A strong field of 27 drivers is lining up for Round 2 of the 2025/2026 Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in North Waikato this weekend, with any number of them capable of taking race wins across the three races.

Auckland driver Callum Pratt led the way after the opening round at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon last month where he won two of the three races, securing the early series lead from Tauranga driver Rex Edwards and Stu Lawton of Paraparaumu.

Alex Canty of Auckland sat fourth after the first round while Dunedin driver James Black, the other race winner at Manfeild, was fifth in the points after a non-finish in the final race of Round 1 dented what would have been an even healthier tally.

The scene was set for some tremendous racing this weekend as all the frontrunners from the opening round returned where they were joined by serious competitors who missed the opener.

Among them was Simon Baker, a two-time New Zealand Champion who took the title in 2022/2023 and also in 2020/2021 – a season in which he also claimed South and North Island series honours.

Other potential frontrunners, Sam Dashfield of Auckland and Jesse Gould of Raumati Beach, returned to the action as did Peter Farrell, who entered the first round but did not start.

Farrell came with an extensive motorsport CV including a rallying background and experience in IMSA in the United States.

While the outright battles were expected to be intense, so too was the fight for both Rookie and Masters (Over 50) honours.

Black took Rookie honours at Manfeild but Aucklanders Rudi Kronstrom and Ajay Giddy plus Tomas Climo of Hamilton all showed glimpses of what they were capable of over that weekend.

Meanwhile Elton Wichman of Auckland, Nigel Edger of Hamilton and Steve Brown of Auckland were already engaged in a tight battle for Masters honours.

The series followed the usual format this weekend with a qualifying session on Saturday morning to set the grid for a 10-lap race that afternoon.

On Sunday a 12-lap race with a starting grid based on the reverse top ten from Saturday’s finishing order took place in the morning before a 10-lap race in the afternoon, this time with a starting grid determined by points scored to that point of the weekend.