Motor Sport
The first day of racing in the Speedworks Motorsport NZ Championship meeting at Teretonga Park near Invercargill today produced plenty of good racing along with its share of drama.
Wellington’s Alex Little won both of the NZ Super Truck races from West Australian Rob Waters and his father Malcolm Little. However there was plenty of drama along the way, first of all with Malcolm Little losing his qualifying time after exceeding the speed limit that the trucks are governed to and then reigning NZ Super Truck Champion Troy Wheeler of Papakura lost second place in the opener for the same reason.
Dutch driver Richard Verschoor took the spoils in the first Castrol Toyota Racing Series battle of the weekend with Ferrari Academy drivers, Russian Robert Schwartzman and kiwi Marcus Armstrong, second and third respectively. Local driver Brendon Leitch finished seventh.
In the BNT V8’s, Australian based kiwi Andre Heimgartner beat team mate Australian Jason Bargwanna while Albany drivers Brock Timperly and Chelsea Herbert were first and second in Class 2 ahead of local driver Liam MacDonald who just missed out to Herbert on the line.
The Formula 1600 races provided some of the best racing with Aucklanders Callum Hedge and Josh Bethune battling it out in the first race, Hedge taking victory before both were penalised for indiscretions leaving Kurt Peterson of Auckland to win from Riverton driver Ethan Anderson and Australian Tommy Smith in just his second ever race meeting. Later in the day Hedge took the win from Bethune and Bailey Paterson of Christchurch after another close run race.
Christchurch driver Paul Kelly crossed the line in the lead of the Pirelli Porsche race but he was another to cop a ten second penalty due to a start line infringement that saw him drop to third behind fellow Cantabrian Hayden Knighton and Auckland’s Brian McGovern.
Jack Milligan of Christchurch took victory in the Toyota 86 race from 15-year-old Jaden Ransley also of Christchurch and Michael Scott of Te Puke.
Geoff Washbourne of Rolleston in a Aston Martin Vigilante won the OSCA Super Saloon race from Michael Gallagher of Ashburton (Mazda RX7) and Lawrence Knowler of Clyde in a Brennan Camaro.
The day was rounded out with the Speed Works Rush Hour race which was won by Paul Kelly and Daniel Gaunt.
Tomorrow’s programme gets underway at 9am.