Collinson edges Kroef to Win the UDC V8 Utes round at Hampton Downs

After three races in the UDC V8 Utes Series Round Two at Hampton Downs, Glen Collinson emerged as the round winner, narrowly edging a valiant charge from Brad Kroef, with father Greg in 3rd making it an all-Ford podium. Yet it all came down to the last race. With one win apiece for Brad and Glen coming into the afternoon, it was the Betta/Link-up Paints Ford FG piloted by Glen Collinson that prevailed. Yet the less-experienced but immensely talented Brad Kroef made sure he earned it.

Race Two in the morning was a reverse-grid format, with Glen Collinson starting at the back of the field alongside Brad Kroef. But it didn’t take long for these two talents to show their class.

Daniel Ludlam and Paul Fougere, both in Holden utes, led the field ahead of yesterday’s tail-enders Tyler Ward and Jeremy Hunt. A spin for Tyler Ward on the third lap prompted a safety car and the field bunched up. When racing re-commenced a lap later, geotech engineer Brad Kroef dug a trench through the mid-field and was up to 4th by lap four. But Glen Collinson was menacingly close behind. Meanwhile up front, Paul Fougere had let his lead slip to Daniel Ludlam as the deck was being shuffled behind him.

Just two laps later Brad Kroef had found his way to the front, yet a tenacious Daniel Ludlam was clinging onto 2nd with Glen Collinson in his slipstream in 3rd. Phill Ross, meanwhile, had worked his way up to 4th after starting near the back. Yet Ludlum’s luck was to run out on the last lap with a massive spin, gifting 2nd place to Collinson, while Ross rounded out the podium in 3rd.

So it was all down to Race Three in the afternoon to decide the round winner. Glen Collinson led the start with Brad Kroef right on his tailgate, followed by Phill Ross. Greg Kroef eventually found a way around Ross, but by then, the leaders were already over 6 seconds ahead the chasing pack.

Near the end of an almost incident-free race, Paul Fougere went sideways on the final hairpin of the final lap, yet quickly regathered – denting his pride but not his ute. And despite Phill Ross trying every trick in his arsenal to get around Greg Kroef in 3rd, Greg kept his cool – and 3rd place.

After the race, a weary Greg Kroef emerged from his helmet admitting “I think I was looking in my rear view mirror more than I was looking in front”, such was his quest to hold off Phill Ross.

And despite the weekend hosting 15 utes – the biggest field of the season, racing was remarkably drama-free with only newcomer Tim Griffith sidelined with mechanical issues. The UDC V8 Utes now take a Christmas break, resuming hostilities in the new year at ‘Thunder Down Under’ 24-2th January in Timaru.