Changeable weather and track conditions produced some surprise results on qualifying day at the Sievwright Blasting Panel Paint KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championships meeting in Invercargill yesterday (April 14).
KartSport Southland member Kyle Dawson was the fastest in the second 125cc Rotax Max Light class time trial by almost half a second, giving him pole for today’s (April 15) heat races over fellow southerners Jarred Cleghorn and Scott Glenn.
Defending NZ title holder, Mathew Kinsman of Auckland, had been comfortably quicker on wet tyres in the first time trial, but could only manage seventh quickest time in the second one.
The Kinsman brothers had a better run with tyre choice in the Senior 100cc Yamaha class, with the younger of the two, Daniel, pipping Mathew for quickest time over George Keast, of Invercargill and Aaron Marr, of Wanganui.
Another surprise was the speed shown by Zeal Jones, of Auckland, in Vortex Mini ROK, fourth quickest in the first class time trial but comfortably quickest to earn pole for today’s (April 15) Vortex Mini ROK heats in the second.
In the other classes being contested today (April 15), William Exton, of Picton, will start from pole after pipping Ryan Wood, of Wellington, for fastest qualifying time in 100cc Yamaha Junior, while Mathew Butchart, of Nelson, will be the pole man in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy after edging out Ryan Urban, of Auckland.
In the other classes Matthew Hamilton, of Christchurch qualified comfortably quickest in Open, and Daniel Bray, of Auckland, just pipped Mathew Kinsman for pole in Rotax DD2.
Callum Hedge edged out Ryan Wood for quickest time in Junior Rotax, and reigning class South Island champ Louis Sharp, of Christchurch set the fastest time in Cadet ROK from Emerson Vincent, of Pukekohe and Tom Bewley, of Hawke’s Bay.
The first class titles, Vortex Mini ROK, 100cc Yamaha Junior, 125cc Rotax Max Light and 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, will be contested today with Cadet ROK, 125cc Rotax Max Junior, Open, 100cc Yamaha Senior and Rotax DD2 racing taking place tomorrow (April 16).
Spectators are welcome with action on the track each day between 9am and 4.30pm.