Woolsey Extends NZ Prokart Series Lead
| press release | 20 April 2016 |
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Young gun Simeon Woolsey battled through an all-action Final for his second KZ2 class round win in a row at the big Point 2 Point Citrus kart meeting in the Bay of Plenty on Sunday.
The 16-year-old from Auckland claimed his first KZ2 class win of the season at the opening round of this year's ProKart Series at Rotorua in February and qualified quickest then won both class heats at the Point 2 Point Citrus meeting at Te Puke on Saturday.
Above: KZ2 winner Simeon Woolsey
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
In the mixed, wet/dry conditions on Sunday, however, he was beaten to the finish line by Aaron Wilson in the Pre-Final then had to fight a pitched battle with Wilson and fellow teen Mitchell Brown in the Final.
All three led the race at some stage before a broken piece of kart bodywork ended Wilson's day in the pits leaving Woolsey to seal round victory number two with a third win from four weekend starts.
Mitchell Brown topped off a competitive series return (after missing the opening round in February) with second with Rhys Tinney from Hamilton third and Brown's brother Logan fourth in the Final.
Also impressing were local driver Dave Brennan who ended up fifth in the Final, and KZ2 class rookie Scott Briscoe from Auckland who was sixth in the KZ2 Final in his debut drive in a gearbox kart.
Above: Taylor Harte enjoyed wins in DD2 & 125cc Rotax Max Light
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
With all 24 6-speed gearbox-equipped 125cc ProKarts (across three classes. KZ2, KZ2 Masters and KZ2 Restricted) racing together it made a spectacular sight round the KartSport Bay of Plenty club's tight, technical Te Puke Auto Electric kart track high in Fagan's Valley between Te Puke and Papamoa.
Despite the full field, and rain showers on Sunday, conditions in the dry leant themselves to fast times with records being set (and re-set in one case) across all three ProKart classes. In the first heat race on Saturday Simeon Woolsey (KZ2), Jarred MacKenzie (KZ2 Masters), and Garry Cullum (KZ2 Restricted) all set new category track lap records, and on Sunday MacKenzie further lowered his KZ2 Masters mark in the Pre-Final as he fought his way back up through the field after an early clash.
Like Woolsey, MacKenzie was the quickest qualifier and was first KZ2 Master home in the heats and the Final.
Above: Jared MacKenzie won the KZ2 Masters division
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
Series promotor, and father of KZ2 class drivers Mitchell and Logan, Steve Brown, managed to win the Pre-Final after MacKenzie was wrong slotted early in that race. Otherwise MacKenzie was the man to beat, topping off another winning round with victory in the Final over Steve Brown, Mark Lane and Leo Bult.
Making every post a winning one over the two days, meanwhile, was Garry Cullum, the defending KZ2 Restricted class title holder qualifying quickest and again claiming class round honours, this time from Shaun Curran and Gerhard Benadie with a perfect pole and four wins from four starts.
In other Senior classes contested at the Point 2 Point-sponsored Citrus meeting local teen Taylor Harte claimed cleansweeps in both 125cc Rotax Max Light and DD2, while Stephen Muggeridge won 120 ClubSport from Cliff Walsh and Mark and Rob Rose.
In the Junior classes Brendon Lambert scored a close round victory in Rotax Junior over Joseph Terry and Bill Frazer, Hamilton's Clay Osborne won Vortex Mini ROK on countback after a points tie with Blake Austin, and Mason Potter won Cadet ROK from local ace Jay Urwin.
Above: Vortex Mini ROK winner Clay Osborne, here in the damp on slicks
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
RESULTS
2016 ProKart Series
KZ2
Points after Rnd 2
1. Simeon Woolsey 183 points; 2. Aaron Wilson 175; 3=. Logan Brown & Rhys Tinney 170; 5=. Connor Westbury & Mitch Brown 84; 7. Jordan Morris 83; 8=. Scott Briscoe & Dave Brennan 82.
KZ2 Masters
Points after Rnd 2
1. Jared MacKenzie 183 points; 2. Steve Brown 175; 3. Mark Lane 171; 4. Lambert 170; 5=. Andrew Hunt & Todd Wheeler 166
Above: Garry Cullum, 1st in KZ2 Restricted
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Fast Company/Graham Hughes
KZ2 Restricted
Points after Rnd 2
1. Garry Cullum 183 points; 2. Shaun Curran 174; 3=. Gerhard Benadie & Connor Adam 169; 5. Aarron Cunningham 89; 6. Andrew Jackson 86.
CALENDARS
2016 ProKart Series
Rnd 1: Sulphur City Sprint Rotorua Feb 13-14
Rnd 2: Citrus Te Puke Apr 16-17
Rnd 3: Glen Tremain Snr Memorial Tokoroa May 14-15
Rnd 4: Winter Cup Hamilton June 11-12
