Photo: NZ Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha title holder Maddison Wise leading Jordan McDonnell and Mitchell Turner.Local driver Maddison Wise was one of three title winners on the first day of competition at the Quality Inn Napier 2010 KartSport New Zealand National Sprint Championship meeting in the Hawke's Bay today (Easter Friday).
Wise won the New Zealand Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha class title with a display which included setting the fastest lap time in qualifying and winning both heats and the winner-takes-all Final.
The New Zealand title is Wise's second, the young Hawke's Bay driver having won the New Zealand Cadet class when the Nationals were fought out in Blenheim in 2008.
Current North Island champion Mitchell Turner from the Manawatu and last year's New Zealand Schools Championship class winner Jordan McDonnell from Christchurch made him fight for it too.
Turner followed Wise home in the two heat races in the morning before winning the Pre-Final then spent the Final in a three-way battle for the title with Wise and McDonnell.
Turner grabbed an early lead only to be passed by McDonnell who led for the next four laps. Turner then got back in front and led McDonnell and Wise until the 16th lap when Wise made his move and led Turner and McDonnell to the flag.
Or at least that was the order until the last lap when McDonnell got past Turner to claim second place with Turner third, Christchurch's James Munro fourth and Hamilton's Thomas Joyes fifth
In the two other classes contested today former class champion Ryan Grant claimed the day's only clean sweep, earning the 2010 New Zealand KZ2 class title by qualifying quickest then winning the two heats, Pre-Final and Final, the latter from teammate and 2009 champion Graeme Smyth and reigning North Island champion Daniel Bray.
In Cadet, meanwhile, the 2010 New Zealand title went to Thomas Ingram from the Manawatu from Taylor Harte - representing one of the smallest clubs in the country, the Eastern Bay of Plenty Kart Club - and local driver Jakob Flynn.
With three class titles decided today there are now seven to go, three more tomorrow (Saturday) and four on Sunday.
Today's racing was held in the fine, warm conditions predicted to prevail in the Hawke's Bay until Monday.
Race Results
KZ 2
1. Ryan Grant (Auckland) ; 2. Graeme Smyth (Auckland); 3. Daniel Bray (Auckland); 4. Richard Moore (Auckland); 5. Matthew Grant (Auckland); 6. Johnathan Pearson (Hawke's Bay)
Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha
1. Maddison Wise (Hawke's Bay) ; 2. Jordan McDonnell (Christchurch); 3. Mitchell Turner (Manawatu); 4. James Munro (Christchurch); 5. Thomas Joyes (Hamilton) ; 6. Logan Brown (Auckland).
Cadet
1. Thomas Ingram (Manawatu); 2. Taylor Harte (Eastern Bay of Plenty); 3. Jakob Flynn (Hawke's Bay); 4. Jordan Lum (Wellington); 5. Thomas Batt (Wellington); 6. Ryan McPherson (Christchurch).
