Two titles remain up for grabs in Mazda Racing Series

Two titles remain up for grabs in the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Series with both the New Zealand and North Island titles set to be decided over the next two weekends.

This weekend competitors head to Taupō International Motorsport Park for the penultimate round of both series before a week later all will be decided at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding. This weekend at Taupō could well be pivotal for competitors’ chances so close, hard racing is assured.

Will Kitching of Timaru leads the New Zealand Series points as the class prepares for battle at Taupō. Kitching has won both rounds of the National Series to date held in the South Island at Teretonga Park and Highlands Motorsport Park and has a healthy 59-point lead over Stuart Lawton of Paraparaumu. Kitching will be looking for a solid weekend at Taupō to maintain that lead. While Kitching has a useful margin at the top of the points it is a close battle behind him. Lawton has 198 points with a trio of drivers, Callum Pratt of Auckland, Matt Dodd of Christchurch and Jesse Gould of Raumati Beach, all within 16 points of Lawton. Dodd is not travelling to the North Island but the other two will be on the grid and eager to push their claims.

Things are even closer in the North Island Series fight. Lawton leads that with 394 points but it is tight with Mac Templeton of Prebbleton in Canterbury, the leading rookie, just two points behind after winning the last two rounds of the series. Templeton also made an impressive debut in the GR86 Series at Hampton Downs last weekend. Aucklander Karl Gaines, the top Masters (Over 50) competitor, is third just 5 points behind while Callum Pratt is just a further 14 points behind Gaines.

The stage is set for a torrid weekend of racing with so much at stake.

An excellent twenty-two car entry will line up for the round with plenty of interest throughout. Arthur Broughan of Tuamarina has made a couple of cameo appearances in the North Island Series between his GR 86 Championship commitments and has finished on the podium each time while two-time National Champion and 2020/2021 North Island Champion, Simon Baker, returns to the grid for the first time this season.

A good contingent from the South Island have made the trek north with James Black of Dunedin, Mac Berkett of Nelson and Cantabrians Bryan Walker and Marc Denton joining Kitching and Templeton on the grid. Black will be contesting just his third weekend in the series after finishing second on the National Series podium at Highlands last month.

Competitors face qualifying on Saturday morning before a ten-lap race on Saturday afternoon with two races on Sunday, a twelve-lap reverse top ten of Saturday’s finishing order on Sunday morning and a ten-lap finale later that day.