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Defending V8 champion John McIntyre has virtually assured himself of a second consecutive championship title following strong results at the penultimate round of the New Zealand V8s at Timaru this weekend.

Coming into this fifth of the six round championship, McIntyre had a 79 point lead over Angus Fogg.

After a race win, a second and a 13th at Timaru, McIntyre has extended his lead to 115 points. And while that’s not an insurmountable points difference, in reality McIntyre’s consistent form throughout the season would indicate it’s unlikely the BP Ultimate Ford driver will succumb to the pressure and lose the championship at this point. Statistics show that of the 15 races run so far, McIntyre has won six – a feat unmatched by any other driver in the series.

His 13th place in the final reverse grid race was the first time he’s finished outside the top ten in any race this season, but he was relaxed about taking the conservative option.

“When you have the championship on the line, you’re not going to throw it away for a higher placing in the reverse grid race,” said McIntyre. “It feels good to extend the lead over Angus, although I wouldn’t have minded if he’d caught up some points on me here. We hope to continue the good form at Teretonga. This week we will be checking the car for total reliability and this weekend we’ve had a new setup theory which has worked well.”

Fogg also had a consistent weekend of results in the Havoline Ford, but his two fourths and a 14th clearly weren’t going to improve his points’ situation against McIntyre.

Holding third place overall, Kayne Scott experienced one of the more challenging weekend’s of racing. Unusually, he went off into the gravel during qualifying and didn’t finish the second race. The former V8 champion finished the first race sixth, and put in a determined drive in the final race coming through from 16th to second despite a slipping clutch.

“I’ll be at Teretonga,” said Scott who could also be racing for Team Kiwi Racing in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship. “I wouldn’t have this chance in Supercars without the effort and support of many people in the New Zealand V8 series and we want to put in a good performance for the season finale at Teretonga.”

The final round of the 2007-08 New Zealand V8s Championship, the Hydraulink 200, takes place at Teretonga Park outside Invercargill over the weekend of 8 and 9 March. Full details and ticket information for this event can be found on the series website, www.nzv8s.co.nz. Going into the final round, McIntyre has 905 points, 115 ahead of Fogg on 790 points. Scott is third with 733, Radisich fourth with 673 and Booth fifth with 634.

Qualifying in more detail

This season the New Zealand V8s run a new style of qualifying; all drivers run in the first 20 minute session, then the top twenty get another 15 minutes with the top ten getting a final 15 minute session to decide the starting grid for the first of the weekend’s three races.

As rain threatened in the first session, McIntyre was fastest with a time of 1:07.386, ahead of Scott, Booth, David Besnard, Fogg and Michael Bristow who was asked to drive the Tex Onsite Ford for the last two rounds after the team and long-time driver Cameron McLean decided to part ways. Interestingly, Bristow is also currently leading the First Windows & Doors V8 Development Series and racing both his development V8 Holden and the Tex Onsite Ford at Timaru and Teretonga.

In the second session, Booth chalked up the fastest time of 1:07.223 with Scott and McIntyre next quickest, while frequent top-ten runners Luke Youlden and Clark Proctor missed the cut as rain started.

In the top ten shoot-out Booth was again the fastest, setting a time on the Dunlop wet tyres of 1:14.640 to take his second pole position this season. McIntyre will line up beside Booth for the first 14-lap race, with Paul Radisich in the HPM Ford and Tim Edgell in the Chesters Ford in fourth with his best qualifying position of the season. Besnard, Fogg, Andrew Anderson, Paul Manuell, and Dean Perkins took positions five to nine, while Scott was unable to set a final qualifying time after a very uncharacteristic off-track excursion which saw the Fujitsu Ford parked in the gravel after Scott needed to avoid a collision with a fellow competitor on the wet circuit.

Race one in more detail

With fresh support from Big Ben Pies for his Tasman Motorsport Holden, Booth led from the front to win the 14 lap race – his first official win of the season.

On a rain-soaked circuit, the race was started with the first three corners under yellow flag, meaning no passing was allowed. Taking the top two slots behind Booth were McIntyre and Radisich; all three drivers agreeing that it was sensible for officials to have started the race in this way.

“In the rain, the pole position is the wettest at Timaru,” said McIntyre. “So it’s really a disadvantage for Andy in pole in these conditions.”

