Simon Baker of Wellington set the fastest time in qualifying at Round 2 of the Nexen Tyre NZ Mazda Racing North Island Championship at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park today (Saturday).
Baker, the championship leader, set a blistering pace on a warm day at the North Waikato track, becoming the only driver to dip under the 1 minute 15 second mark recording a best lap of 1 minute 14.823 seconds on his fourth lap of qualifying. In doing so he snared the $500 Premier Insulation Pole Award.
It was close for the next grid spots in a good, clean 15-minute qualifying session, with Waihi driver, Terry Edwards, second fastest with a lap of 1.15.175 followed by Aucklander Sam Dashfield (1.15.194), Rex Edwards of Tauranga (1.15.340) and Leo Bult fifth with a time of 1.15.347.
The top ten was rounded out by Flynn Mullany, Matt Horne, Nigel Edger, Karl Gaines and Steve Brown.
Newcomer Mark Oudney of Auckland qualified well on debut, setting the fifteenth fastest time in the 24-car field while fellow newbie Leon Davis was thoroughly enjoying his first experience of the series.
Sadly, qualifying saw the demise of David Atkins due to compression problems.
Series competitors face three races tomorrow with an 8-lap event at approximately 10.00am followed by a top ten reverse grid race over 10 laps with the finale another 8-lap contest in the afternoon.
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