Karting: Tauranga's Terry Corin among favourites

IN FORM: Drivers to watch out for at the third round of the 2017 ProKart Series at Rotorua this weekend include Terry Corin from Tauranga. PHOTO: Fast Company/Graham Hughes

Ryan Grant's ultimate track lap record of 50.279 seconds is under threat as the Molecule-backed ProKart Series returns to the KartSport Rotorua club's The Rock FM Raceway Saturday and Sunday.

The 1241m track is the newest and longest in the country which suits the hi-tech, six-speed gearbox equipped, liquid-cooled 125cc KZ2 class karts which contest the annual ProKart Series.

After two rounds of this year's series, multi-time former class title holder Grant, from Auckland, currently heads the points standings in the premier Wifiplus KZ2 class by just one point from Australian international Troy Loeskow and class young gun Aaron Wilson.

The top six drivers, in fact, are separated by just 10 points, and though Loeskow has decided to focus on his racing at home, Ryan will have his work cut out fending off Wilson, Mat Kinsman, Graeme Smyth and the driver who won the NZ#1 title at the recent National Sprint championship meeting in Invercargill, Dylan Drysdale.

Add in new-comers Connor Wilson from Auckland and multi-time New Zealand kart champ Josh Hart from Palmerston North making their series' debut this weekend and you have a formidable mix of youth, experience and speed in a class of at least 26 starters.

With last year's title holder Jared MacKenzie now running in the main Wifiplus KZ2 class, rally driver turned karter Andrew Hunt has taken over as the driver to beat in Aarque Group DD2 Masters.

However, Hawke's Bay racer Tim Loughran is just 11 points adrift in second place and just nine points separates the next six drivers, amongst them Speedway Super Saloon star Terry Corin from Tauranga and Rotorua's own Darren Aislabie.

This weekend also sees the Masters field bolstered by the return of Auckland driver Leo Bult and Glenn Tremain from Tokoroa.

Aarque Group KZ2 Restricted has also seen an influx of new faces this season. The man who has dominated the class for the past two years, Aucklander Garry Cullum, continues to lead the points standings, but was pipped for pole in qualifying by Shaun Anderson and conceded a win to Anderson's Wellington travelling mate Jamie Pollock in one of the heats at the second round at Te Puke.

A breakthrough round at Te Puke sees series regular Gerhard Benadie tied for second place in the points standings with class new-face Regan Hall, while fellow Aucklander Aaron Wooley is one point back in fourth and Shaun Anderson another single point adrift in fifth.

Interest in the restricted class is also increasing, with three more drivers, Kevin McDonald, Andrew Jackson and Joshua Melrose (all Auckland) making their series' debut at Rotorua.

There will be action on track at The Rock FM Raceway from 9am on Saturday and Sunday and spectators are welcome.

The Rotorua round of the 2017 Molecule ProKart Series is the third of six with the fourth in Auckland at the end of July and the fifth and final at Hamilton in August.