The iconic Top Half Series, this year supported by Ingham Driven, has wrapped up for the year with a host of worthy champions being crowned. Taking in four rounds of competition, including Bay of Plenty, Tokoroa, Auckland and Rotorua, the series is a tough ask to conquer with all but one race across the events going towards series points.

In Cadet ROK, the final round win went the way of Nico Thomasen ahead of Benji Bellamy and Brae Milne. The latter two separated by just two points for the event result. However, it would be Bellamy who would snatch the overall series honors, with Thomasen having to settle for second place. Charlie Clark rounded out the podium, two points clear of National Schools Champion Dominic Evers.

With 30 entries in the final round alone, the ever-popular Vortex Mini ROK class once again proved incredibly competitive. It was to be a battle of title holders though, with newly crowned North Island Champion Braxton Kraayvanger showing he’s in brilliant form to take the round win ahead of Goldstar Series Champion Jack Phillips. Charlie Jamieson finished third, a mere six points behind the winner. For Kraayvanger, it would mean the crowning of a Top Half Series title, doing plenty enough to stay ahead of Seth Comer and Cooper Insley for the overall series podium.

 

Another class with an impressive 30 kart line up for the final round was Junior Rotax. Winning all of the last three races, newly crowned North Island Champion and reigning New Zealand number two Jamie Thompson managed to finish nine points clear of Jake Millan. Millan would enjoy his own strong run and a decent gap back to William Edmonson in third. Thompson’s win in the final round was no surprise, given his dominance of the series which included nine races wins to seal the title by 40 points. Hamilton’s Miles Baker settled in second overall, with a small edge over the South Island’s Arthur Broughan in third.

In the senior ranks, the Rotax Light class saw an intense battle which could only be split by countback. In the end, it would be regular front running gearbox kart driver Graeme Smyth fending off Ryan Bell for the event win, with the pair locked on 232 points for the round. Ashton Phipps rounded out the podium places. With Smyth missing a round and being out of contention for the title, Bell went one step better wrapping up the Top Half Series win. Ashton Phipps picked up a solid second place overall, with Auckland’s Matthew Johnston claiming the final spot on the rostrum.

Darren Walker put his Rotax Heavy experience to good use, snatching a one-point win in the final round from Adam Bell. Though Bell had two more heat wins than Walker, it was consistency that decided the winner. Aaron Cunningham finished the event in third spot, edging out Kartstars champion Aaron Tahu. Tallying up the series points, Walker went on to dominate the title and take it home to Tokoroa. Bell finished the same place in the series as the final round, with second overall ahead of Tahu in third.

A smaller field of nine entries faced the Rotax DD2 competitors. The results were pretty clear at the end of the event, with Josh Bethune taking out all heat wins and the round win after starting rear of field for the first four races. Current New Zealand number two and three drivers Ryan Bell and Darren Walker shared some podium positions, finishing off second and third respectively. Overall, Bell went on to win the series title with Walker settling in second and Auckland’s Daniel Mayall in third.

The final action on offer for the series was the highly entertaining KZ2 gearbox class. Nathan Crang pieced together and impressive performance, out-sparring 10-time New Zealand Champion Matthew Kinsman. Kinsman would have it tough, having to battle from the back of the grid in the first four races, due to not competing in earlier events. Experienced driver Jason Lee would finish just behind the pair, holding out New Zealand Champion Jay Urwin. When the final series points were totaled, Jason Lee emerged as series Champion with Oscar Jackson securing a thin margin over Andrew Grant in third.

The series also gave away some well-deserved trophies for Most Improved drivers. The junior category award when to Cadet ROK driver Reed Phillips, while Conrad Knight took the trophy across the senior classes.

With the Ingham Driven Top Half Series wrapped up for another year, the sport’s northern competitors and those travelling will look forward to it all firing up once again in August 2024, with round one in Rotorua over the weekend of the 17^th & 18^th.

Photos: Shutter Media Group

Article added: Wednesday 15 November 2023