Championship finale wraps up Manawatu & TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar series
With the WPKA Goldstar karting series decided, the standalone Manawatu and TRC Toyota WPKA Championship attracted excellent fields to Palmerston North over King’s Birthday weekend.
The Goldstar series was established in the 1960s to help as a stepping-stone from club-level events and through to national-level competition, in terms of gaining race craft and experience. There were three rounds of the series concluding at Hawkes Bay last month, with the drivers now chasing the weekend event at the Manawatu & TRC Toyota Raceway.
It attracted 110 karters with most of the successful karters in the series also chasing the championship honours.
Taranaki’s Jayden Buttimore dominated the Cadet ROK class with a stunning performance, winning four of the five heats to top the points, and claim the Grand Prix in a superb weekend, with Manawatu’s Benji Bellamy second overall with four podiums just ahead of Taranaki’s Ryan Healey who picked up a win and was runner-up in the Grand Prix.
It was just as emphatic with the in-form national champion Kiahn Burt (Palmerston North) in a class of his own in Rotax Max Junior, winning every heat and the Grand Prix as his star continues to shine in the sport.
Fellow Manawatu karter Amelia Phillips was impressive with four second placings and runner-up in the Grand Prix to complete an excellent weekend.
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It was a similar story in the Vortex DVS Junior where series winner Blake Corin (Tauranga) grabbed four heat wins and the Grand Prix to take the honours ahead of Taranaki’s Jack Amon who was on the podium in every race, to edge out Hawkes Bay karter Daniel McMillan.
Vortex Mini ROK attracted the biggest field with 27 starters, where Manawatu’s Aryan Lala claimed three heat wins to lead overall points from Bay of Plenty’s Aston Walker and Manawatu’s Jack Phillips.
Auckland’s Braden Watson took advantage of the ace draw in the Grand Prix, holding off the charge from Lala and Walker to take the victory.
Vortex DVS Senior saw the in-form Hawkes Bay karter James van den Berk dominate with four heats wins, while Manawatu’s riley Jack was unbeaten in the Open class, and picked up the combined Grand Prix honour.
A healthy field in the Clubsport 120 saw Manawatu’s Scott Dalley prevail overall with three heat wins from Manawatu’s Logan Howard who won the Grand Prix from grid three.
The Briggs LO206 Light was dominated by provisional Goldstar Champion, James Hadley with four wins, although his charge from the back of the field in the Grand Prix after an early spin fell just short, with fellow Wellington karter Yoshi Comeskey claiming the honours.
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