Night 3 of the Series was held at Baypark Speedway in Tauranga around 2 1/2 hours drive South East of Auckland. It was a different track but the same 2 drivers dominated proceedings. Michael Pickens took the early lead but was passed by 39usa Bryan Clauson around the 6th lap. Those two cleared out whilst the USA contingent disintegrated. Jerry Coons Jr pulled off on the first lap. Zach Daum didn't last much longer and Tyler Thomas made it to around lap 10 before pulling off with brake issues.
The battle was for the 3rd-6th position with local drivers Brock Maskovich and Hayden Williams mixing it with Australia Nathan Smee and American Spencer Bayston. The race would be called on Lap 37 due to time constraints with Clauson taking the win from Pickens, Williams, Maskovich and Smee.
Night 4 of the series was scheduled to be run at Western Springs tonight NZ time January 1st. However the weather has not complied with winds and rain in the Auckland area. With no rain date the meeting has been cancelled. That leaves the 5th and final round to be contested on January 3rd. Weather is looking questionable for racing at this stage but more promising for January 4th which is the rain date for this meeting.
Not a good start to Brian Clauson's bid for 200 races!!
The final night of the series took place tonight. Auckland has had 2 straight days of persistent rain which resulted in high moisture levels deep in the track surface. Despite the best efforts of the track crew the track rutted up. It was hazardous driving and I imagine not much fun for the drivers. Once again it was the Bryan Clauson and Michael Pickens show. Whilst Pickens led Clauson through lapped traffic mid-race the track bit and sent Clauson upside down. Spencer Bayston suffered the same fate 2 laps later whilst Tyler Thomas made it an American trifecta in the flipping statistic with around 15 to go. Jerry Coons Jr only lasted a lap before damage sent him to the infield in an unhappy night for the American's.
Michael Pickens won the race, his 6th win in the event. Only two other drivers have multiple wins, Sleepy Tripp with 9 and Jerry Coons Jr with 2. Hayden Williams, who competed in both POWRI and USAC Midget weeks this past season came in second ahead of unheralded local talent Michael Brunt.
