Auckland driver Warren Crowther described it as a “dream weekend” as the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing Series fought out Round 3 of both their National and North Island Championships at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in North Waikato this weekend.
Crowther took the round after winning both races on Sunday to add to a third place and fastest time in qualifying on Saturday. Second was Chris White of Prebbleton and third Stiaan Kriel of Auckland. Crowther was elated. “It was my best weekend and my first pole.”
Saturday’s race had seen White and Kriel come through from sixth and ninth on the grid respectively to cross the line just .23 of a second apart with Crowther, who started from pole, in third. Stu Lawton of Wellington finished fourth ahead of impressive rookies Mac Templeton of Prebbleton and Arthur Broughan of Tuamarina.
Crowther was eighth on the reverse top ten grid the next morning with Matt Dodd of Christchurch and Karl Gaines of Auckland on the front row. Gaines led away but Crowther scorched through to second by the end of the first lap. Gaines had a brake issue that sent him off on the second lap bringing out the safety car and handing the lead to Crowther. At the restart Crowther maintained his lead but there was some great racing behind him as Kriel came through to second place and White third. Kitching took fourth and he was followed by Sam Dashfield of Auckland, Broughan, Lawton and Templeton who had fallen down the order after challenging Kitching for fourth.
The finale provided more great racing with Crowther leading all the way. White got by Kriel at the end of penultimate lap to take second with Broughan fourth followed by Lawton, Templeton and Kitching.
The next round of both the New Zealand and North Island Championship is at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon in Feilding over the weekend of 5-7 April. The round is the finale of the New Zealand Championship and the penultimate outing of the North Island Championship. White leads the National points from Crowther and Kriel while he is also atop the North Island points from Crowther and Leo Bult of Auckland. There is still a lot to play for as in addition to the National and North Island titles, Toyota Gazoo Racing New Zealand and the Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Series have teamed up to offer the top Under 25 and Master in the entire Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Series a test in the new Toyota GR86 Championship car. That will be decided after the final round of the North Island Championship back at Hampton Downs during May.
This weekend the series was part of the Super Sprint Motorsport NZ Championship finale.