Hot competition at Teretonga Park

Two days of motor racing at Teretonga Park in Invercargill provided plenty of excitement over the weekend. Conditions ranged from warm and dry to a small number of wet races early on Sunday but no matter what the conditions the racing was superb.

Steve Ross of Dunedin in his Jaguar TraNZam was the overall round winner in the OSCA Super Saloons but it was close. After four races he headed off Cameron Davies of Waimate (Mazda RX8) and Brian Scott of Dunedin (Porsche 991). There were four different race winners across the weekend, Ross, Davies, Kris Brown of Timaru and Terence Phillips of Ashburton.

The South Island Formula Ford’s provided some vintage Formula Ford racing with James Penrose of Kaiapoi, Will Neale of Prebbleton and Dylan Petch of Rolleston turning on some great racing with others also very much in the mix. Penrose took a clean sweep of wins to stand on the top step of the podium ahead of Petch (two seconds and two thirds) and Neale (two seconds, a third and a non-finish). Young Winton driver Jacob Begg had a good weekend securing a fourth, a fifth and two sixths. Cameron Freeman of Dunedin took Class 2.

Leon Hallett of Mosgiel won two of the four HVRA races in his Ford Falcon with Gavin Jackson of Dunedin in a Triumph TR7 taking one and Gregg Cooper of Invercargill taking the other in his Ford Capri ahead of fellow Invercargill driver Barry Leitch in his Alan Mann Tribute MKI Lotus Cortina. Gary Johnstone of Rolleston was prominent in Saturday’s races in his Jaguar XJS while Darryn Clark of Queenstown (Toyota Starlet) also collected some good results.

Ewan Macpherson of Winton had a good weekend in his Ford Anglia in the Pre 78 Classic Saloons. The car has a new motor and Macpherson qualified fastest and won two of the four races. Ford Escort drivers Murray Kelman of Invercargill and Todd Read of Queenstown took a win apiece while Piers Mingham of Ashburton, Blair Bishop of Dunedin, and Nelson drivers Steve Pauling and Bruce Farley also shone.

Corban Sprague of Timaru won two of the four Pro8 NZ Saloon races to top the weekend podium ahead of Jeremy Dawson of Invercargill and Jared Pyke of Rolleston. Dawson’s brother Bradley won one of the races and Pyke the other while Hamish Evans of Darfield took a second placing.

Jonathan Prince of Christchurch (Toyota Corolla) won the 2K Cup Teretonga Challenge from Greg Mitchell of Darfield in his BMW 323i and Greg Barclay of Woodend (Toyota MR2). Others to race to good results were Faron Poulter and Leon Fox of Christchurch, Peter Thompson of Pleasant Point and Conley Webley of Richmond.

Andrew Gibson of Timaru in his Honda Civic prevailed in the SS Cup with Josh Mitchell of Christchurch (Subaru Impreza) second and Ross Jones of Dunedin third. James Black (Allanton), Corey Ashworth (Ashburton), Matt Ryan (Highfield) and Southlanders Lynden Prebble and Dave McLean also carded some good results.

Brian Scott of Dunedin was the best overall for the weekend in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloons in his Porsche 991 with Bradley Dawson and Anthony Ralston second and third. Scott won all four races with Jimmy Liemburg of Timaru, Hamish Robinson of Arrowtown (Fiat Uno Turbo) and Invercargill drivers Harry Wilson and Rachael Beck others securing top three finishes across the weekend as well as Dawson and Ralston.

The next race meeting at Teretonga Park is the NextGen NZ Championship event from 31 January to 2 February.