It was a great first outing for GP Karts in New Zealand on September 26 at the final round of the Steward Motors 125 shifter series in Hawke’s Bay.
With the return of GP-driving Aluminos team racer Daniel Bray from his six months stint in the USA the Hawke’s Bay meeting was the ideal launching pad for the GP Racing marque here in New Zealand.
Because he had not competed at any previous rounds Bray had to start each KZ2 race from the rear of the field. Though a little disappointing that didn’t stop him making the presence of the new GP chassis - complete with its radical Ceramic Aluminum brakes – felt.
In Qualifying Bray only managed fifth quickest as he got held up in traffic and slightly missing the set up with a new set of sticky tyres.
In the first race however he got an amazing start, making up seven positions (from 14th to seventh place) in the first lap alone. Some awesome outbraking manoeuvres at the end of the main straight saw him make up four more before race end, crossing the line in third place.
In the second race Bray didn’t get such a great start but still managed to hustle his way to seventh place on the opening lap before completing a carbon copy of the first race on his way to third place – the icing on the cake this time the fastest lap of the race.
The third heat was much the same as the previous two, Bray and the GP chassis working as a team to be seventh by the end of the opening lap and third by the time the chequered flag came out.
Understandably this created a lot of interest around the track with onlookers wondering what the hard-driving Aucklander and his new impressive GP chassis could do in a longer race.
Unfortunately they had to wait as the clutch on Bray’s Maxter engine started slipping causing a DNF in the Pre-Final.
Which just left the final, the’ Main Event’ of the weekend.
Again starting from the rear of the field Bray launched through the pack off the start getting to seventh once again by the end of the opening lap. By lap five he had moved into fourth, setting the fastest lap of the race on the way.
He then closed the gap slightly over the karts in front of him for the next three laps but then his pace slowed to match theirs.
However with four laps to go the GP Kart came into its own. With the karts in front of him going off because of the race distance Bray started to reel the front three in, catching third placed Richard Moore on the last lap.
With just the one lap to go there was not the time to make it to third place but overall Bray was very happy, both with his return to racing ‘at home’ and the New Zealand debut of the GP kart chassis.
“It was a great day, all and all for the debut of the GP Kart it’s just unfortunate that I couldn’t get on the podium, I had the kart set up for a longer race as that is what I have been use to in the States.” “It will be good to see when I get to start in the field at North Islands.”
If you have any inquires about the GP product phone Daniel or Dave Bray (09) 537-6228
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