Racing dynasty aims to bag leader in final race for title

PACK LEADER: Waverley's Warwick Lupton and his sons Jack and Ken will be racing hard against Christchurch's Raymond Hart for the NZ Grand Prix Hydroplane Championship on the weekend.PHOTO/FILE A-161114WCBRCHYD18

The Waverley pack will be hunting the Canterbury rabbit in Cromwell this Anzac weekend as the NZ Powerboat Nationals reach their climax for season 2014-15.

In the hydroplane class only 194 points separate series leader Raymond Hart of Christchurch from Waverley teenager Jack Lupton.

Saturday's racing on Lake Dunstan will be the two heats of the NZ Grand Prix Hydroplane Championship, while Sunday will be the King of the Nationals race.

Double points for the latter leaves the season title still up for grabs.

The Cantabrian Hart has thrown down the challenge to what he calls the "B Team" - the entire Lupton racing family consisting of youngest son Jack driving Rural Fuels 57, older brother Ken (Lucas Oils), patriarch Warwick (Annihilator Race Boats) and cousin David Alexander (The Steeler).

Warwick Lupton, the former world champion, responded it will be like "the rabbit being hunted down by the dogs".

Hart has painful memories of Lake Dunstan.

At the December 2013 round of the nationals, his hydroplane The Boss flipped over in a spectacular crash, leaving Hart trapped underwater for six minutes, using an oxygen safety mask to breath, while rescue divers worked to free him.

Other classes being contested as part of the Acceleration on Water Festival are the F1 Tunnels, modified hydroplanes, pro com and pro stock, club man's and junior class.

In total, there are just over sixty entries for 22 races on each day.

Friday afternoon will be a practice day on the lake, before the racing gets underway at 12.15pm on Anzac Day Saturday.