“It was amazing the difference in grip on different parts of the circuit,” said Booth who was delighted to have a race win which wasn’t taken away by officials as happened in Taupo earlier in the season.

In such wet conditions, the race itself was relatively uneventful as drivers kept a safe distance behind the car in front, except when GT Radial Ford driver Dean Perkins hit the tyre wall hard midway through the race. Although the safety car came out for several laps, officials decided not to extract the car from the wall.

“Restarting the race with Perkins’ car in the wall wasn’t great,” said Radisich who was pleased to finish third in the difficult conditions. “It’s hard to challenge in the wet here – it’s quite a narrow circuit and as soon as you stepped off the racing line there wasn’t much grip.”

McIntyre’s second place extended his points’ lead over Angus Fogg, the next best-placed driver in the New Zealand V8s Championship, who finished fourth behind Radisich.

Besnard was fourth in the SCG Motorsport Ford while Scott improved from his tenth qualifying position to finish sixth. Young Auckland driver Tim Edgell held on well from his fourth qualifying position to finish seventh, with Manuell and Anderson taking eighth and ninth respectively. However officials later decided that Manuell had passed under the yellow flag and demoted him to 24th place. This moved Anderson into eighth, Bristow in ninth and Proctor into tenth in the Metalman Ford.

Race two in more detail

With Sunday’s 18-lap race starting order determined by the fastest times that each driver set in race one, McIntyre was on pole with Booth, Scott, Radisich, Anderson, and Fogg behind him.

The leaders got away to a clean start; behind them, the close-fought run into the Timaru circuit’s first right-hander then long left-handed sweeper caused more than one brake lock-up. Mark Pedersen appeared to get caught up in traffic, dropping several places.

But nothing was affecting McIntyre’s composed performance at the front of the field; the BP Ultimate Ford driver extended his lead lap after lap to win the race by over seven seconds from Booth.

In a relatively incident-free race, Radisich and Fogg tussled for third with Radisich holding out Fogg at the chequered flag creating a situation that allowed McIntyre to further extend his lead over Fogg for the championship title. Scott, Youlden and Kevin Williams disappeared off the circuit at various points with only Youlden rejoining to eventually finish 22nd from his 11th starting position. Scott’s Ford suffered a gearbox failure. Meanwhile Manuell didn’t start the race at all, unhappy with being penalised in the first race.

After spending several laps trying to get past Anderson, Besnard came home in fifth to contribute to a much improved weekend’s results for the Australian. Anderson’s sixth place – his second in the newest Holden in the field since he debuted the car at Taupo – showed the Pinepac ITM Holden driver was enjoying even better results than he achieved at the previous round at Manfeild. Edgell took another well-earned seventh, Proctor improved to come home eighth and, in ninth and tenth places respectively, Andrew Porter and Michael Wallace achieved some their strongest finishes for the season.

Race three in more detail

The weekend’s third race has a full reverse grid based on points earned in the first two races. After Kevin Williams, who would have been on pole, withdrew, Shaun Turton – a New Zealand V8s rookie who joined the series at Taupo – was on pole for the first time.

From the second row, Julia Huzziff and Adam Brook pushed through to the front, Huzziff’s actions earning her a drive-through penalty while Brook romped into the lead – a position he held for nine laps before being chased down by Manuell who’d started in eighth place. Scott and Besnard were the other hard-chargers, moving through the field with Scott soon onto Manuell’s tail to set up classic Holden versus Ford clash that captured the crowd’s attention.

Meanwhile McIntyre and Booth were “letting the traffic clear” before working their way gradually through the field, Fogg in close attendance.

“My plan was to sit back,” said Booth. “I told the team I’d bring the car back the cleanest it’s ever been after a reverse grid race. I was watching Paul [Radisich] in front and I didn’t envy him having to put up with some of the driving behaviour exhibited by the slower drivers.”

The safety car went out briefly when Edgell’s bonnet flew off the car and onto the circuit, an incident for which he was later penalised.

