Spectators Treated To Great Show At Teretonga

MEDIA RELEASE 4 DECEMBER 2011

Spectators Treated To Great Show At Teretonga

Spectators were treated to a great show at Teretonga Park today. Every category at the Motor Racing presented by Downer featured close competition with some exciting finishes in the handicap races adding plenty of drama.

Chris Hatton of Kaiapoi had the best of the feature category, OSCA Saloons, winning all three races in his Camaro. He won the first after defending champion Lawrence Knowler of Invercargill jumped the start in his Brennan Camaro and received a 10 second penalty. Hatton eventually crossed the line in front anyway while Knowler, who was struggling with a car that was sticking in third gear and on old tyres, crossed the line second before being relegated to fourth. That elevated Russell Mortimer of Christchurch in a Nissan 180SX to second and another Cantabrian Geoff Washbourne to third in his Commodore.

The second race was a reverse handicap event and Hatton came from the back to take the lead on the last lap to win from Washbourne and Knowler. He repeated the dose in the finale, taking the race as he dived into the lead on the run to the flag to win from Steve Scoles of Outram in a Triumph TR7 and Washbourne with Knowler fourth.

The honours in the NZ Six Saloons were evenly spread. Paul Muir of Gore won the first race in his Commodore from Falcon drivers Bryce Thompson of Dunedin and fastest qualifier Russell Keeler of Gore. Muir spun off in the second race, Wayne Christie of Christchurch winning from fellow Falcon driver Ashley Hooper of Dunedin. John Muir of Gore took third in his Commodore. The third and final race for the class was a 14 lap event with a compulsory pit stop. Thompson built up a good lead prior to his stop but it was Keeler who stayed on track the longest. When he did pit the Gore driver emerged from the pits with a handsome lead and went on to win from Paul Muir and Thompson.

Inky Tulloch of Gore continued his good from the last meeting in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloons. He won three of the four races in his Honda Integra turbo after coming through the field to fourth in the opener after missing qualifying. Anthony Ralston won the first race in his Nissan 180SX from Brent Cross of Winton in an EVO and fastest qualifer Darryn Andrews of Lincoln in a Nissan Primera turbo. From then on Tulloch took over, winning the remainder. Andrews was runner-up on two occasions with Jeremy Dawson of Invercargill and Brent Cross sharing the third placings before the Flying Farewell when Ian Clapperton of Dunedin took second with Cross again third.

Tulloch took out the 2501cc & over class in the class race, Steven Boutcher of Invercargill the 1601-2500cc category, Jeremy Dawson the 1301-1600cc class and Walter Willmott of Invercargill the 0-1300cc section.

Damon Leitch of Invercargill was dominant in the Sports & Racing Car Class. Driving a Formula Renault in preparation for his Toyota Racing Series campaign which begins next month he led home fellow Southlander Jamie Conroy in an older car on each occasion. Dunedin driver Cameron Freeman was third in the opening race before Don Nelson of Riverton took third in the remaining races. In the Formula Ford class within the races Brendon Leitch and Steve Heffernan battled all day long, Leitch winning three from four while Heffernan took the other when Leitch had a spark plug lead come off.

Gareth Hall of Christchurch (Chevrolet Nova SS) and Wayne Tuffley of Invercargill (Ford Mustang) had a terrific battle in the first race of the Pre 65 Saloons with Hall coming out on top from Tuffley with Dunedin driver Brian Scott third in his Ford XP Falcon. The second race was a handicap event with Hall and Tuffley at the back. However Hall broke a diff off the line and was towed away while the race was restarted. Tuffley won from Scott and Maurie Bone of Christchurch in an Anglia. Tuffley won the third as well, an excellent handicap race which saw him take the lead right on the line to again defeat Scott and Bone.

Each Mini 7 South race saw some tremendous cut and thrust battles. Doug Erskine won all three races in his Mini which has a larger engine than the rest of the field. On each occasion he started from pit lane and came through the field to win. However behind him there was plenty of excitement. Geoff Holland of Rangiora, Doug Drake of Christchurch and Mark Gavin of Hanmer Springs were at the forefront. Holland beat home Gavin and Drake in the first only for Gavin to turn the tables and beat Drake and Holland in the second. Holland then struck back in the third beating Drake and Richard Box of Rolleston.

The next meeting at Teretonga Park is the annual Premier Race Championship meeting featuring BNT V8s, UDC V8 Utes, Toyota Racing Series and other top categories from 13-15 January 2012..
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