Bailey looking to finish MINI Challenge in style

Manawatu's Ryan Bailey says he will leave nothing on the park when he crosses the finish line in the last race at the final round of this season's championship, at Taupo on Sunday.

The long-time leader of the national MINI championship wants to finish the season in style.

"All or nothing, that's the plan," the 21-year-old said before the weekend's racing where he will be locked in a battle for the 2009-2010 title with Team Kiwi Racing teammate Matthew Hamilton.

Bailey, who has won three of the five series rounds so far, was poised to tie up the 2009-2010 title at the penultimate round at his home track, Manfeild, last month.

However, he was slowed in the crucial final race by a problem with his car's ABS brake system, allowing Hamilton to whittle down his points advantage to just 13.

As a result of that, the title fight could go down to the final race this weekend, a prospect Bailey has been readying himself for the past month.

"Obviously, I'd like to get the points on the board to put the title beyond Matty's grasp before that, but if that's what it's going to come down to I'll be ready," he said.

"I'll be sitting in the car saying `bring it on'."

Bailey and Hamilton have known each other for years through their involvement in karts.

The pair have dominated this season's MINI Challenge, to the point where though there are just the 13 points between them, Hamilton has a 92-point buffer on the third-placed driver, Aucklander David Grigor.

Bailey earned his drive with the re-born TKR squad thanks to a winning one-off drive in the 2008-09 MINI Challenge series and the now Auckland-based Palmerston North driver has more than justified team boss David Johns' faith in him.

Bailey was planning to head to Taupo at the beginning of the week, but stayed on in Auckland to attend the funeral of good friend Stace Hopper, who died in a light plane crash north of Auckland late last week.

Hopper was going to join the team for the final round and Bailey said he would dedicate the meeting to the memory of his fellow driver and friend.

The MINI Challenge cars were on track from today with qualifying and the first race of the weekend tomorrow and two more races on Sunday.

Points after round five of six: 1. Bailey 930 points, 2. Hamilton 917, 3. Grigor 825, 4. Mark Maddren 811, 5. Wayne Timms 759, 6. Gavin Yortt 743, 7. Chris Parkinson 336, 8. James Kirkpatrick 169.

- © Fairfax NZ News