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It was striking different weather from the previous day at Hampton Downs as the sun prevailed. In the tricky conditions on Saturday, points leader Poland’s Roman Bilinski won Race 1, and was able to extend his lead with a third and a second in the Sunday races at the third round of the NZ series.
Australia’s MTEC Motorsport driver Tommy Smith figured in the top 10 in both races while his teammate and fellow countryman Elliott Cleary had one place in the 10 and one just outside it.
Because he finished eighth in the opening race, Cleary had pole for Race 2. But a slow liftoff allowed MR2 Competition drivers 16-year-old Lacorte and Korean Michael Shin to get the jump and lead into first corner. Cleary lost further places in the ensuing laps to ultimately finish eighth and in front of Smith who started fourth.
Tyres options would count. Lacorte used the tyres he qualified on for Race 3. Those who ran wets on Saturday had fresh rubber while Belinski would use the slicks he gambled with on Saturday. Despite that he was able to go from eighth to third behind Lacorte and Shin.
The race was red flagged on the last lap after China’s Gerrard Xie attempted to pass Canadian Patrick Woods-Toth for fourth at Turn 2. Xie tried to go down the inside but hit his rivals rear tyre and had a wild ride into the tyre barrier, which ended his day.
In the longer third race, Ngatoa outpointed pole sitter Bilinski off the start, led throughout and withstood the late challenge from him to not only win, but to also take the prestigious Dorothy Smith Memorial Trophy.
Behind the third-placed Lacorte were Lacorte, Liam Sceats (NZ), Rookie points leader Woods-Toth, Smith, Alex Crosbie (NZ), Titus Sherlock (USA) and Kaden Probst (NZ). Cleary picked up two places when American Jett Bowling and Brazilian Lucas Fecury had a coming together.
