RICHMOND QUICKEST IN TWO CLASSES, MCLAUGHLIN JUST PIPPED FOR POLE ON KARTING RETURN
Young Auckland karter Josh Richmond was the star performer on the first day of competition at this year’s Porter Group KartSport NZ National Sprint Championship meeting at Hamilton today, qualifying quickest in both classes he has entered. 125cc Rotax Max Junior and Vortex ROK DVS Junior.
Special guest driver, Virgin Australia Supercars champion and runaway 2019 series points leader, Scott McLaughlin, also proved he is a bona fide title prospect in the 125cc Rotax Max Heavy class, setting the second quickest lap time in his qualifying session, just 00.084 of a second behind two-time former class champion Ryan Urban from Auckland.
Practice and qualifying across eight NZ Championship classes was held in near perfect conditions at the KartSport Hamilton club’s Porter Group Raceway opposite the city’s international airport today.
It was very much a case of youth versus experience in the Senior classes with Matthew Payne quickest in KZ2, Ryan Crombie from Auckland and Zac Stichbury from Hawke’s Bay pipping defending class title holder Daniel Kinsman in 125cc Rotax Max Light, and fellow teen Ryan Wood from Wellington beating multi-time New Zealand title-holder Matthew Hamilton to the #1 qualifying spot in Rotax DD2.
Hayden Lines, meanwhile, stepped up to set the fastest lap time in the Vortex Mini ROK junior class, while reigning South Island class title holder Arthur Broughan from Blenheim was comfortably quickest in Cadet ROK.
Action on track continues for the next two days with three heat races per class tomorrow (Saturday) and Pre-Finals and Finals on Sunday.
For those who can’t make it to Hamilton, the event will be livestreamed on Easter Saturday and Sunday both here: https://livestream.com/i-filmsport/KartSportNationalSprintChamps2019 and on the KartSport New Zealand Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/KartSportNZ/
- Event Timetable and Entry List is HERE
RESULTS – Qualifying
Vortex ROK DVS Jnr
- Josh Richmond 37.856
- William Exton 37.906
- Nathan Crang 37.988
- Liam Sceats 38.013
- Ayrton Williams 38.092
- Ben Stewart 38.246
125cc Rotax Max Jnr
- Josh Richmond 38.229
- Nathan Crang 38.293
- William Exton 38.354
- Breanna Morris 38.460
- Riley Spargo 38.498
- Bradley Hewson 38.527
125ccc Rotax Max Light
- Ryan Crombie 38.302
- Zac Stichbury 38.313
- Daniel Kinsman 38.376
- Braeden Snowden 38.434
- Fynn Osborne 38.442
- Daniel Bray 38.475
10. David Sera 38.583
Vortex Mini ROK
- Hayden Lines 43.514
- Jake Young 43.611
- Kiahn Burt 43.633
- Alex Crosbie 43.651
- Ashton Phipps 43.762
- Daniel Simcock 43.778
Cadet ROK
- Arthur Broughan 44.306
- Riley Boswell 44.394
- Carson Daly 44.469
- Zach Tucker 44.547
- Cole Turney 44.683
- Izaak Fletcher 44.718
KZ2
- Matthew Payne 35.647
- Mathew Kinsman 35.758
- Ryan Wood 35.881
- Graeme Smyth 35.900
- Joshua Parkinson 36.011
- Rhys Tinney 36.028
Rotax DD2
- Ryan Wood 37.613
- Matthew Hamilton 37.637
- Sam Waddell 37.717
- Bond Roby 37.717
- Chris Cox 37.861
- Mathew Kinsman 37.862
125cc Rotax Max Heavy
- Ryan Urban 39.000
- Scott McLaughlin 39.084
- Caleb Hartley 39.088
- Zack Zaloum 39.138
- Darren Walker 39.320
- Felix Hume 39.415
- full results on speedhive HERE