2007 Rotax Max Challenge lights winner Paul Cameron 2007 Rotax Max Challenge Junior winner Mitchell Evans 2007 Rotax Max Challenge Junior runnerup William Bamber
Photo Credit: Fast Company/Andrew Bright-Ultrapix
Mt Wellingtons Paul Cameron (Senior Rotax Light) and Mitchell Evans (Formula Junior) booked their places at the 2007 World Rotax Championships in Al Ain.
Cameron was elated with his win, quoting it had taken 5 attempts to win the opportunity in competing at the World Rotax Max Championships. Cameron, 23 from Mt Wellington was the overall winner of the premier Robert Pascoe Transport Rotax Max Light class after finally prevailing over season-long rival Karl Wilson, while Evans scored enough points to finish first overall in the Arai Helmets Formula Junior support class despite the round win going to Christchurch's Chris Cox.
Each year the overall winner of the 125cc Rotax Max Light class and the winner and runner-up in the 125cc Rotax Max-based Formula Junior support class of the New Zealand Challenge series earn all-expenses-paid trips to an annual international Grand Final.
The 2007 Grand Final is being help in late November at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates.
The win went to last year's New Zealand representative Josh Hart from Palmerston North. Hart played second fiddle to Cameron and Wilson at earlier rounds but came back strongly to win both Senior heats and the Pre-Final and Final, the latter by a good margin from Cameron and Mt Wellington's Jake Pascoe.
Wanganui's William Bamber, 13, was the quickest qualifier and won the first Arai Helmets Formula Junior class heat but Mt Wellington's Matthew Kinsman won the second, then Christchurch's Chris Cox won the rain-lashed Pre-Final and the dry Final to claim his first round win.
Mt Wellington's Matthew Kinsman ended up third in the overall series points standings with 395 points with Cox fourth overall with 387.
After winning the first three rounds and finishing third at the penultimate one, Mitchell Evans only had to finish the Final to guarantee himself the title, and make a little bit of Rotax Max Challenge history by being the youngest driver to qualify for the Grand Final.
Meanwhile in the Speedy IT Rotax Max Heavy class, victory - and a trip to Australia for a Rotax Max event there - went to Hamilton's Phillip Saunders from Wellington's Nick Rodgers, the final overall score 431 points to 409.
Saunders claimed the only clean-sweep of the day, qualifying quickest - from Auckland's Brent Gilchrist and Rodgers - then winning the heats, the Pre-Final and the Final, the latter from North Island Rotax Max Heavy champion Aarron Cunningham.
Rodgers finished second overall with 409 points, 22 points behind Saunders. Second in the Final and third overall in the Heavy Class was Aarron Cunningham.
Fifth overall in the Heavy Category and winner of the Master's section was Mt Wellingtons Brent Gilchrist.
With thanks to Ross McKay
Photo Credit: Fast Company/Andrew Bright-Ultrapix
