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Smith takes out Tasman GP

Smith did it again and dominated F5000

Evergreen veteran Ken Smith (Lola T430) has won some important races and trophies in his long and successful career. But his victory in the final Tasman Grand Prix race at the second New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing - Bruce McLaren meeting at Pukekohe's Pukehohe Park Raceway on Sunday meant more than most.

"Bruce was an old friend of mine, we went to the same school together and later on I owned his first car, the Austin Ulster, so it's just magic to be able to win this trophy at the Bruce McLaren tribute meeting," Smith said as a steady stream of well-wishers filed through his pit to shake his hand or pat him on the back.

Smith, 68, has now been competing at the top level of motor racing in this country for over 50 years, and was again the dominant force in the feature MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series category at the second New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing - Bruce McLaren meeting (the first was at the new Hampton Downs circuit in the north Waikato last weekend), qualifying quickest and winning all four races despite intense competition from at least five other drivers.

In the 15-lap New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing - Bruce McLaren feature race he briefly conceded the lead to fellow front row starter and 2009/10 MSC series points leader Steve Ross (McRae GM1) as the 25-strong field thundered into the first turn but was back in front before the end of the first lap and held a lead he would never lose to the chequered flag.

Big hitting Festival moves to Pukekohe

Huge F5000 fields are better than the old days

Huge crowds are expected once again this weekend as the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing moves to the second leg at the historic, and hugely challenging Pukekohe Park.

The event marks the 40th anniversary of the passing of Kiwi racing and engineering legend Bruce McLaren. Many cars appearing over the weekend were either designed, built or raced by the legendary motor racing genius.

The feature race on Sunday – the Tasman Grand Prix – will be the headline event, with 30 Formula 5000 cars at least battling over the historic circuit and Hampton Downs winner Kenny Smith looking to maintain his dominance.

The F5000s will be supported by nine other classes including saloons and single seat racing cars from the past five decades. Those classes captured the imagination of thousands over the weekend, with official figures at 3,000 for Friday, 8,000 for Saturday and a capacity 10,000 for Sunday.

A good number of those spectators were making their first visit to a motor sport event, and many came in period dress to give a genuinely authentic historic feel to the meeting.

Baird leapfrogs to points lead

Rain played havoc with Race 1

Queensland based Kiwi racing driver Craig Baird (United Video Falcon) has leapfrogged into the points lead of the 2009/10 BNT V8s Championship at the Timaru International Motor Raceway today. Baird dominated to win two races and finish 9th in the final race to take top points for the weekend.

Christchurch driver Eddie Bell (Independent Fisheries Falcon) came 2nd for the round after scoring two 3rd places and a 7th while Auckland’s Tim Edgell (Chesters Falcon) was 3rd overall with two 2nd places and a 15th. Bell has propelled himself into 2nd overall in the points leaving Nelson’s beleaguered John McIntyre (Talley’s Falcon) in 3rd after a horror weekend where he damaged his car beyond repair for the day.

As the cars formed on the dummy grid for Race 1 (12 laps), light rain began to fall leaving teams with a tough choice as to whether or not to change onto wet weather tyres. Front row qualifier Tim Edgell and second row qualifier Craig Baird made the choice to change but did not join the formation laps in time and were therefore made to start the race at the rear from the pit lane.

Short extends series lead with stylish Timaru win

South Islander Penrose showed good form

Hamilton racing driver Martin Short has extended his points lead in the latest round of the ZOAGN New Zealand Formula Ford Championship. Short won two of the three races and came 3rd in the other for Round 4 held at the Timaru International Motor Raceway over the weekend. Second overall for the weekend was Aucklander Nick Cassidy with a win and two 3rd placings while Christchurch’s Matt Williams completed the podium after gaining two 2nd places and a 6th.

Saturday morning dawned with miserable wet and drizzling conditions requiring drivers to be on their toes in what could only be slippery conditions with poor visibility. It only took one lap of qualifying to show how difficult the track was as Andre Heimgartner contacted the wall coming onto the front straight damaging the front left suspension and giving his crew some serious work to make the start of the opening race.

Damon Leitch, however, reveled in the wet conditions to set the pole position time, a considerable 0.772 secs ahead of Matt Williams who was only 0.066 secs ahead of championship points leader Martin Short. Tim Vickers was a superb fourth fastest ahead of Nick Cassidy, Matthew Penrose, Henry Thomas-Kircher, Brett Sullivan, Richard Vickers and Scott Manson while Heimgartner did not set a time. Unfortunately for Penrose, he was also recovering from a severe bout of food poisoning.

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