Many millions of dollars of very special racing cars were on show at the 25th annual Classic SpeedFest which began at Teretonga Park in Invercargill today.
The Evolution Motorsport supported event saw some tremendous racing complemented by demonstration laps by a Ferrari 412T1B Formula 1 car during the lunch break.
Doug Erskine (Tuatapere) in his Coppertone Mini leads Rueben Adams (Christchurch) in his Toyota Starlet. Photo: DAL Photographics.
The Formula Junior class was split into two sections depending on specification. In Class One Anthony Olissoff of Auckland in his Emeryson Elfin MK1 won the first race from Danish visitor Jac Nellemann in an Alfa Dana with the order reversed in the second.
In Class Two, Martin Bullock of West Australia in a Lotus won both races from Clevedon’s Phil Foulkes in another Lotus. Noel Woodford of Auckland was third in the first, setting a new lap record in his Gemini after a 10 second penalty for a jumped start. Former Southlander Grant Clearwater was third in the second race.
Glenn Allingham of Auckland withstood a strong challenge from local Colin Dawson in the first Historic Muscle Car race despite Dawson breaking the lap record. Dawson made short work of the traffic in the reverse grid race while Allingham got through to second near the end. Both were at the wheel of Chev Camaro’s.
Invercargill driver Brendan Mason won the first Classic Saloon Car race for cars over 2000cc from Tony Mann of Dunedin in a Capri and Queenstown driver Duane Ingley in a Dodge Challenger after the race was stopped early due to an incident. The second race was a handicap event and Mann got through to win from Mason who started last in his Camaro.
Dean Sutherland of Oamaru in a Toyota Starlet took the first win in the Classic Saloons up to 2000cc class from Chris Hatton of Kaiapoi while Howard Wood of Auckland in a BMW won the handicap race in his BMW 2002Ti.
Gary Cooper of Mosgiel won both Formula Libre races in a Reynard 92H after fastest qualifier Damon Leitch struck problems in both contests.
In the Historic Touring Cars ex Formula 1 driver Gianfranco Brancatelli, now based in Brazil, took the win in a Ford Sierra RS500 from Stephen Grellet of Dunedin, Guy Stewart of Christchurch in a Porsche 911 iROC won the first Sports Car race on Saturday while Jason Crosbie of Invercargill took the second in his Beck Special after Stewart received a penalty.
The Vintage Racing Cars only had one race on Saturday and David Owen of Christchurch in a Jaguar C Type won from Paul Coghill of Dunedin in a Jaguar Special after Coghill snatched second right at the end from Russ Haines of Ashburton in a Frangapelli Holden.
Liam MacDonald won the opening Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloon race from LeRoy Stevenson of Queenstown in the ex Rodger Freeth Starlet after Andrew Cundall and his Toyota Levin copped a 30 second time penalty before Cundall returned to win the second from Stevenson and MacDonald.
The action continues tomorrow from 9.00am with entry for Sunday $25 while children 14 & under are free.