Pedersen beats stars to lead V8 SuperTourers

Media report from V8 SuperTourers

Sunday 20 October

Pedersen beats stars to lead V8 SuperTourers

Ant Pedersen confirmed his elevation into the top ranks of New Zealand racing drivers as he seized the lead in the BNT V8 SuperTourers championship with victory in the Hampton Downs 400 endurance race today.

The Hamilton accountant, 25, and his Australian co-driver Chaz Mostert won the final leg of the three-part event – feature category in the Hankook Super Series -- to take the overall victory after coming second in both the other legs in their Ford Falcon.

“He’s my ace in the hole,” Pedersen said of Mostert, a full-time V8 Supercar driver with one victory to his name this year.

The Australian quickly put things into perspective: “He got the gap, I just had to maintain it,” he said.

Indeed Pedersen had started from pole and led all the way to the pit stop to change drivers – which was particularly awkward because both are tall men.

“It’s tricky when you’ve got your legs round your head trying to get in and out,” Mostert said.

Pedersen – son of double New Zealand champion Paul Pedersen – was obviously chuffed with his win ahead of several full-time V8 Supercar drivers, but remained modest.

“I’m driving well but the car is good,” he said. “I’m just validating the car’s speed and the team’s work.”

He now leads the championship by 90 points from Greg Murphy with one round remaining, the Pukekohe 500 on November 30 December 1.

Murphy started the meeting leading the series and with Australian co-driver Jack Perkins won yesterday’s first leg. They also came second in the final leg but managed only 10th in leg two this morning after the power steering failed on their Holden.

“It was horrible, incredibly difficult,” Murphy said after wrestling the car around the track for about 30 laps with no power steering. “I had to have two hands on one side to turn the wheel.”

Aucklander Richard Moore and Australian co-driver Tim Slade won leg two in their Holden, helping to make up for the disappointment of losing a big lead in leg one when their gearbox failed. It was the breakthrough first victory in BNT V8 SuperTourers for the rapidly rising Moore, 21.

“We knew we had a fast car and Tim has been super-quick this weekend,” Moore said.

But more frustration came in the final leg when the gearbox would not go into neutral in the pit stop. “I’m really disappointed, that’s the second time this meeting we’ve lost a chance of winning because of the gearbox,” Moore said after finishing third.

Shane Van Gisbergen remains third in the championship but lost ground to the leaders as his Ford was not handling well in the corners and in leg two his co-driver Alex Davison lost several places when he overshot a corner.

Pukekohe driver Paul Manuell was eyeing his first victory at this level in leg two when Australian co-driver Nick Percat built up a good lead during his opening stint in their Holden.

But a safety car period caused most of the cars to come into the pits at once and Manuell found himself boxed in by Matt Lockwood’s Ford, which was unable to get into its pit area properly.

“I had to wait for six or seven seconds – it felt like minutes,” Manuell said.

BNT V8 SuperTourers announced today that Gull will continue its sponsorship for another three years, supplying its 98-octane Force 10 fuel for the racing cars.

“We are thrilled to be working with Gull again and their decision to partner with us for the next three years clearly indicates the value proposition that BNT V8 SuperTourers presents for major New Zealand corporates,” Mike Marsden, General Manager Sales & Marketing of BNT V8 SuperTourers, said.

MOTOR RACING

Hampton Downs 400 endurance race, round 6 of BNT V8 SuperTourers championship, overall results:

1 Ant Pedersen (Hamilton)-Chaz Mostert (Australia) Ford Falcon; 2 Greg Murphy (NZ/Australia)-Jack Perkins (Australia) Holden Commodore; 3 Richard Moore (Auckland)-Tim Slade (Australia) Holden; 4 Shane Van Gisbergen (NZ/Australia)-Alex Davison (Australia) Ford; 5 Paul Manuell (Auckland)-Nick Percat (Australia) Holden; 6 Craig Baird (NZ/Australia)-Matt Lockwood (Auckland) Ford; 7 Scott McLaughlin (NZ/Australia)-Jono Webb (Australia) Holden; 8 Daniel Gaunt (NZ/Australia)-Andrew Waite (Auckland) Ford Falcon; 9 Simon Evans-Jonny Reid (both Auckland) Holden; 10 Tim Edgell (Auckland)-Lee Holdsworth (Australia) Holden

Championship points: 1 Pedersen 3408, 2 Murphy 3318, 3 Van Gisbergen 3037, 4 Moore 2455, 5 Gaunt 2412, 6 Andre Heimgartner (Auckland, Holden) 2104, 7 McLaughlin 2033, 8 Manuell 1871, 9 Edgell 1666, 10 Baird 1570

ENDS

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