TWO FROM TWO FOR INTERNATIONAL MOTORSPORT

ENEOS NIES THREE HOUR RACE
It was a case of two wins from two races for International Motorsport after the team secured back-to-back wins in the ENEOS North Island Endurance Series season opener.

After an impressive performance by Matt Whittaker in the morning’s ENEOS One Hour encounter, a dominant performance by Jonny Reid and Neil Foster in their Audi R8 LMS GT3 rounded out an almost perfect day for the team.

The spectacular McLaren 650S GT3 of Glenn Smith and John De Veth came home in second, the crew doing what they could to contain the Audi and clawing some time back in the latter stages of the race before the Audi pitted and Reid returned to the track, stamping his authority on the race and winning by nearly a minute. De Veth had grabbed the lead for a few laps after Foster stopped to hand over to Reid, but once was back in the saddle Jonny made light work of the ten second deficit to De Veth and was on his tail within three laps.

A mistake by De Veth where he ran wide and out into the marbles allowed Reid up the inside and he duly took the lead from which point he simply sprinted away from the McLaren to extend the lead to 56 seconds at the flag.

“We had plenty of pace and it all turned out ideal,” said Reid afterwards. “To take the win here is sensational, it’s what we came to do. The car performed faultlessly in the last stint. We were working on the balance of the car through the whole race with tyre pressures and everything went in the right direction. That last stint was just phenomenal. It was such a pleasure to drive. I’m elated right now. It’s good to do it with Neil too.”

Foster’s stint was challenging as he struggled – like most racing on the track on Saturday – with elevated tyre degradation. “I was a bit tired there towards the end when the tyres started to go off,” he said. “It was a sensible drive and I think and we just kept it clean and concentrated on our own pace.”

Foster and Reid were top of the charts in the GT-A class and overall with De Veth and Smith second in class. Third in class was the Porsche of Conal Dempsey and Andrew Fawcet – they finished fourth overall.

Third overall and first in GT-B was the Holden TLX of V8 Supercar ace Andre Heimgartner and Lance Hughes. Both drove exceptional stints, Heimgartner particularly impressing with his full on attack style in the second half of the race.

Class 1 victory – and a mightily impressive fifth overall – went to Shane Helms and Rob Bolland in their Audi TT RS VLN, arguably one of the fastest front wheel drive racing cars in the world today and a fantastic addition to the New Zealand motorsport scene.

Another new to NZ machine locked out Class 2 – this time the John McIntyre and Lochlainn Fitzgerald-Symes TCR Honda Civic Type R FK2. Class 3 went to Stefan Calcott and Robert Young in their familiar Spoon coloured Honda Integra Type R DC5.

Two time world touring car champion Paul Radisich was out racing again, this time guesting alongside Ken Baigent in his V8 BMW. They made the finish in tenth overall after a solid run.

Media release: Richard Gee

Photo: Matt Smith
ENEOS North Island Endurance Championship – Three Hour – Round 1 Taupo Result

1	Neil Foster/Jonny Reid	Audi R8 GT3 LMS	Class GT A
2	Glenn Smith/John De Veth	McLaren 650 GT3	Class GT A
3	Lance Hughes/Andre Heimgartner	Holden Commodore	Class GT B
4	Conal Dempsey/Andrew Fawcet	Porsche 991 Manthey	Class GT A
5	Shane Helms/Rob Bolland	Audi TT RS VLM	Class 1
6	Anthony Leighs/Paul Kelly	Porsche 991.2	Class GT B
7	Rob Williams/Phil Blythe	Porsche 997 Cup	Class GT B
8	Andy Duffin/Todd Murphy	Hyundai Chev V8ST	Class GT B
9	J. McIntyre/L. Fitzgerald-Symes	Honda Civic TCR	Class 2
10	Kent Baigent/Paul Radisich	BMW M4 GT4	Class GT B
11	Deon Cooper/Rick Cooper	Ford Mustang GT4	Class GT B
12	Wayne Leach/Paul Burborough	BMW 235i	Class 1
13	Todd Bawden/Rhys Bawden	BMW 235i	Class 1
14	Stefan Calcott/Robert Young	Honda Integra DC5	Class 3
15	Trevor Strong/Noel Anderson	Honda Civic FD2	Class 3
16	Geoff Manks/Martin Brown	Toyota 86	Class 3
17	Greg Brinck/Stephen Harrison	Audi S3	Class 2
18	Robert Drum/Jeff Drum	Subaru BRZ	Class 3
N/C	Shane Holland/Thomas Sutton	Mazda RX7 Series 1	Class 2
DNF:	Rodney Gimblett/Cameron Jones	Holden Commodore	Class GT B
DNF:	David Grigor/Gavin Yort	Honda Civic FD2	Class 3
DNF:	Warwick Mortimer/Andre Mortimer	BMW M6	Class 1
DNF:	Stephen Farmer/Tim Martin	Nissan GTR	Class 1
DNF:	Nick Ross/Sam Collins	Ford Mustang	Class 1