Better forecast a relief for Hampton Downs race organiser

A ‘quantifiably better weather forecast ahead of his second 3 & 6 hr NaZCAR Pro Series endurance race at Hampton Downs tomorrow is a ‘real relief’ for organiser Dr Jacob Simonsen.

Rain in the days leading up to it, then torrential showers sweeping across the circuit from morning until late afternoon on raceday put a definite dampener (literally) on the opening round – also held at Hampton Downs - a month ago. And though he says that at the time everyone made light of the conditions they might not have been so understanding tomorrow if – heaven forbid - the forecast was for more rain.

As it is it is actually for the opposite tomorrow- overcast but with long fine spells, a spring like 3.00pm (mid-race) high of 16 degrees C and best of all, just a 20 percent chance of rain.

Classes 2 and 4 were where most of the action was throughout the first (wet) race last month with only four laps separating the 6 hr Class 2-winning BMW E46 saloon of Team Trump Support pair Andrew Ayre and Greg Honnor (200 laps) from the third-placed BMW E36 coupe of Team Get in Behind (Tony Rutz, Matthew Booth, Garry Denham and Colin Letcher) which completed 196 laps.

Splitting the two BMWs in second place in Class 2, having covered 198 laps over the 6 Hr race distance, meanwhile, was the modified SsangYong Actyon ‘Super Ute’ of Team Ghost Dog Racing’s father/son duo Rick and Deon Cooper.

Amongst the (majority) of teams which signed on for both the 3 hr and 6 hr races there were also some amazing performances in the inclement weather and track conditions to come out of Class 4. In particular, Team Assassin (Mal Chamberlain/Phill Dravitski/David Cox) not only won their class (by a whopping 14 laps no less over second-placed ‘The Old Guys’ (Alastair Dunbar/Dave Houghton/John Brook) they also ended up in a ‘not-to-be-sniffed-at’ 5th place amongst the teams which had cross-entered both the 3 hr and 6 races.

Class 1 was won, meanwhile by the JTune/ST Hitec Honda Civic Tyre R 4 door of Honda tuning guru Jacky Tse and evergreen fellow Aucklander ‘Racing Ray Williams who completed 200 laps. The Civic was one of only two cars entered in the quickest class, and when the other – the BMW E36 of Team Mag Motorsport’s Garry Cammock and Michael Jane - was retired after completing only 26 laps, Tse and Williams were guaranteed the Class win in both the 3 ad 6 Hr races – as long as they finished!

Entrants were divided into four classes based on time ‘bands’ - from Pro 1 (cars capable of lapping the 2.8km National Circuit at Hampton Downs between 1:15.00 and 1.17.999 seconds, to Pro 4 (for cars capable of lapping in 1:27.00 to 1:33.00).

Spectators are not only more than welcome but entry and parking are absolutely free. For those keen to catch the action but who can’t make it to the track tomorrow, the event is again being Livestreamed via the NaZCAR Facebook page.

For more information on the inaugural three-round NaZCAR Pro Series go to nazcar.nz/pro-series or check out the NaZCAR page on Facebook.

© Scoop Media