The Genuine Vehicle Imports Formula Open New Zealand (FONZ) series has its second round as part of the Manawatu Car Clubs October Fast Super Truck meeting at Circuit Chris Amon Manfield this weekend, 20 – 23 October 2023. This season sees some top drivers joining the ranks with the 2021 NZ Grand Prix Pole Sitter, Kaleb Ngatoa, contesting the David Oxton Cup in one of the historic Formula Atlantics.
Ngatoa believes these ground effect cars are amongst the best cars he has ever driven despite the fact they are now 43 years old. The Atlantic’s will be hard to beat on Manfield’s flowing corners.
However, keeping Ngatoa honest will be four young guns including top Formula Ford campaigners Hayden Bakkerus and national champion Alex Crosbie, who proved very fast at Hampton Downs in the opening FONZ round. They will be joined by another former Formula Ford star and reigning FONZ Champion, Zac Christensen. All three are campaigning ex TRS Tatuus FT50’s.
Throw into the mix last season’s rookie of the year Kaden Probst, also driving a FT50. Coming straight out of kartsport, Probst immediately won races last season against much more experienced opposition. He was very fast at the opening round this year, setting a new lap record in the process. The FT50’s are contesting the Graeme Lawrence Cup and this will be a close contest over the season.
Another young star who has come out of the Formula First single seater category is Toby Mc Cormack. He impressed in his first ever drive of an ex TRS Tatuus FT40, taking third place outright in a very wet final race at Hampton Downs.
Others to watch out for are 17-year-old Ethan Sillay, driving a 93H Reynard Formula Atlantic and Gary Rush who campaigns a Swift DB4 Formula Atlantic. Rush was the first ever FONZ series winner and has recently had fellow Swift DB4 racer James Watson fine tune the Swift’s handling so he could be one to watch.
New to the series this season is New Plymouth’s Rhys Humphries campaigning the ex-Tony Quin Reynard 93H. Also on track is series regular Geoff Harriman (FT50) and returning Paul Couper (FT40) after a year off.
This season the series has been split into three classes. The ex TRS FT40’s contest the Jim Palmer Cup, the ex TRS FT50’s contest the Graeme Lawrence Cup and the Formula Atlantics contest the David Oxton Cup.
With the highest points scorer from all three classes wining the FONZ Championship and the Howden Ganley Cup. All three classes race together on the track and each type of car delivers its performance in different ways so the racing is close with lots of passing. These awesomely fast cars had the crowd on their feet the last time they were at Circuit Chris Amon Manfeild and promise to deliver even more entertainment this time out.
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