Rookie caps off dominant season

NEW CHAMPIONS: Wanganui's Hayden Wilson and Chris Hausman won the national title in the Jetpro 400 class with their victory in Wanaka on Friday.PHOTO/FILE

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.

"Pretty much I just had to be in the top three [for the title], but then we went on to make sure of it," said Wilson. "Definitely more than what I expected at the start of the season to come away with 1NZ."

His brother-in-law and nephew transported White Noize to Wanaka, while his mother and friends were also in attendance for the victory celebration.

Linklater also flew in to watch and after a discussion about 2015 Wilson said they will likely both compete next season and share White Noize, creating the interesting scenario of the two most recent national champions using the same boat.

Other Wanganui drivers were not as successful, as a bad crash to defending PSP Group A champion Richard Murray saw him drop from third to fifth in the series, while Superboat world champion Leighton Minnell had problems with his starter motor during the Top 5 eliminator, missing a third place for the season. Waitotara's Duncan Wilson recovered from his crash at Shelterview two weeks ago to come second in the Group As at Wanaka.