Karting: Class title for Bay in final Goldstar round

Hawke's Bay's Tom Bewley on his way to second place overall in the Cadet ROK class. Photo/Paul Taylor

It took a comeback of mammoth proportions for a Hawke's Bay karter to claim a class title at the final round of the Goldstar Series in Hastings yesterday.

"After a DNF in my first race I won my next four to win the class by two points. I was first equal on points going into the final race," an elated Club Sport 120 class driver Willie Pearson explained.

"I've been racing for 10 years and that's my first round win at Goldstar level. That's my only Goldstar round for the year because I didn't do the other two."

A casual worker at Heinz Wattie's, Pearson, 26, was one of 10 drivers in his class. Pearson, who is also a member of the Rotorua and Palmerston North clubs, is having a memorable season.

Three weeks ago he broke the lap record for his class at the Palmy track which had stood since 2009. He is on target for a fifth Hawke's Bay club title and this weekend Pearson will start round one of the Palmerston North club's club championships.

One of Hawke's Bay's best hopes for a title, Tom Bewley, finished second in his Cadet ROK class. He was involved in some spectacular tussles all day and also finished second in his Grand Prix.

Bewley's brother Harry matched Tom's feats with his two seconds in the Vortex Mini ROK class. The Bay's other second placing was recorded by Shaun Hibbs in his Club Sport class.

Zac Stichbury, a son of the former V8 Touring Car Championship driver Ashley Stichbury who died in 2002, and Ronan Murphy, a son of Kiwi motor racing legend Greg Murphy, finished fourth and fifth respectively in the Rotax Max Junior class in which their clubmate Jackson Whitfield was sixth.

Napier Boys' High School Year 11 student Stichbury did well to finish third in the Grand Prix for his class.