With Scott’s Ford suffering a slipping clutch, he was unable to get past Manuell despite several valiant attempts. Manuell took his first race win in four seasons, a feat which delighted the Orix Racing Holden driver and his team. Brook kept his Versatile Buildings Ford in a well-earned third place behind Scott while Perkins had a better result in the GT Radial Ford to take fourth. Besnard’s hard work from 25th place earned him a fifth – his third of the weekend – and improved his overall points’ standing to ninth. Porter showed strong form to drive from 19th on the grid into sixth. Hamilton driver Cam Hardy was seventh with Youlden eighth in the Powerbuilt Tools Ford. Proctor and Radisich rounded out the top ten, Radisich having started in 27th. He said later that a faulty regulator in the HPM Ford had finally been identified which was allowing him to work more on fine tuning the car’s performance.

“It was a good consistent run really, nothing startling, but we’re pleased the engine issue is sorted so we can work more on the chassis side of things,” said Radisich. “You do expect some professional courtesy from these guys who clearly aren’t in the running for the championship so the reverse grid races are frustrating. We could put on a really good show for the crowd if everyone allowed clean passing. Perhaps a reverse top eight or ten would offer a better racing; something for officials to consider again for this series.”

McIntyre, Fogg and Booth were 13th, 14th and 15th respectively in the reverse grid race.

New Zealand V8s Championship – Qualifying

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Qualifying time

NB. The top ten drivers’ times were set in qualifying session #3 on wet tyres, hence the times being slower than the drivers in positions 10 to 29 who set times on dry tyres.

1, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:14.640

2, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 1:14.873

3, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 1:15.393

4, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:15.730

5, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 1:15.843

6, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:16.130

7, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 1:16.190

8, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:16.352

9, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 1:16.638

10, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, No time

11, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.008

12, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.021

13, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 1:08.044

14, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.100

15, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.100

16, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.209

17, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.213

18, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.242

19, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:08.343

20, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.462

21, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.413

22, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 1:08.497

23, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.528

24, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.564

25, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:08.569

26, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:08.607

27, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:08.940

28, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 1:10.328

29, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 1:11.155

New Zealand V8s Championship – Timaru Race 1 (14 laps, revised results)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 75

2, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 67

3, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 60

4, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 54

5, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 45

7, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 42

8, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 39

9, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 33

11, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 28

13, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 26

14, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 24

15, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 22

16, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 20

17, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 18

18, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 16

19, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 14

20, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 12

21, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 10

22, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 9

23, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 8

24, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 7

25, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 6

26, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 5

27, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 4

DNF, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA  

DNF, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA  

New Zealand V8s Championship – Timaru Race 2 (18 laps)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 75

2, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 67

3, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 60

4, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 54

5, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 45

7, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 42

8, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 39

9, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 33

11, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 28

13, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 26

14, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 24

15, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 22

16, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 20

17, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 18

18, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 16

19, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 14

20, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 12

21, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 10

22, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 9

23, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 8

24, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 7

25, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 6

26, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 5

DNF, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA  

DNF, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ 

DNS, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ  

New Zealand V8s Championship – Timaru Race 3 (22 laps, reverse grid)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 75

2, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 67

3, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 60

4, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 54

5, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 45

7, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 42

8, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 39

9, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 33

11, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 28

13, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 26

14, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 24

15, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 22

16, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 20

17, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 18

18, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 16

19, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 14

20, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 12

21, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 10

22, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 9

23, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 8

24, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 7

DNF, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY  

DNF, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA  

DNF, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY  

DNS, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ  

DNS, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA  

New Zealand V8s Championship – Provisional points after 5 of 6 rounds

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 905

2, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 790

3, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 733

4, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 673

5, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 634

6, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 593

7, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 562

8, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 481

9, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 451

10, Cameron McLean, Brisbane, Ford Falcon BA, 399

11, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 380

12, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 301

13, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 301

14, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 300

14, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 300

15, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 290

16, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 286

17, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 279

18, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 266

19, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 264

20, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 244

21, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 223

22, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 211

23, Dale Lambert, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 192

24, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 191

25, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 182

26, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon BA, 169

26, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 163

27, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 133

28, Eddie Bell, Christchurch, Holden Commodore VY, 79

29, Dave Stewart, Wellington, Holden Commodore VY, 73

30, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 66

31, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 58

32, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 56

33, Darryn Henderson, Wellington, Holden Commodore VZ, 45

34, Gene Rollinson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 16