Sealing the second season of the Nichibo Production Racing series, the three contested categories all came to an end with the final round of races at the Pukekohe V8 Supercar weekend.
Squeezed to fit the weekend’s race programme, the Friday practise and qualifying session put a lot of pressure on the field to get their best foot forward in minimal time.
Running the first (shortened) 6-lap race on the Saturday afternoon, it was all but a brief sprint. First blood went to the Nichibo sponsored EVO 9 of Auckland’s Trevor Rooderkerk; getting a clean passing move on Class C (>2L turbo) leader Ross Thurston (EVO8) to take the lead on the opening lap. With the rest of the field slotted in to position through the opening turns, the most dramatic moment came from Allan Geddes in the Skoda Fabia diesel - coming up the inside of the Warwick Funnell Toyota Celica to spin him round.
That cut some slack for Class A (up to 2L) leader Zane Coppins (Honda Integra) – needing to just finish the race to take the class win from Funnell.
Mixing up the mainly Mitsubishi vs Subaru field, the addition of four new Impreza’s to the event left the honours in favour of the class leaders. Rooderkerk’s race win from Thurston narrowed the leader’s gap – with third placed Scott McKelvie (EVO6) still well placed to steal the show should the pressure-cooker front pair tangle.
Sunday’s decider ran for a full 8-laps, the grey weather the only difference in the equation with potential for further shower squalls to alter the track conditions. Run as a class reverse-grid group, it added a further dimension to the season finale.
As he has most times before this season, the Zane Coppins Honda Integra grabbed the early lead to hold out any chasing 4WD cars – Subaru’s Chris West the only driver able to get close. With the title already his, Coppins took a comfortable win from two chasing Subaru’s – the closest Mitsubishi of David Pinkerton in 5th place, followed by Scott McKelvie and Ross Thurston. Rooderkerk limped through the majority of the race after colliding heavily with the Impreza of Nathan Coe, substantiating the point’s lead Thurston had to award him the class victory.
Queenstown’s Jim Boult in the Mazda RX-8 enjoyed another race finish to conclude his 100% record for the season – and being the only car in the Class B (2L – 3.5L), had no competition for the title.
With a field of twenty cars, the end of the seven round series was the first time nearly all the championship competitors had been together at one venue – extending the potential for a stronger 2006/2007 season.
“We’re very happy with exposure,” commented Nichibo’s New Zealand manager Robert Young. “We’re pleased with how the season went and are looking forward to extra numbers and continuing our sponsorship for the coming season.”
“The class is a good fit for New Zealand’s largest supplier of Japanese used imports – as the majority of the cars racing are Japanese manufactured vehicles, so they are easily associated with the New Zealand car buying public.”
Nichibo Trading Japan Co Ltd is also pleased to announce their sponsorship of the A1Team.NZL – The A1 Grand Prix is the Olympics of Motorsport. “What better way is there to contribute back to the New Zealand automotive industry, our major trading partner, and in turn the New Zealand public by getting in behind Black Beauty,” added Mr Young. “They finished 4th in their inaugural season against the World - that’s awesome! “
Lance Hastie
Courtesy of car.co.nz : www.car.co.nz/race.asp?articleid=10937
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