Records Fall As The V8 Utes Fly At Timaru's Levels Raceway | History Made At Levels Raceway As The Lap Record Tumbles

After a 10-year absence from Levels Raceway Timaru, history was made in just 10 laps during Race One of the UDC V8 Utes. Glen Collinson went from 2nd in Qualifying to a hard-won first place holding off a tenacious Brad Kroef. Yet that wasn’t even the biggest news of the day.

A new lap record was set by Blair Gribble-Bowring – eclipsing the previous record set by former UDC V8 Utes champion Chris Pither. Now of course we know how Chris went on to become a highly-successful Supercars driver across the Tasman. What this record also means is how fast today’s UDC V8 Utes drivers are going from a trans-Tasman perspective.

Billed as ‘Trust Aoraki Thunder Down Under’, the V8 Utes action began with a heated Qualifying session late morning. After setting the high water mark during Friday’s practice sessions, Brad Kroef managed to snatch pole with a 1.15.947 fastest lap – a mere 9 thousandths of a second ahead of Glen Collinson. These two Ford front runners were almost a second clear of the field. Daniel Ludlam was the highest placed Holden V8 ute with a 1.16.902 - second fastest early in the session, before slipping to third. Blair Gribble-Bowring was building momentum coming home a creditable fourth fastest.

Brad’s father Greg Kroef managed fifth in the P & I Pascoe Ford ahead of Simon Ussher. Yet another Ford. (Sorry Holden fans)

Yet Race One mid-afternoon, was anything but a foregone conclusion. After starting 2nd, Glen Collinson soon got around Brad Kroef to claim the lead on lap one. Yet Brad wasn’t giving up without a fight, clinging onto the Betta Auto Parts ute’s rear bumper the entire race, before finishing just .612 secs. behind. That was intense.

Meanwhile just behind this duel, history was being made. Blair Gribble Bowring – who’d overtaken Daniel Ludlam on the first lap to claim 3rd, set a Levels Raceway Timaru lap record for a V8 Ute with a 1.13.103.

The battles in the mid-field were intense. Simon Ussher, who has history at Levels from a decade ago, got around Greg Kroef and Daniel Ludlam to finish 4th. Goeff Spencer dispensed with Stu Monteith mid-race to finish 8th while Bruce McRae overtook Paul Fougere for 10th.

Looking ahead to Sunday 26th January, the race program at Levels Raceway kicks off at 9am. The UDC V8 Utes come to life late morning with Race Two while Race Three is scheduled for mid-afternoon, all races being 10-laps.

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