By Jonny Turner
After eight years, Taitlyn Hanara made a perfect return to Addington to help her share the lead with Sheree Tomlinson midway through New Zealand Junior Driver’s Championship on Friday night.
Hanara made a perfect start to the first three heats of the competition at Addington when flying down the centre of the track to win behind Franco Riot.
Though it was her first official race day drive at the Canterbury track, it was not the North Island team member’s first success there.
“The last race I won at Addington would have been at 2012 in the Kidz Kartz New Zealand Cup,” Hanara said.
“So, it was always a goal to come back and win a big race.”
“Franco Riot was my first race day drive there and to get the win made it even better.”
Patient tactics, tracking I’m Jimmy James and Ben Hope, lead to Hanara’s victory in heat one.
“We followed Ben out of the gate and he didn’t really go forward, so we just sat back and did our own thing.”
“She was just travelling the whole way.”
“When Ben moved out three-wide I thought we might as well have a crack and she flew home really good down the outside.”
Franco Riot scored by three-quarters of a length over Tomlinson’s drive, Motoring Major.
John Morrison picked up the points for third in heat one with Spicy Girl Bequi.
Hanara next picked up minimal points when eighth with Carnegie Hall in heat two.
The race was won with another patient drive, this time by Kerryn Tomlinson behind Aladdin Sane.
Alicia Harrison was runner-up with Jimmy Carter and Sheree Tomlinson again picked up points when third with The Player.
Henara sat out heat three, but that was not all bad for her.
Firstly, she picked up the mandatory seven points for not having a drive.
Secondly, she watched on as her North Island teammate Nathan Delany won with Glacier Coaster.
Thirdly, Hanara drives the Bruce Negus trained winner in heat 4 of the competition at Addington on Sunday.
The reinswoman had some light-hearted words for Delany following his win.
“She should be a good chance on Sunday, hopefully my teammate hasn’t taken too much out of her,” Hanara quipped.
Sarah O’Reilly went agonisingly close in heat two, finishing second by a nose with Stick Man.
Luke Whittaker took third points with Adam Patron.
At the completion on Friday night’s first three heats Hanara and Sheree Tomlinson were the joint leaders with 29 points.
Kerryn Tomlinson and Delany finished night one tied for third on 27 points.
The South Island team held the slighted of leads with 145 points, ahead of the North Island’s 144 points, going in to Sunday’s final three heats.
Three more heats of the New Zealand Junior Driver’s Championship will be held at Addington on Sunday.
Leaderboard:
Taitlyn Hanara 29
Sheree Tomlinson 29
Nathan Delany 27
Kerryn Tomlinson 27
John Morrison 26
Alicia Harrison 25
Sarah O’Reilly 25
Luke Whittaker 24
Fergus Schumacher 22
Mark Hurrell 20
Ben Hope 18
Dylan Ferguson 17
South Island Team 145
North Island Team 144
