Success for local pair

Palmerston North karters Josh Hart and Dylan Drysdale claimed key class wins at the latest double-header round of the New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge kart series in Wellington.

Hart, a former New Zealand representative, won the DD2 class finals on both days at in Kaitoke to take the series’ points lead in the class off early-season leader Mat Kinsman from Auckland.

In the 125cc Rotax Max Light class, Drysdale took the battle to defending title Daniel Connor from Auckland.

Connor won the class final from Drysdale on Saturday, but Drysdale returned the favour in Sunday, turning a one-point deficit to Connor heading into the Wellington meeting to a one-point lead heading to the final double-header series meeting in Hamilton next month.

Third place finishes behind Connor and Drysdale in both finals sees young Auckland driver Kaleb Currie third in the standings ahead of Chris Cox from Rangiora and Michael Mcculloch from the Kapiti Coast.

Hart was one of four double-winners at the Wellington meeting, claiming round five honours in DD2 on Saturday from Drysdale’s older brother Josh Drysdale, and Auckland-based international Daniel Bray, with Mat Kinsman fourth.

The other drivers doing the double were Ryan Urban from Auckland in DD2 Masters, Campbell Joyes from Hamilton in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy and Callum Hedges from Tauranga in Rotax Junior.

Urban, who parlayed DD2 Masters class victory here last year to New Zealand’s first class win at a Grand Final at Portimao in Portugal, continued on his winning way at Wellington.

On Saturday he claimed the DD2 Masters’ Final win from top female driver Tiffany Chittenden from Christchurch and Callum Orr from Palmerston North.

Campbell Joyes was unbeaten in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, the reigning New Zealand sprint champion winning all four heats and both Pre Finals and Finals, the latter from Keith Wilkinson from Samuel Carpenter (both Auckland) on Saturday, and Wilkinson and Palmerston North driver Brendon Hart on Sunday.

Having missed the second double-header meeting of the season at Rotorua in April, Tauranga teenager Callum Hedge is not in overall series contention, but that didn’t stop him stamping his authority on the Rotax Junior class at the Wellington meeting.

He swapped heat wins with series points leader Matthew Payne from Pukekohe on both days before going on to win both Prefinals and Finals.

The final double header round of the year is being hosted by the Kartsport Hamilton over the September 10-11 weekend.