Canterbury Duo Lead The Way

Canterbury drivers Scott Manson and Chris Cox starred at the 28th annual Sunbelts Sprint Kart Championship meeting in Nelson and Blenheim during the weekend.

The pair battled it out in the two main senior classes, young gun Manson beating Cox by just one point to win KZ2, and Cox winning 125cc Rotax Max from fellow Cantabrian Matthew Straker and Tim Smith.

The popular annual meeting attracted more than 70 entries from Invercargill in the south to Tauranga in the north.

KartSport Nelson hosted the first day of competition at Classic Hits Kart Raceway in Redwood Valley, KartSport Marlborough the second at 100 percent Herkt Appliances Kart Raceway in Blenheim. Conditions could hardly have been better with blue skies and cool, crisp conditions on both days.

On his way to his first major meeting victory in the premier six-speed gearbox-equipped 125cc KZ2 class, Manson, 16, of Christchurch, won five of the nine heat races over the two days.

Cox, 20, from Rangiora and already a two-time South Island champion in the class, was always in contention with the battle going down to the last heat race and only one point in it at the end.

Also impressing with his pace was Nelson driver Matt Butchart, who split race winner Manson and third-placed Cox in the second heat and ended up third overall.

Manson also shadowed Cox in the 125cc Rotax Max class after the first day of competition, only to withdraw from the class on the second day.

This left Cox to canter home for class victory from fellow Cantabrians Matthew Straker and Tim Smith. Dunedin's Michael Collins was the other senior class winner, ending the weekend tied on points with Christchurch's Matthew Pluck in 125cc Rotax Max Heavy, but earning the victory on countback after three heat wins to Pluck's two, with Nelson driver Mitch Wilson third.

In the junior classes, Ryan Yardley claimed his first major regional event victory in Formula Junior with fellow Christchurch drivers Jai Buckley and Marcus Armstrong second and third respectively, while reigning South Island and New Zealand class champion Caleb Cross of Rangiora won Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha after a weekend-long battle with Christchurch's Lewis Ball and Nelson's Jarod Fisher.

Another reigning South Island class champion, Jacob Mitchell of Christchurch, was the dominant force in the cadet class, winning all nine races. However, his kart did not pass post-event technical inspection, handing event victory to Dunedin youngster Josh Bethune and the best finishing Blenheim competitor, William Exton, doing a great job at his first big meeting, to finish second.

AT THE FINISH LINE Sunbelt championship results:

KZ2: 1. Scott Manson (Ch); 2. Chris Cox (Ra); 3. Matt Butchart (Ne); 4. Jamie Conroy (In); 5. David Pinkerton (Ne); 6. Dyson Freeman (Dn)

125cc Rotax Max Light: 1. Chris Cox (Ra); 2. Matt Straker (Ch); 3. Tim Smith (Ch); 4. Jamie Smith (Ne); 5. Dean Sutherland (Ch); 6. 98 Brendon Gridley (Ne).

125cc Rotax Max Heavy: 1. Michael Collins (Dn); 2. Matthew Pluck (Ch); 3. Mitch Wilson (Ne); 4. Andrew Downs (Ch); 5. Hamish Carpenter (Ch); 6. Jarred Cleghorn (Ch).

Formula Junior: 1. Ryan Yardley (Ch); 2. Jai Buckley (Ch); 3. Marcus Armstrong (Ch); 4. Daniel Bugler (Bl); 5. Trey Nairn (HB); 6. William Reith (Ch)

Junior Restricted 100cc Yamaha: 1. Caleb Cross (Ch) ; 2. Lewis Ball (Ch); 3. Jarod Fisher (Ne); 4. Jaden Ransley (Ch) ; 5. Reuben Adams (Ch); 6. Cooper Forbes (Bl).

Cadet: 1. Josh Bethune (Dn); 2. William Exton (Bl); 3. Kailen Beattie (Dn); 4. Josh Bradley (Ne); 5. Marissa Ahlfeld (Dn); 6. Bob Marr (Bl).

Article Via The Nelson Mail