MEDIA RELEASE

16 FEBRUARY 2008

LAP RECORDS TAKE A POUNDING AT CLASSIC SPEEDFEST 

Several lap records were broken as the first day of the Leitch Motorsport/Southland Times Classic SpeedFest unfolded at Teretonga Park in Invercargill today.

A good crowd was present in pleasant conditions on what was a relatively incident-free day.

Canadian Jay Esterer won the first race for the spectacular Ray White Real Estate CAN-AM Sports Cars, one of the major drawcards at the event. Esterer set a fastest time of 56.04 seconds on his way to victory and after the race was fulsome in his praise of the southern circuit, describing it's flowing design as "the equal or better of Laguna Seca" in California. Unfortunately two of his CAN-AM colleagues did not fare as well today, American Brian Blain putting his 8.3 litre Lola off the track early on leaving his crew with a lot of work to repair the car while the Rawlson CRII of Canadian Ian Wood broke a stub axle.

Another Canadian competitor, Jack Ondrack, had a very successful day in his TVR Tuscan, winning two races in the Southland Times Classic Saloons and GT Class and two in the Turntru Machining Sports Car category. On the way to one of his saloon car victories he set a new lap record of 1 minute 04.42 seconds. Dale Chapman of Christchurch won an additional race in the same category, taking his Fiat X1/9 Abarth R to the win.

Another other lap record was set in the Clive Wilson Computers Racing Car class where Munro Tall of Queenstown set a new mark of 1.00.36 seconds in his Reynard as he won both races on today's programme.

Mark Quertier won the EnviroSouth Vintage Car Race while Mark McFadden of Christchurch set a new lap record for those cars with a 1 minute 15.87 in his 260M Zephyr.

Doug Erskine of Tuatapere was first across the line in the Lone Star Cafe & Bar Mini 7 South Saloon race ahead of Invercargill's Alan Crawford but neither are official Mini 7 entries - class honours instead going to third placed driver Mark Donaldson of Hanmer Springs.  

Local driver Scott O'Donnell won both Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloon races in his Porsche GT3.

The second day of racing begins at the track tomorrow morning at 10.00am. Tickets for tomorrow's programme cost $25 and allow spectators access to the infield area and pits.

A parade of vintage Bentley's will take place late on Sunday morning's programme.

Lindsay Beer

Publicity Officer

Southland Sports Car Club