Intriguing weekend ahead for Mazda Racing Series

A significant change in the title contenders, the return of some proven racers and a new face adds even more excitement and intrigue to Round 4 of the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing North Island Series at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in North Waikato this weekend.

Tauranga driver Rex Edwards holds a 40-point lead over Stuart Lawton of Paraparaumu after three rounds. However, after a torrid time at the opening rounds of the New Zealand Series in the South Island recently, where his car sustained damage, Edwards has elected to forgo the rest of the season. That leaves a group of five drivers all within 39 points of each other with just three rounds remaining. Lawton has 294 points, just eleven ahead of Karl Gaines of Auckland who is also the leading Masters (Over 50) driver in the series. Eleven points behind Gaines is Aucklander Callum Pratt who has a twelve-point margin over Mac Templeton of Prebbleton in Canterbury with another Aucklander, Sam Dashfield, just five points behind him.

Templeton ran into some hot form at Round 3 of the series, also at Hampton Downs, winning two of the three races, taking the round win and a new lap record which makes him one to watch but the other protagonists are also very much in form. Lawton has finished second overall at two of the three rounds, mechanical problems at Round 2 costing him dearly, while Gaines has been consistent everywhere. Pratt and Dashfield have both taken race wins in what has been a very competitive season.

While those in the battle will be aiming for good points this weekend there are some wildcards adding to the mix. Arthur Broughan of Tuamarina near Blenheim returns to gain track time which will add plenty of spice to proceedings. After an impressive rookie campaign last year Broughan has moved to the GR86 Championship this season where he currently lies eighth. He made a cameo at the opening round of the North Island Mazda Series at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon where he took a clean sweep and when the GR86 Championship visited Hampton Downs in January he qualified on pole so he will undoubtedly be a factor at the front. Also joining the series for this round is the 2017/2018 New Zealand and North Island NZ Mazda Racing Series Champion, Andrew Jackson of Auckland. He will take the wheel of Leo Bult’s car with Bult not racing this weekend.

A new face, Ajay Giddy of Auckland, also joins the series this weekend. Another GR86 Championship competitor he is just thirteen years old, turning fourteen the day after the round.

In the series’ Teams Championship, Team Premier Insulation (Pratt and Dashfield) lead the points.

A fifteen-minute qualifying session on Saturday morning will set the grid for that afternoon’s ten lap race before the top ten finishers in race one is reversed on the grid for a twelve-lap race on Sunday morning. The final race of the round from a grid based on weekend points to that stage is raced over 10 laps on Sunday afternoon.