After dreadful weather for Saturday practice Bay of Plenty provided near perfect conditions (for the time of year) for Round 2 of the Top Half Series on Sunday 16th May.
Numbers remained healthy in all classes & there was plenty of action to boot.
Chelsea Herbert began her Round 2 campaign having to work through the field from rear start grids in the first two heats then making the most of the kinder ones to take the win from current NZ#1 Thomas Ingram & series leader Matt Podjursky. Podjursky retains a narrow series lead from Herbert, with Taylor Harte in third.
Junior Yamaha saw Rhys Tinney & Andy Schofield renew their first round battle; this time it was Schofield getting the measure of Tinney, with a much improved Callum Quin in third. After two rounds Tinney & Schofield are tied for first place overall.
Some extra spice was added to the Yamaha Light class for Round 2 in the form of Mat Kinsman taking the challenge to younger brother Daniel & series leader Ryan Urban. Excellent racing was on display in this class with the Kinsmans, Daniel first, Mat second, taking the top two positions for the day with Urban third & Matthew Bufton fourth. Urban holds onto his series lead by just one point from Daniel Kinsman & Matthew Bufton has moved up to third.
CJ Sinclair repeated his Round 1 performance by winning the Formula Junior class from improving drivers Shaun Grocock & Luke Dobbs. A top three for Mt Wellington Club.
Rotax Heavy again saw close racing, but what a change of fortunes for some. Home track advantage reverted to Niki Urwin for Round 2, Urwin winning the day from Aarron Cunningham & Teddy Bassick. Urwin has now taken the series lead but has Cunningham & Garry Cullum close behind.
Class of the day had to be Junior Restricted with 26 competitors sending it to oversubscribed status. Close racing all day had spectators on the edge of their seats & Mums & Dads with hearts in mouths. Thomas McLean rose to the occasion taking the days honours from North Island champion Mitchell Turner & National champion Maddie Wise. Turner retains his series lead with McLean second & Thomas Joyes third.
Daniel Connor was out to prove a point after Round 1 & that he did with a convincing clean sweep in Rotax Light from locals John van Bommel & Matthew Bufton. Connor has closed the gap overall but it is still Bufton holding the series lead.
Open class saw mixed fortunes for several drivers; Craig Toy taking the win from Blair Rodgers & Tony Chambers. Chambers leads the series from Melissa Urban with James Jackson holding third.
Top Half heads off to Tokoroa for Round 3; being held over the weekend of June 19th/20th.
Results:
Cadet
1. Chelsea Herbert 2. Thomas Ingram 3. Matt Podjursky 4. Aston Phillips 5. Taylor Harte 6. Dylan Smith
Junior Restricted
1. Thomas McLean 2. Mitchell Turner 3. Maddie Wise 4. Arran Crighton 5. Thomas Joyes 6. Jacob Smith
Junior Yamaha
1. Andy Schofield 2. Rhys Tinney 3. Callum Quin 4. Chrisden Lee 5. Reid Harker 6. Nicholas Carpenter
Formula Junior
1. CJ Sinclair 2. Shaun Grocock 3. Luke Dobbs 4. Aaron Wilson 5. Jordan Hart 6. Jamie Lane
Yamaha Light
1. Daniel Kinsman 2. Mathew Kinsman 3. Ryan Urban 4. Matthew Bufton 5. Corey Green 6. Lance Fisher
Rotax Light
1. Daniel Connor 2. John van Bommel 3. Matthew Bufton 4. Ethan de Jong 5. Mitchell Beach 6. Marius Holm
Rotax Heavy
1. Niki Urwin 2. Aarron Cunningham 3. Teddy Bassick 4. Garry Cullum 5. Garry Claxton 6. Michael Cullum
Open
1. Craig Toy 2. Blair Rodgers 3. Tony Chambers 4. Melissa Urban 5. James Jackson 6. Joel Thrupp
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