After topping the time trials on Friday and earning pole position in Heat 1A, Flying Kiwi Ken Lupton looked set to carry his momentum into the weekend’s racing at the Régates de Valleyfield. But as the first day of heats unfolded, both Lupton brothers were thrown curveballs in the decisive final round of the 2025 GPA/HRL 3 Round Challenge.
Flying Kiwi leads the charge: Ken Lupton tops time trials at Valleyfield
Jack Lupton, who qualified a disappointing seventh in Friday’s time trials, has revealed that a hidden split in a burst panel on the intake manifold severely affected engine performance. The problem wasn’t discovered until after the run, explaining the uncharacteristic drop in speed. Jack’s team scrambled to make repairs overnight, thanking their crew for relentless effort. Despite the mechanical issue, many observers were impressed that Jack managed a solid time under the circumstances.
Saturday’s racing began with both Kiwis in action—Ken in Heat Q1A and Jack in lane 3 of the same race. Ken led off the line and appeared to be in control, but was penalised post-race for pushing out a competitor. The call dropped him to third place, prompting pushback from fans who felt it was an unfair decision given the race dynamics. “Ken did nothing wrong,” one commenter said. “The 79 almost hooked because he was overdriving just to stay with Ken.”
In Heat 2A, Ken again showed pace, but a reported fuel pump issue limited his charge and he had to settle for second behind Andrew Tate—no stranger to Kiwi fans and a strong performer in this class.
Jack, meanwhile, appeared to bounce back in Heat 2B, starting from pole and looking sharp. But in a tense battle with Brandon Kennedy and Kent Henderson, he pushed hard into the final corner, lost control, and spun. Though he restarted and finished third, it was another frustrating moment in a weekend that’s proving anything but straightforward.
With one day of heats remaining and the championship wide open, the Luptons remain in the hunt. But they’ll need clean, fast runs in Sunday’s racing—and a bit of luck—to turn their championship hopes into reality.
