Wanganui's Hayden Wilson completed a dream rookie driver season in the Jetpro 400 class by winning the sixth round of the NZ Jetsprint Championship Series, and with it claiming the national title in Wanaka on Good Friday.
The former navigator took over the main seat of White Noize from 2013 champion Gerry Linklater and lived up to the pedigree as he won or finished runner-up in five rounds, claiming the title despite losing his Round 2 victory at ASB Baypark Stadium when all points from that event were discounted.
Motivated to get back what was taken from him, Wilson and his teenaged navigator Chris Hausman had been tied in the series with Piopio's Brett Thompson heading into the final round, but under pressure Thompson ended up on the bank during the Top 12 eliminator.
It was one of a number of crashes, as for the second round in a row organisers cancelled the Top 3 eliminators and ran the Top 5 as the final races.
Wilson's time of 58.032 seconds saw off Taupo's Warren Farr, while another rookie driver in Ollie Silverton completed a good season with third.