Fans of the classic blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ school of close quarters touring car racing would have left the first George Begg Classic Speedfest at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park late this afternoon satisfied they has got their money’s worth after three very different Archibald’s Historic Touring Car Series’ races.

The first, held on a wet, cold track first thing in the morning and won by Dunedin’s Arron Black driving his Warren Good-owned Gp A E30 BMW M3 turned into a real battle of attrition. Event host (and fastest qualifier) Scott O’Donnell was an early dnf with a broken driveshaft in his Prodrive Ford Mondeo Supertourer, then Saturday race winner Phil Mauger speared off the track and got his Nissan Primera Supertourer stuck fast.

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Nigel Arkell in his Honda Accord Supertourer was part of the leading bunch until he was forced to pit with a fogged up windscreen, leaving Kevin Pateman to inherit second place in his NZTC-spec Ford Telstar from the BTCC-winning BMW E36 318-iS of Warren Good, the Gp A Rover Vitesse of Allan Dippie and Dennis Chapman in his BMW E36 Supertourer.

Nigel Arkell proved a worthy adversary. Photo: Fast Company/Richard Dimmock.

The second race also turned out to be an Arron Black benefit, though this time, with the track dry and humidity nowhere as bad as in the early morning race Nigel Arkell stormed through the field to catch and pass all but accomplished kart and historic touring car racer Black by the time the chequered flag came out to claim a strong second place.

Kevin Pateman in his NZTC-spec Ford Telstar was again able to stay in touch with the other frontrunners and cross the line in third place. In fourth, meanwhile was Scott O’Donnell driving his Uncle Lindsay O’Donnell’s Volvo S40, then Warren Good, Allan Dippie and Dennis Chapman.

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Behind Chapman came local man Tony Forde in his Group A Holden Commodore VL Walkinshaw replica, then an ever-improving Austin McKinley in his earlier NZ Touring Car championship-spec VH Commodore, and Steven Kelly in his BMW E36 320i Supertourer, all four happy to be circulating in the 1:14s.

With a new drive shaft fitted in his own exotic Ford Mondeo Supertourer Scott O’Donnell had everything to play for then in the final race. Play he did to, working his way quickly and effectively through the traffic c from the rear of the grid to be up to fifth place by the end of the first lap then third at the end of the third.

Warren Good, Steven Kelly and Liam MacDonald were this close for much of the weekend. Photo: Fast Company/Richard Dimmock.

At this stage Arron Black and Nigel Arkell were still disputing the lead, and another half lap O’Donnell had joined the party and was past both Arkell and Black and edging away for his first race-win of the weekend.

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Behind him Scott’s Uncle Lindsay O’Donnell also had a productive race, following his nephew’s example to work his way up to fourth place at the flag in his Volvo S40 Supertourer.

Timaru ace Kevin Pateman again proved the worth of the car he and his brother built in period by crossing the finish line in fifth place for first NZTC-spec car home while Steven Kelly literally won a drag race against Allan Dippie and Warren Good on the finish line to claim sixth spot.

RESULTS

Qualifying

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Scott O’Donnell 1:03.116
Arron Black 1:04.363
Nigel Arkell 1:04.671
Phil Mauger 1:05.985
Lindsay O’Donnell 1:06.393
Steven Kelly 1:06.402
Kevin Pateman 1:08.128
Liam MacDonald 1:08.403
Matthew O’Donnell 1:08.747
Dennis Chapman 1:10.150
Warren Good 1:10.677
Allan Dippie 1:11.431
Stephen Grellet

Race 1 Sat pm 6 laps

Phil Mauger +6:48.078
Arron Black +1.207
Nigel Arkell +1.908
Scott O’Donnell +3.019
Lindsay O’Donnell +3.560
Steven Kelly +4.638
Liam MacDonald +11.800
Kevin Pateman +17.230
Matthew O’Donnell +18.052
Dennis Chapman +20.831
Tony Forde + 26.790
Warren Good +30.930
Allan Dippie +34.756
Austin McKinley +36.190
Dennis Ham + 57.668

DNS: David Beattie, Stephen Grellet

Race 2 (6 laps Sun am)

Arron Black 7:50.059
Kevin Pateman +0.754
Warren Good +2.002
Allan Dippie +3.844
Dennis Chapman +3.861
Tony Forde +6.457
Dennis Ham +8.287
Austin McKinley +9.883
Steven Kelly +13.409
Nigel Arkell +20.208
Liam MacDonald +2 laps

DNF:Phil Mauger +3 laps

DNF. Scott O’Donnell + 5 laps

DNS. Lindsay O’Donnell

Race 3 (6 laps Sun midday)

Arron Black 7:01.567
Nigel Arkell +3.247
Kevin Pateman +12.671
Scott O’Donnell +19.155
Warren Good +22.642
Allan Dippie +26.287
Dennis Chapman +38.095
Tony Forde +43.352
Austin McKinley +45.008
Steven Kelly +45.190
Liam MacDonald +52.811

DNF. Dennis Ham + 2 laps

Race 4 (6 laps Sun pm)

Scott O’Donnell 6:39.621
Nigel Arkell +3.159
Arron Black +4.413
Lindsay O’Donnell +23.693
Kevin Pateman +23.993
Steven Kelly +29.693
Allan Dippie +29.779
Warren Good +31.443
Liam MacDonald +32.078
Tony Forde +32.412
Dennis Chapman +34.006
Matthew O’Donnell +35.233
Austin McKinley +46.480

DNF. Dennis Ham +3 laps

2020 ARCHIBALD’S HISTORIC TOURING CAR SERIES

Rnd 1: Jan 25-26 2020 Thunder Down Under meeting Levels Raceway Timaru
Rnd 2: Feb 01-02 2020 Skope Classic meeting Mike Pero Motorsport Park ChCh
Rnd 3: Feb 13-16 2020 George Begg Classic Speedfest Teretonga Park Ingill

2020 ARCHIBALD’S HISTORIC TOURING CAR SERIES

Rnd 1: Jan 25-26 2020 Thunder Down Under meeting Levels Raceway Timaru
Rnd 2: Feb 01-02 2020 Skope Classic meeting Mike Pero Motorsport Park ChCh
Rnd 3: Feb 13-16 2020 George Begg Classic Speedfest Teretonga Park Ingill

Historic Touring Cars Keep Teretonga Crowd Entertained

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