Karting: Bay's Bewley on track for second Aussie trip

Tom Bewley did the best of the Hawke's Bay contingent at the national karting sprint championships. Photo / Paul Taylor

International competition can do a lot to enhance one's success in a sport no matter what one's age is or what the code is.

It can be more beneficial when you're a youngster on the rise. Just ask 11-year-old Hawke's Bay karter Tom Bewley who did the best of the Bay contingent at the recent national sprint championships in Hamilton with a second placing in the 27-strong Vortex Mini ROK class.

"My racecraft is a lot better. I learnt a lot on my two overseas trips last year. I'm a lot more mature and a bit more patient," Bewley said.

In August last year he won his class at Australia's City of Melbourne Titles meet and in October he raced in Italy where he made the A final for the top 34 karts in a 150-kart field at his first meet and missed out on the final at his second meeting where all drivers raced brand new borrowed karts in both meets.

In Hamilton, Bewley, a Year 7 student at Havelock North Intermediate, won his first two heats and finished second in his third heat to eventual title winner Louis Sharp, of Christchurch. Bewley won his pre-final off pole and started off pole in the 18-lap final.

"The final was a good tactical race. Louis and I pushed each other along and we established a 10-second gap on the rest of the field. I had planned to pass Louis with two laps remaining but he started defending his lead and I couldn't pass him," Bewley recalled.

"While it was disappointing not to win the title it was good to improve on last year's third placing and also do the best of the Bay drivers up there," Bewley said.

He will have an opportunity to gain some revenge against Ford at this weekend's third and final round of the Wellington Provincial Karting Association's Gold Star Series in Wellington.

"We're first equal on points going into the round and, with a trip to the Melbourne meet in August up for grabs for the winner, there's a bit at stake," Bewley said.

He is expecting a field of 18 to 20 drivers in his class. Bewley has beaten Sharp twice during Gold Star meets and Sharp has beaten Bewley twice, both times in the national champs. Sharp finished second at last year's nationals.

Bewley, who also plays as a striker for the Havelock North Wanderers under-12 football team in between his racing commitments during the winter, was one of four drivers in the Tony Karts team at the nationals which featured V8 Supercar driver Scott McLaughlin.

"Scott was impressed with my driving and gave me some advice, mainly about being patient," Bewley said.

Zach Zaloum was the next best of the Bay karters with a third placing in the 125cc Rotax Max Heavy class he won last year and in 2013. Zaloum also raced in the same team and class as McLaughlin and helped get him up to speed for the nationals.

McLaughlin finished second to Aucklander Ryan Urban who now has 11 national championship titles from a variety of classes on his racing CV. A KartSport New Zealand patron, McLaughlin was racing at his first karting nationals in 14 years.

A former North Island champion at junior level, McLaughlin has never won a national title. Long-time karting and speedway track commentator Mike Wilson, of Hawke's Bay, said McLaughlin got the karting bug again after attending last year's Rotorua-hosted nationals.

"Scott had a little bit of practice in Aussie before coming over. He was awesome with spectators during the nationals posing for photos and autographs as often as possible. He was the main reason for why these nationals attracted the biggest spectator numbers in at least a decade."

Hawke's Bay's Zac Stichbury finished eighth in the 125cc Rotax Max Light class he got second in last year. This class was the most competitive at the nationals.