Palmerston North’s Ryan Bailey continued where he left off at the opening round at Pukekohe by also claiming the overall win in the second round of the Mini Challenge at the Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Ruapuna Park, last weekend.

Over the weekend, Bailey’s TKR teammate and former Lady Wigram Trophy Race winner Matthew Hamilton was the fastest driver, claiming pole position in qualifying and winning the first race. Bailey worked his way up to second position in the opening race after qualifying in fourth position, and also finished second in the second race.

In the third race things went awry for the previously dominant TKR drivers. A computer glitch prevented Hamilton from even taking the start, and Bailey struggled with brake problems, enabling Mark Maddren to take his second reverse grid win from as many races.

Throughout the weekend the mid field battle between drivers Gavin Yortt, David Grigor, Mark Maddren and Wayne Timms kept the spectators and the drivers entertained. In the opening race Grigor pressed Yortt at every opportunity but could not find a way past on the Christchurch track in the treacherous conditions – with Yortt eventually taking third place behind Hamilton and Bailey.

Bailey said afterwards that the “success ballast’’ earned after his Pukekohe win may have cost him a little under braking and on exit speed from the corners but he added that Hamilton’s greater circuit knowledge provided him with a bigger advantage.

It was Grigor’s turn to take the final place on the podium in race two, emerging at the head of an absorbing dice with Maddren and Yortt to take third.

In the longer, reverse grid, race Maddren led from start to finish with local driver Timms pressing hard. As Timms gradually slipped back he fell into a battle with Yortt and Grigor but he was elated to be able to hold on to second.

Points after two rounds: R Bailey 387 1, M Maddren 365 2, M Hamilton 325 3, D Grigor 307 4, G Yortt 296 5, W Timms 294 6.

Media: Mini Challenge