Three new lap records were set amid some exciting action at Teretonga Park in Invercargill over the weekend.
Cameron Jones of Palmerston North, in a turbocharged Mazda RX7, broke the OSCA Sport Saloon record as he stormed from a lap down to fifth in a handicap race, setting a new mark of 57.777 seconds.
Jones also topped the podium for the round ahead of Dunedin drivers Brian Scott (Porsche 997) and Steve Ross (Jaguar TraNZam). Jones won two of the four races and finished second to Scott in the opening race on Saturday on a damp track.
It was Scott’s first OSCA win, and it sealed him second place on the podium after he and Ross tied on points, Scott’s win earning him second spot.
Seb Manson of Auckland dominated the South Island Formula Ford Championship races, qualifying fastest, winning all four races and also setting a new lap record of 1 minute 02.920 seconds. Caleb Byers of Rolleston took three seconds and a third to place second for the round, with Dylan Petch third. Southlander Jacob Begg claimed second overall in Class 2.
Another lap record was set in 2K Cup South Island when Southland Sports Car Club member William McDonald recorded a lap of 1:13.573 seconds in his Toyota Corolla.
Despite winning two of the four races and also taking a third place, McDonald did not feature on the class podium after losing time off track in Sunday morning’s race.
Faron Poulter of Christchurch and Tim Wallace of Dunedin were the other race winners in a huge field of 32 cars, but it was Darfield’s Greg Mitchell, in a BMW, who took round honours from Michael Gunstone of Christchurch (Honda Torneo) and Greg Barclay of Woodend in a Toyota MR2.
The SS Cup also had a large field, with Gerald Hargreaves of Winchester in a Toyota Altezza winning two races, and James Black of Mosgiel in a Honda Civic and Jason Kelly of Dunedin (Nissan 280ZX) the others. When the points for the weekend were tallied, it was Josh Ward of Blenheim who won the round from Chris Buckley of Arrowtown and Corey Ashworth of Ashburton.
There were four different race winners across the Pre 78 Classic Saloon races, with Piers Mingham of Ashburton in his Escort MK1 taking one, David Hunter of Dunedin winning the Sunday morning handicap race in his Ford Cortina, Monty McHaffie of Lyttleton taking one in his Ford Capri and Todd Read of Queenstown the other in a MK 1 Escort.
Invercargill driver John Smolenski won the Pre 65 Saloon Class in his Falcon XP from Christchurch drivers Tim McCullough (Anglia) and Mark Burrows (Chrysler Valiant). Smolenski won two of the four races, McCullough one and Corey Ross the other in a Ford Mustang. Invercargill driver Doug North (Falcon) took a second and third place and David Robertson, in another Falcon, scored a third.
Invercargill driver Jordan Michels topped the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloon podium from Kyle Dawson in his Nissan Skyline and Timaru’s Jimmy Liemburg. Dion Dawson returned from a non-finish on Saturday to take third and two second placings.
Local driver Bradley Dawson took the round win in the Mazda Pro8 NZ Saloons from Jared Pyke and Ben McConochie. Dawson also won the Veteran Trophy, while Jeremy Dawson took the Rookie Award. Bradley won two of the four races, and Pyke and Cory Stewart of Prebbleton shared the others.
Justin Neill of Christchurch won three of the Mini 7 South races, and Daniel Lamb of Kaiapoi won on Saturday when Neill did not start.
Mick Ross of Dunedin in a Commodore won two of the three NZ Six Saloon races, while Cody Welch of Omakau in a Falcon won the other.
Words & Images: Supplied
