Canada's James MacDonald set up a commanding lead in the penultimate leg of the 2025 World Driving Championship (WDC) on Sunday, Nov. 9 at Central Southland Raceway in Winton, New Zealand, building his edge to 15 points over Australia's Gary Hall Jr.
MacDonald had two place finishes, a fourth, and an eighth, collecting 34 points. Hall added 28 points to his total with a second, a third, a sixth, and a ninth. But the story of the day was The Netherlands' Jaap Van Rijn, who won three of the four heats and moved up from eighth at the start of the leg to third by the end.
The only driver within reach of MacDonald heading into the final heat is Hall, who must win the race with the leader finishing last to claim the title. With any other result, MacDonald will take the trophy.
Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand will host the sixth and final leg of the WDC — consisting of one heat — on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with first post set for noon local time (6 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 10).
The 2025 WDC point standings after the fifth leg are as follows:
2025 WDC Point Standings - After Leg 5
1. James MacDonald - Canada - 164
2. Gary Hall Jr. - Australia - 149
3. Jaap van Rijn - The Netherlands - 140
4. Blair Orange - New Zealand - 131
5. Mats Djuse - Sweden - 125
6. Pierre Vercruysse - France - 117
7. Michael Nimczyk - Germany - 113
8. Brett Beckwith - United States - 103
9. Giampaolo Minnucci - Italy - 95
10. Santtu Raitala - Finland - 95
The 2025 WDC will be held at various New Zealand racetracks. The complete racing schedule is as follows, with both Canadian and local time zone first post times included:
- First Leg (Kaikoura): Saturday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. EDT / Sunday, Nov. 2, 12 p.m. NZDT - Recap & Replays / WDC Report
- Second Leg (Kaikoura): Sunday, Nov. 2, 6 p.m. EST / Monday, Nov. 3, 12 p.m. NZDT - Recap & Replays / WDC Report
- Third Leg (Cambridge): Tuesday, Nov. 4, 10:30 p.m. EST / Wednesday, Nov. 5, 4:30 p.m. NZDT - Recap & Replays / WDC Report
- Fourth Leg (Addington): Thursday, Nov. 6, 10:30 p.m. EST / Friday, Nov. 7, 4:30 p.m. NZDT - Recap & Replays / WDC Report
- Fifth Leg (Winton): Saturday, Nov. 8, 6 p.m. EST / Sunday, Nov. 9, 12 p.m. NZDT
- Sixth/Final Leg (Addington; New Zealand Cup Day): Monday, Nov. 10, 6 p.m. EST / Tuesday, Nov. 11, 12 p.m. NZDT
Recaps and replays of the WDC leg-five races are below.
WDC Race 1
Jaap van Rijn of The Netherlands struck first on day five as five-year-old mare Shezza Vinny held off Bombay Glacier and Brett Beckwith of the United States by a neck to win the one-mile pace in 1:55.2. Close and New Zealand's Blair Orange were alongside them for third. Canada's James MacDonald finished eighth of 10 with longshot Trendy Van Gogh.
WDC Race 2
Airwaves and France's Pierre Vercruysse raced up the passing lane and nabbed pacesetter Sherwood Maggie and MacDonald on the line to win the second WDC race, a one-mile event for pacers, by a head in 1:58. Foveaux Gambler and Finland's Santtu Raitala were involved in the late battle but finished third.
WDC Race 3
Speed was the key again for Jaap van Rijn of The Netherlands as he and seven-year-old trotting mare Jordan Anne took the third WDC race with a gate-to-wire effort in 1:58. MacDonald was out much of the way but found his way to the passing lane with Xerion and finished second by 1-1/2 lengths in the one-mile contest. It was all Hall at the end of the ticket as Australia's Gary Hall Jr. drove Andy Hall to a show finish.
WDC Race 4
What a day for Jaap van Rijn of The Netherlands. The driver who started the afternoon in eighth completed a triple as eight-year-old gelding Mouton Cadet dashed past Jaccka Evan and Hall at the pylons off a pocket trip to win the final WDC race of the day, a one-mile pace, by a half-length in 1:54.2. The second-place finish was a crucial result for Hall, who needed to out-score MacDonald by four points to keep the championship within reach heading into the final race on Tuesday. Brookies Player fought on for third for Beckwith after a first-up journey.
MacDonald's Insarchatwist closed between horses in the stretch to be fourth.
(Standardbred Canada)