Lap Record Repeatedly Lowered at Teretonga Park

MEDIA RELEASE
4 DECEMBER 2016

LAP RECORD REPEATEDLY LOWERED AT TERETONGA PARK

Paul Clarke of Mosgiel lowered the lap record three times in the Pre 65 Saloon races at Teretonga Park on Sunday. Clarke won the first Pre 65 race in his Ford Mustang from Invercargill drivers Wayne Tuffley (Mustang) and John Smolenski (Ford Falcon XP), breaking Tuffley's old lap record of 1 minute 07.20 seconds with a lap of 1.07.044. He then lowered it to 1.06.820 in the second race and then left it at 1.06.647 in the third. However Clarke had to start from the back of the field in the last two races under the handicap format finishing second to Roy McDonald of Dunedin (Falcon) in second race while Dan Patrick of Christchurch won the final in his PB Vauxhall from Rodger Cunninghame of Te Anau (Mustang) with Smolenski third and Clarke fourth.

Fourteen-year-old Liam Lawson of Pukekohe won all three South Island Formula 1600 races. Michael Collins of Christchurch chased hard all day long for three second places while Jordan Michels of Invercargill was third in all three and even led for a time in the second race. Ethan Anderson of Riverton finished fourth on each occasion after battling with Michels throughout.

Brent Collins of Timaru won two of the Pro 7 Plus races from Mike Glasier of Temuka with Glasier reversing the order in the opening race where he led Collins across the line. Jack Milligan of Prebbleton won all three Pro 7 contests with Toby Marsh of Christchurch taking two seconds and a third and Mitchell Hamilton a second and a third with Russell Burgess also snaring a third place. Father and son combination Scott and Bailey Paterson of Christchurch entertained the crowd with three great battles in the Mini 7 South races with Bailey taking two wins and father Scott the other.

Steve Ross of Dunedin started the day in impressive fashion in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloon races bringing his Jaguar XK8 home in front of Pierre Neame of Winton in a Mustang and Jason Crosbie of Invercargill in a turbocharged Fiat 124. Liam MacDonald retired with a mechanical problem but was back for a very exciting second race that saw Ross spin out of the lead on oil, leaving MacDonald to win from Neame and Todd Blackmun of Invercargill (Star Car). Ross had to start at the back of the grid for the Class Race but it was MacDonald who won again after making a spectacular save early on when he slid onto the grass. He won from Ross who charged through from the back of the field. MacDonald took out Class 4 for cars 2501cc & over, while Rachael Beck of Invercargill (Fiat 850) won Class 3 for cars of 1601-2500cc. Andrew Muir of Gore (Honda Civic) took Class 2 (1301-1600cc) and Todd Blackmun, Class 1 (0-1300cc). The Flying Farewell was abandoned after an incident on the opening lap.

The next meeting at Teretonga Park is the Premier Summer Series event over the weekend of 20-22 January featuring the Toyota Racing Series, BNT NZ Touring Cars, Super Trucks, Mainland Muscle Cars, V8 Utes and several other classes in a mammoth programme of action.

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