Sport + Motorsport
Two red flags brought about an early conclusion to the first race of Round 3 of the 2025/2026 Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series at Teretonga Park in Invercargill today, with Hamilton rookie Tomas Climo in front at the flag.
Wet conditions prevailed throughout the day, but rookie James Black of Dunedin set the pace in qualifying, taking pole with a lap of 1 minute 19.604, 1.193 seconds faster than another rookie, fourteen-year-old Ajay Giddy of Silverdale. Callum Pratt of Auckland qualified third.
Climo was next fastest, followed by Sam Dashfield of Auckland, Mac Berkett, Stu Lawton, Simon Baker and Bryan Walker, with series points leader Alex Canty tenth fastest.
Rain was still falling when the field lined up for the first race of the round later in the afternoon, with Giddy making the best start to lead away. Black was slow away from pole and then came together with Callum Pratt at the first corner of the race, causing a concertina effect through the field with several cars leaving the track.
That incident brought out a red flag, with the field reassembling on the grid minus Black, who retired to the pits.
At the restart, Climo made the best start to lead from Giddy, with Mac Berkett of Nelson slotting into third. As they went into their second lap, Climo and Giddy went side by side around the loop in an impressive battle which belied the conditions. Climo prevailed, but as the field neared the end of their second lap, Wayne Talbot’s car snapped into a spin and sent him into the wall.
That brought out the red flag again, ending the race after just two racing laps. Climo took the win from Giddy, with Berkett third ahead of Dashfield, Lawton of Paraparaumu and Baker of Kapiti.
Series leader coming into the round, Alex Canty of Auckland, was classified twelfth.
Tomorrow morning (Sunday) a 12-lap race starts at 8.30am, with the finale over 10 laps at 1.16pm.
The weekend’s action is part of the Ascot Park Hotel Teretonga Park International, a round of the Repco NextGen New Zealand Championship.
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For points standings in the various series, visit the Mazda Racing Series website.