GREAT MOTORSPORT ACTION AT TERETONGA PARK

Spectators enjoyed a great weekend of motor racing action presented by Downer at Teretonga Park in Invercargill this weekend.

The OSCA Super Saloons saw fortunes ebb and flow with championship leader Laine Etwell of Rolleston winning on Saturday in his Pontiac GTO after fastest qualifier Liam MacDonald pulled out with tyre issues in his Falcon. On Sunday morning MacDonald scorched through from the back of the grid to win from Matt Edgar of Lake Hawea and Pierre Neame of Winton as Etwell struggled with problems. MacDonald streaked away to win the third from pole with Etwell retiring early while in the final handicap race Rob Whaley of Timaru took the win. That left Edgar the overall winner of the weekend from Neame and Gary Duncan of Temuka.

Josh Bethune of Auckland won all three South Island Formula 1600 races in his Ray with local hope Jordan Michels picking up a second and third but failing to finish one race after an engine problem. Ben Stiles of the UK was second overall with Jack Noble Adams of Rangiora third. Bethune, Stiles and Noel Atley of Riverton were the class winners.

Dunedin driver Jamie Hodgins won all three SS Cup races in his Toyota Starlet with Andrew Bartlett of Timaru and Tim Dossett of Pleasant Point joining him on the podium.

NZ1 Blair Sutherland of Alexandra made a clean sweep of the NZ Six races in his Holden Commodore with fellow Alexandra driver Josh Hack second overall and Craig Paddon of Dunedin third.

Andrew Kitching of Timaru in a Honda Civic was the best overall in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloons from Mark Dean of Arrowtown in a Starlet and Craig Edgar of Timaru in a Honda Integra. Invercargill drivers Dion and Kyle Dawson had been early pacesetters in Group A before striking problems while Wal Willmott was dominant in Group B.

Phil Gurney of Rangiora won three of the four 2K Cup Teretonga Challenge races in his Toyota Levin AE111 to take the overall weekend honours from Greg Mitchell of Darfield and Rex Edgar of Cromwell.

Paul Clarke of Mosgiel was the overall winner of the Pre 65 Saloon class in his Holden EH Special from Tim McCullough of Christchurch and Darryn Sutherland of Dunedin with wins in the three races shared between Clarke, McCullough and Ewan Macpherson of Invercargill.

Geoff Holland of Eyrewell in Canterbury made a clean sweep of the Mini 7 South races and NZ1 Sam Wallace of Christchurch did the same in the Pro 7 class.

The next event at Teretonga Park is the annual SpeedWorks Motorsport NZ Championship meeting featuring BNT V8’s, Castrol Toyota Racing Series and much more over the weekend of 18-20 January.

Media release: Lindsay Beer, Southland Sports Car Club
Photograph: Johnny Waldron of Alexandra leads a group in the OSCA Super Saloon field in his Nissan Skyline GTR
Credit Richard Dimmock