DEFENDING CHAMP TOO OLD FOR SERIES
The 10-person Australasian Young Drivers Championship to be staged in conjunction with the Inter Dominion in April has opened up an opportunity for one more New Zealand junior driver.
The unavailability of defending harness racing champion Gareth Rattray due his age has put the responsibility back on HRNZ to find a replacement driver.
This week HRNZ decided the only just course of action was to give another New Zealand driver an opportunity to compete and win on the international stage.
HRNZ CEO, Edward Rennell, was pleasantly surprised by the news coming from Australia. “This is a chance for another of our promising young drivers to further themselves and give New Zealand a strong chance of a win in the championship.”
“Having four New Zealand drivers in championship will also help with the local promotion of the event and the ability to generate full fields for the championship heats.”
As it stands New Zealand has three representatives for the Championship. They will be the top points scorers in the North and South Island Junior Driver competitions and the national UDR champion, provided he/she has had at least 15 drives in junior driver races.
The fourth driver will be found from the Junior Drivers Premiership. At this stage Matthew Williamson looks like being that lucky fourth driver, depending on how the points and UDR competitions finish in the Junior Drivers Championship, which concludes on February 28.
Courtesy of Andrew Morris, HRNZ.