The cream definitely rose to the top at the opening round of the 2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota-backed Wellington Provincial Karting Association’s (WPKA) Goldstar Series at the KartSport Taranaki club’s Todd Energy Raceway in Waitara on Sunday

Several drivers - young and not so - stepped up and stood out in the mixed wet/dry weather and track conditions, amongst them Senior class standouts Riley Jack (Open) and Scott Dalley (ClubSport 120) - both from Palmerston North - and impressive young Vortex ROK category Juniors Tom Bewley (Vortex ROK DVS Junior) from Havelock North and Jackson Culver (Cadet ROK) from Christchurch, each driver claiming a rare class and class GP race win double at the meeting.

Other drivers to claim class honours and also be first driver in that class home in one of the combined, stand-alone Grand Prix races which are such a key part of any Goldstar programme were Ashley Higgins from Palmerston North (125ccc Rotax Max Heavy), and defending series class title holder Ian Smith (Briggs LO206).

Other class winners, meanwhile, were;

• Vortex ROK DVS – Chris Cox (Rangiora)
• 125cc Rotax Max Light – Zac Stichbury (Havelock North)
• 125cc Rotax Max Junior – Tayler  Payne (Auckland)
• Vortex Mini ROK – Judd Christiansen (Palmerston North)

The other Grand Prix (for the youngsters competing in the Vortex Mini ROK class) was won by recently crowned South Island champion Zach Tucker from Christchurch. Second was class round winner - and 2020 North Island class title holder – Judd Christiansen, third, young Auckland ace Marco Manson.

A feature at the meeting was the 16-strong entry in the latest Vortex engine category to be introduced here, Vortex ROK DVS.  A sure sign of how close yet competitive the new class is came in the race stats; there were four different winners over the five heats – Ben Stewart from Wellington won the first. Brad Still from New Plymouth the second, James van den Berk from Hawke’s Bay the third and eventual class winner Chris Cox from Rangiora the fourth and fifth.

As has become a tradition in Kiwi kart circles now, the Goldstar Series takes a break over the high summer months before bursting back into life at the KartSport Wellington hosted second series’ round in early March 2021,

KartSport Hawke’s Bay will then host the third (final) round in early May and KartSport Manawatu the annual stand-alone ‘WPKA Championships’ in June 2021.

CAPTIONS:

Class and class GP winners in Taranaki on Sunday included Riley Jack (Open class and the Senior GP), Scott Dalley (ClubSport 120). Tom Bewley (Vortex ROK DVS Jnr) and Jackson Culver from Christchurch (Cadet ROK). Enjoying one of his biggest wins to date in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class was Hawke’s Bay ace Zac Stichbury. Photo credit: Fast Company/Vicky Jack.

2020/21 WPKA Manawatu & TRC Toyota Goldstar Series Rnd 1 KartSport Taranaki Todd Energy Raceway Waitara Taranaki  Sat/Sun Nov 28-29 2020

RESULTS

Open

1. Riley Jack; 2. Brendon Jury; 3. Daniel Bugler; 4. James Higgins; 5. Daniel Hall.

Vortex ROK DVS

1. Chris Cox; 2. James van den Berk; 3. Rianna O'Meara-Hunt; 4. Chris van der Drift; 5. Ben Stewart; 6. Harry Townshend.

125cc Rotax Max Light

1. Zac Stichbury; 2. Mathew Kinsman; 3. Clay Osborne; 4. William Exton; 5. Campbell Joyes; 6. Fraser Hart.           

125cc Rotax Max Heavy

1. Ashley Higgins; 2. Daniel Bell; 3. Simon Wilcox; 4. Brendon Hart; 5. Dominic Williams.

ClubSport 120

1. Scott Dalley; 2. Nathan Nollie; 3. Steve Muggeridge;  4. Nathan Bengston; 5. Cliff Walsh; 6. Malcolm Bruce.

Briggs LO206 

1. Ian Smith; 2. Sean Lockyear; 3. Shaun Croskery; 4. Brent Melhop; 5. Regan Scoullar; 6. Shaun Hibbs.

Vortex ROK DVS Jnr

1. Tom Bewley; 2. Jacob Bellamy; 3. Jay Urwin; 4. Daniel McMillan; 5. Lily Rose Taylor.

125cc Rotax Max Junior

1. Tayler Payne; 2. Ryan Hancock; 3. Jenson Bate; 4. Kiahn Burt; 5. Hayden Lines; 6. Blake Dowdall.   

Vortex Mini ROK

1. Judd Christiansen; 2. Arthur Broughan; 3. Zach Tucker; 4. Marco Manson; 5. Levi McMillan; 6. Cooper Prout.                     

Cadet ROK

1. Jackson Culver; 2. Jacob Pye; 3. Aston Walker; 4. Jack Phillips; 5. Luke McMillan; 6. Henry Fisher.

Senior GP

1. Riley Jack 19 laps; 2. Daniel Bugler + 4.240; 3. Brendon Jury +6.876; 4. Daniel Hall + 8.952; 5. Mathew Kinsman + 1 lap; 6. Zac Stichbury +1 lap.

ClubSport 120/Briggs LO206 GP

1. Scott Dalley 15 laps; 2. Nathan Bengston +1.552; 3. Ian Smith +2.465; 4. Steve Muggeridge +4.783; 5. Tim Allen +10.459; 6. Benjamin Hibbs +10.981. 

Junior ROK DVS/Rotax GP

1. Tom Bewley 15 laps; 2. Jacob Bellamy + 0.184; 3. Jay Urwin + 1.224; 4.  Jenson Bate +2.604; 5.  Ollie Workman +2.761; 6. Ryan Hancock +5.159.

Vortex Mini ROK GP

1. Zach Tucker 12 laps; 2. Judd Christiansen + 3.445; 3. Marco Manson +3.977; 4. Arthur Broughan +6.876; 5. Levi McMillan +7.091; 6. Aryan Lala +  8.527.

Cadet ROK GP

1. Jackson Culver 12  laps; 2. Jacob Pye +0.677; 3. Jack Phillips + 0.987; 4. Aston Walker +1.186; 5. Henry Fisher +1.395; 6. Luke McMillan + 1.706.     

CALENDAR

2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar Series

Rnd 1 Nov 28-29 2020 Todd Energy Raceway Waitara Taranaki

Rnd 2 March 06-07 2021 Gazley Raceway Kaitoke Wellington (Incorp. Rnd 1 2021 ROK Cup NZL)

Rnd 3 May 01-02 2021 Carter’s Tyres’ Raceway Roy's Hill Hastings Hawke's Bay

2021 WPKA Championships June 05-06 2021 Manawatu Toyota Raceway Palmerston North Manawatu (Incorp. Rnd 3a 2021 ROK Cup NZL)

Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of KartSport New Zealand. To find out more about KartSport in New Zealand contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at ross@fastcompany.co.nz

Article added: Wednesday 02 December 2020