Gisborne karter Vita gets his strategy right in feature race

Mike Vita carries aloft the chequered flag after winning the adult feature race at the end of Eastland Kart Club's points meeting at the weekend. Photo / Barry Irvine

Joker lap strategy worked for Mike Vita in the feature race at Eastland Kart Club’s points meeting on Sunday.

Vita left his joker lap till near the end of the feature at the club’s third points meeting of the season. Twelve drivers contested the 12-lap race, which was held to finish the day’s events.

The joker lap follows the old track layout, which is shorter than that now in regular use. In the feature, all drivers have to do one lap of the old course and they can choose when they drive it.

Vita’s strategy worked a treat, and he came out of his joker lap in front of Shane Murrell, who had looked as if he had this one.

Vita was first, Murrell second, Sam Hughes third, Ian McGrory fourth, Jack Jobberns fifth and Daniel Taylor sixth.

Jose Govender does a lap of honour with the chequered flag after winning the kids' feature race at the end of Eastland Kart Club's points meeting at the weekend. Photo / Barry Irvine

Eleven karts started the kids’ feature, which was raced over eight laps – none of them a joker. Juniors started in front of the rookies, and Jose Govender was first, Asha Hughes second, Kolten Irvine third and Nixen Gooch fourth.

Drivers of the day were 13-year-old Pyper Irvine in the adults’ races and Asher Davis in the kids’ events.

Spectators saw a lot of excellent racing in warm, dry conditions ... the track sucked up plenty of water.

Rookies and juniors each had a front, a middle and a back start in their three heats.

In the rookies, Juvae Govender had two wins and Chloe Hughes had one.

Govender, Lennox McIndoe and Asher Davis each had one second placing.

Geo Gooch had two third placings and Max Archer had one.

In the juniors, Kolten Irvine picked up two wins and a second, while Jose Govender had a win, a second and a third.

Asha Hughes had a second and two thirds.

At the start of the day, drivers did timed laps to determine the groups in which they started the day. From there, they could go up or down, depending on results.

Group A wins went to Sam Hughes (2) and Ian McGrory.

McGrory had two second placings and Hughes, one.

Shane Murrell had two thirds and Harley Davis, one.

Group B wins went to Daniel Taylor, Mike Vita and Barry Irvine.

Second placings went to Barry Irvine, Roger Moss and Dion Lund, while thirds went to David Alfrey, Dion Lund and Pyper Irvine.