Bailey suits up for SsangYong ute season
Kart and car ace Ryan Bailey has suiting up for a full assault on this season’s SsangYong Actyon Sport Ute racing series which kicked off at the big ITM SuperSprint meeting at Pukekohe Park Raceway in November.
The popular one-make category attracted a nearcapacity (28) grid for the opening series round with Auckland-based Palmerston North driver Bailey driving the #39 Fliway ute with support from leading New Zealand freight forwarding and logistics company Fliway Transport.
The 27-year-old’s last full car campaign was in the New Zealand MINI Challenge where he was a race winner and finished second in the series’ points standings.
Like many attracted to the SsangYong ute series he has done most of his racing in karts, winning two New Zealand titles, and three North Island ones over a career spanning 20 years.
Joining Bailey on the SsangYong series grid at the opening round were fellow kart champs Daniel Connor, Caine Lobb and Callum Hedge, veteran Kiwi racer Kirk Stoneman, and recent Supercheap Bathurst 1000 km race co-winner, Australian Paul Morris.
Lobb ended up winning the round from Connor and Rowan Shepherd with Bailey playing catchup on Sunday after a crash and dnf on Saturday.
Bailey’s #39 SsangYong Actyon ute is sponsored by Fliway Transport and his 2016/17 series campaign has the support of Manawatu SsangYong and LDV Supersite, AAA Automotive from Pukekohe, and Central Towing, Sal’s Pizza and BOC Gases, Speedy Signs Manukau City, Pacific Safety and Apparel Solutions and Turin Panel and Paint Auckland.