With the Level 3 COVID-19 Lockdown Auckland-based series regulars all agreeing to sit out the second round of the 2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota-backed Wellington Provincial Karting Association’s (WPKA) Goldstar Series at the KartSport Wellington club’s Gazley Raceway at Kaitoke in Upper Hutt last weekend the spotlight was well and truly on the drivers from the regions the long-running annual inter-club competition was originally set up to cater for.
They didn’t disappoint either.
Class winners on Saturday included;
And class winners on Sunday included;
Over the past few years the series which covers the lower North Island areas from Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay in the north, the Manawatu in the middle and down to Wellington in the south has also started to attract a regular following of karters from the upper half of the South Island plus - of course - karters from the likes of Hamilton, the Bay of Plenty, and Auckland.
While the travel restrictions associated with the Level 3 Lockdown kept those from Auckland at home isolating in their bubbles, those living under Level 2 made the most of their opportunities.
Other class winners over the two days, for instance, were;
Longer, standalone ‘GP’ races all also a unique part of both the appeal and indeed the folklore that has grown up around the Goldstar Series in the 61-years it has been going.
Over the weekend only six drivers were able to win their class AND the class GP race.
Those six were Steve Muggeridge (ClubSport 120) and Jacob Bellamy (Vortex ROK DVS Junior) on Saturday, and Riley Jack (Open), Jackson Rooney (KZ2), William Exton (125cc Rotax Max Light) and Ashley Higgins (125c Rotax Max Heavy) on Sunday.
The other GP race winners over the two days, meanwhile, were Ian Smith from Wellington (Briggs LO206 Light), Kiahn Burt from Marton (Rotax Junior), Henry Fisher from Christchurch (Cadet ROK), Judd Christiansen from Palmerston North (Vortex Mini ROK) and Jamie van den Berk (Vortex ROK DVS Senior) from the Hawke’s Bay.
The winning margins were particularly close in two of the GPS, with Henry Fisher getting the Cadet win by just 0.211 of a second over Luke McMillan from the Hawke’s Bay and Ian Smith denying class winner and fellow KartSport Wellington club member Regan Scoullar the GP double in the Briggs LO206 class by just 0.262 of a second!
There was also a rare dead heat for third place in the Vortex Mini ROK GP race on Sunday with Zach Tucker form Christchurch and class winner Arthur Broughan credited with the exact same race time, both crossing the finish line exactly 2.489 seconds behind race winner Judd Christiansen with Izaak Fletcher from Christchurch second.
COVID-19 situation-willing the KartSport Hawke’s Bay club is set to host the third (final) round of the 2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota-backed Wellington Provincial Karting Association’s (WPKA) Goldstar Series in early May and KartSport Manawatu the annual stand-alone ‘WPKA Championships’ event in June 2021.
CAPTIONS
Class winners at the second round of the 2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota-backed Wellington Provincial Karting Association (WPKA) Goldstar series in Wellington over the weekend included Riley Jack #13 (Open), Brad Still #33 (Vortex ROK DVS Snr), Jacob Bellamy #83 (Vortex ROK DVS Jnr) and Regan Scoullar #99 (Briggs LO206 ClubSport). Photo credit: Fast Company/Vicky Jack.
2020/21 WPKA Manawatu & TRC Toyota Goldstar Series Rnd 2 KartSport Wellington Gazley Raceway Kaitoke Wellington Sat/Sun March 06/07 2021
RESULTS
Saturday classes
ClubSport 120
Briggs LO206 Light
Rotax Junior
ROK DVS JNR
Cadet ROK
GPs
CLubSport 120 14 laps
Briggs LO206 Light
Rotax Junior GP 14 laps
Vortex ROK DVS Junior
Cadet ROK GP 14 laps
Sunday classes
Open
ROK DVS Senior
RotaxMax Light
Rotax Max Heavy
Vortex Mini ROK
GPs
Senior 20 laps
Vortex Mini ROK 14 laps
3=. Zach Tucker & Arthur Broughan +2.489
5. Jacob Pye +7.101
6. Cooper Prout +8.511
CALENDAR
2020/21 Manawatu & TRC Toyota WPKA Goldstar Series
Rnd 1 Nov 28-29 2020 Todd Energy Raceway Waitara Taranaki
Rnd 2 March 06-07 2021 Gazley Raceway Kaitoke Wellington
Rnd 3 May 01-02 2021 Carter’s Tyres’ Raceway Roy's Hill Hastings Hawke's Bay
2021 WPKA Championships June 05-06 2021 Manawatu Toyota Raceway Palmerston North Manawatu
Prepared by FAST COMPANY on behalf of KartSport New Zealand. To find out more about KartSport in New Zealand contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail at ross@fastcompany.co.nz
Article added: Wednesday 10 March 2021