Sharp Sharp at NZ Goldstar Round
| press release | 6 March 2017 |
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Impressive young Christchurch karter Louis Sharp continued on his winning way, claiming Cadet ROK class honours, at the second round of the 2016/17 Manawatu & TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar Series held in sunny conditions in Wellington on Sunday.
Sharp, 9, was one of seven class winners at host club KartSport Wellington's George Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Raceway at Kaitoke, carrying on where he left off at the opening round of the series in Taranaki in November last year.
Above: Louis Sharp (#SI) in Cadet ROK (pic - Fast Company/Vicky Jack)
The reigning South Island champion didn't exactly have the round win handed to him on a plate either. Auckland's Sebastian Manson, Pukekohe's Emerson Vincent and Judd Christiansen from Palmerston North also won heats and Vincent won the standalone Cadet ROK class Grand Prix race from Manson, Sharp and Tom Bewley from Havelock North/
The class win gives Sharp a solid boost in the series points standings, plus confidence ahead of KartSport New Zealand's annual Sprint Nationals meeting in Invercargill at Easter.
The action was just as close and exciting in the next age group class up, Vortex Mini ROK, where Liam Sceats from Auckland claimed a breakthrough 2016/17 Goldstar series win by a single point over Zac Christensen from Christchurch with Hamilton's Asten Addy and Auckland's Mason Potter tied for third place just three points back.
Christensen also finished second in the Vortex Mini ROK GP race, in that case behind Logan Manson from Levin and Ayrton Williams from Auckland.
Palmerston North driver Jackson Rooney, meanwhile, was the dominant force in the Junior Rotax class, winning four heats and finishing second in the other.
The winner of that heat race, KartSport Manawatu clubmate Riley Jack, also had a standout day, finishing second overall ahead of William Exton from Picton and Zac Stichbury from Havelock North.
Above: Jackson Rooney (#30), Junior Rotax winner (pic - Fast Company/Vicky Jack)
Needless to say Jackson Rooney also won the Junior Rotax GP race, in this case from William Exton, Zac Stichbury and fellow second-generation Hawke's Bay racer Ronan Murphy.
The big news in the senior ranks was the successful integration of the recently introduced Briggs & Stratton 4-stroke engine-based ClubSport LO206 class alongside the ClubSport 120 class. The two engine configurations were closely matched and provided close, intense racing for the 12-kart field throughout the day.
Six ClubSport LO206 karts were entered with victory going to Mike Love from fellow locals Shane Sayer and Josh Logan.
Round one class winner Braden Parsons was again the winner of the ClubSport 120 class - from Brent Hickmott and Roger Pepperell.
Above: Mike Love (#97) won the 4-stroke ClubSport LO206 class (pic - Fast Company/Vicky Jack)
In the other Senior classes Jacob Cranston won Open (as well as the Senior GP) from Brendon Jury and Quin Clark, while John Wallace won Rotax Light from Ethan Hourigan and first round class winner Scott Manson.
Hourigan, however, was first Rotax Light runner home in the Senior GP race from Campbell Jamieson and James Higgins
The KartSport Hawke's Bay club hosts the third round of the series at its Hasting's track, Chemz Raceway Roy's Hill on Sunday May 07 before the annual standalone WPKA Championships in Palmerston North on Sunday June 04
Above: 1st in Vortex Mini ROK, Liam Sceats (pic - Fast Company/Vicky Jack)
2016/17 Manawatu & TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar Series Rnd 2 George Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Raceway Kaitoke Wellington Sun March 05 2017
Open
1. Jacob Cranston; 2. Brendon Jury; 3. Quin Clark; 4. Jamie Pollock; 5. Brendon King; 6. Mike Jury
Rotax Light
1. John Wallace; 2. Ethan Hourigan; 3. Scott Manson; 4. James Higgins; 5. Campbell Jamieson; 6. Ashton Baird.
ClubSport 120
1. Braden Parsons; 2. Brent Hickmott; 3. Roger Pepperell; 4. Stuart Frew; 5. Richard Krogh; 6. David Hammond
ClubSport LO206
1. Mike Love; 2. Shane Sayer; 3. Josh Logan; 4. Shaun Hibbs; 5. Brent Melhop; 6. Chris Smyth
Junior Rotax
1. Jackson Rooney; 2. Riley Jack; 3. William Exton; 4. Zac Stichbury; 5. Ronan Murphy; 6. Jackson Whitfield
Vortex Mini ROK
1. Liam Sceats; 2. Zac Christensen; 3. Asten Addy; 4. Mason Potter; 5. Ben Stewart; 6. Jenson Bate
Cadet ROK
1. Louis Sharp; 2. Sebastian Manson; 3. Emerson Vincent; 4. Judd Christiansen; 5. Tom Bewley; 6. Kiahn Burt
Senior GP
Open
1. Jacob Cranston
2. Brendon Jury
3. Quin Clark
4. Jamie Pollock
5. Brendon King
6. Ashley Higgins
Rotax Light
1. Ethan Hourigan
2. Campbell Jamieson
ClubSport 120
1. Braden Parsons
ClubSport LO206 Light
1. Shane Sayer
2. Josh Logan
Rotax Junior GP
1. Jackson Rooney
2. William Exton
3. Zac Stichbury
4. Ronan Murphy
5. Jackson Whitfield
6. Daniel Hall
Vortex Mini ROK GP
1. Logan Manson
2. Zac Christensen
3. Ayrton Williams
4. Jesse Free
5. Jenson Bate
6. Logan Smith
Cadet ROK GP
1. Emerson Vincent
2. Sebastian Manson
3. Louis Sharp
4. Tom Bewley
5. Kiahn Burt
6. Ollie Workman
