensuing laps with hearts in mouths. Kaleb Currie & Taylor Cockerton had the measure of the field in the first two heats but succumbed in heats 3 & 4; where CJ Sinclair & Stephen Appleton came to the fore. Sinclair taking the round win from Appleton, with Currie & Cockerton in 3rd & 4th.
Junior Yamaha was the other oversubscribed field of the day; 23 drivers. This was another class experiencing a downpour part way through a race; the one in which young Daniel Colville cemented his days overall win by driving sensibly in trying conditions. Andy Schofield took 2nd place and Rhys Tinney 3rd.
Formula Junior class, dominated by Mt Wellington drivers on their home track, went clearly to Michael Bird, with Aaron Hodgson in 2nd & Shaun Morris in 3rd.
Although a small field of Yamaha Light contested this first round of the Top Half Series, it was one of definite class. John van Bommel took the round win from Tyler Richardson with David Meszaros in third & Matthew Bufton 4th. The points close enough that this class will be hotly contested for the ensuing rounds with all drivers needing to be on their game.
Consistency was the order of the day in Yamaha Heavy and it paid off for Shane Hodgson who pipped Aarron Cunningham for the days honours by just one point. James Stead finished 3rd overall with Todd Sherley 4th.
It was consistency again that was the key for Matthew Griffin in Rotax Light. Griffin taking the win from John van Bommel, with Richard Oxton in 3rd.
Rotax Heavy saw a family battle ensue between the Tyrrell father & son of Bradley & Brian. Bradley took the win from Aarron Cunningham, his second podium placing for the day, on count back with Brian finishing a creditable 3rd overall.
Round 2 of the 2009 Top Half Series is to be held at Tokoroa on Sunday June 14th.
Results
Cadet
1. Alex Edwards 2. Chelsea Herbert 3. Matthew Podjursky 4. Blake Harris
5. Aston Phillips 6. Amy Smith
Junior Restricted
1. CJ Sinclair 2. Stephen Appleton 3. Kaleb Currie 4. Taylor Cockerton
5. Emilee Wright 6. Joe Ganley
Junior Yamaha
1. Daniel Colville 2. Andy Schofield 3. Rhys Tinney 4. Daniel Kinsman 5. Jamie Lane
6. Paul Blomqvist
Formula Junior
1. Michael Bird 2. Aaron Hodgson 3. Shaun Morris 4. Mitchell Keys 5. Daniel Connor
6. Fulton Penny
Yamaha Light
1. John van Bommel 2. Tyler Richardson 3. David Meszaros 4. Matthew Bufton
5. Stan Tangaroa-Green 6. Steve Fistonich
Yamaha Heavy
1. Shane Hodgson 2. Aarron Cunningham 3. James Stead 4. Todd Sherley
5. Adam Davis 6. Scott Hancett
Rotax Light
1. Matthew Griffin 2. John van Bommel 3. Richard Oxton 4. Scott Reddish
5. Sean Sparg 6. Matt Hollier
Rotax Heavy
1. Bradley Tyrrell 2. Aarron Cunningham 3. Brian Tyrrell 4. Andrew Clapham
5. Peter Ball 6. david Waldmeyer
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