Dan Kelly too quick, wins One-Hour South Island (Class 4 & 5) race in Christchurch

Christchurch’s Dan Kelly (BMW M3 E46) was too quick for the One-Hour Class 4 & 5 field easily winning the opening McDermid Auto Collective Round of the 2025 South Island Endurance Series held at the Euromarque Motorsport Park in Christchurch on Saturday. Second home was the experienced Chris Wall (Honda Civic Type R) ahead of Duncan Cundall-Curry (BMW M1 GTR E87) and Donovan Isted (Honda Civic).

Kelly first set the fastest lap in qualifying early on Saturday morning, three seconds quicker than Wall with Cundall-Curry a close third behind.

Once underway, the race was punctuated by safety car periods and red flags which eventually resulted in the race finishing under a yellow caution safety car period.

Kelly immediately took the lead from the start and, fortunately for him, pitted just before the first safety car period for a car stopped out on the circuit. Pitstops during a safety car period are forbidden in the One-Hour but not in the Three-Hour races.

Kelly emerged in second behind Isted, who still had to stop, and resumed the lead once all cars had completed their pitstops.

With approximately 14 mins left, once again the field came under safety car conditions after the #109 Toyota 86 of Andrew Powell left the track.

On resumption, Kelly continued to lead while Wall, Cundall-Curry and Isted fought for the remaining podium places with ten minutes left.

Then with less than four minutes remaining, the safety car re-emerged taking the field through to the chequered flag after Conley Webley (BMW Z4 M Coupe) hit the bank at Turn 11, burying his car in the sand.

Drivers and teams now prepare for the Brazier Scaffolding second round at Teretonga Park in Invercargill on Saturday 4 October 2025.