Sport + Motorsport
Large fields which featured some brilliant racing made for a great start to two days of motor racing action at Teretonga Park in Invercargill today (Saturday). The OSCA Super Saloons and Historic & Vintage Racing Assn (HVRA) both had two races today while all other classes had a race each.
In the OSCA Super Saloons it was a day for the two Jaguar’s in the field. Kyle Dawson of Invercargill in his Jaguar XKR qualified fastest and led for much of the journey in the first race only to slow and be passed by Steve Ross of Dunedin in his similar car.
Ross went on to win while Dawson pulled out with diff problems within sight of the flag, leaving series leader Tim Dossett of Pleasant Point in his Mitsubishi EVO 5 to finish second with Terence Phillips of Ashburton third in his Mazda RX7. Dawson was back for the second contest, a reverse, split grid race, and from the back he scorched through the field to win by 9.931 seconds from Ross and Phillips. Dossett was a retirement from the second race.
The first HVRA race was a good one with an excellent battle between Scott O’Donnell of Invercargill in his Ford Capri and Gary Johnstone of Christchurch in his Jaguar XJS. O’Donnell won in a drag race to the finish line with Johnstone second, .056 of a second behind, with Leon Hallett of Mosgiel third in his Ford Falcon.
The second race for the class was a handicap race with Johnstone coming through to win from Chris Buckley of Arrowtown (Mini) and Hallett with O’Donnell fourth.
Corban Sprague of Timaru had a good win in the Pro8 NZ class beating local driver Jeremy Dawson and Ryan Gallagher of Ashburton in a good drive.
Marco Manson of Auckland took a commanding win in his Spectrum 015 in the South Island Formula Ford race, crossing the line 4.674 seconds ahead of Christchurch driver Jake Bryant and recently crowned FIA Arrive and Drive World Karting Senior World Cup winner, Zach Tucker of Prebbleton. Maxim Kirwan of Auckland was fourth while Dylan Petch of Christchurch came from the back of the grid to fifth with Winton driver Jacob Begg sixth.
Alex Sprague of Timaru (Honda Integra) won the 2K Cup Teretonga Challenge race from Karl Beardsley of Prebbleton (BMW 325i) and Ben Gormack of Timaru (Toyota Corolla). Sprague and Gormack battled at the front early before Beardsley caught up and got past Gormack in a race with a huge field featuring good battles throughout.
Dave McLean of Balfour in his Honda Integra continued his recent form by winning the SS Cup race from Matt Ryan of Highfield (Integra) and Josh Mitchell of Christchurch in a Subaru Impreza. The race was interrupted by a Safety Car, the only one of the day, before a red flag caused a brief delay after an early incident.
Dion Dawson of Invercargill in his Saker SVS won the Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloon race by .195 of a second from Jordan Michels of Invercargill in his Marc Mustang with Brian Scott of Dunedin third in his Chev Camaro.
Sunday’s action starts at 9.00am with nineteen action-packed races scheduled across the day.