MEDIA RELEASE

17 FEBRUARY 2008

CAN-AMS STAR AND LAP RECORDS FALL AT CLASSIC SPEEDFEST 

The CAN-AM Sports Cars were the stars and several lap records fell at the Leitch Motorsport/Southland Times Classic SpeedFest at Teretonga this weekend.

The CAN-AM cars, sponsored by Ray White Real Estate, were a huge drawcard in the pits while on the track they were breathtaking. In a hugely popular move they even provided an extra race to end the programme. In a nice touch event sponsor Barry Leitch was invited to take the wheel of Jay Esterer's McLaren M6B for the final appearance of the big-banger sports cars and obliged the crowd by winning the race. Leitch described the experience as "incredible."    

Prior to that, Esterer of Canada, had won two of the races for the spectacular cars while Tom Malloy of America in a McLaren M8E won the other. Esterer immediately compared the flowing design of Teretonga to one of America's premier circuits describing it as "equal to or better than Laguna Seca." That was on the opening day of the event while at the conclusion of the weekend he said it was the best circuit he had ever driven on. 

Canadian Jack Ondrack also had an excellent weekend, dominating both the Southland Times Classic Saloons & GT class plus the Turntru Machining Sports Car Category with his TVR Tuscan. Ondrack was unbeatable in both classes and also chipped away at the lap record over the weekend, breaking it three times to leave it at 1 minute 03.81 seconds. 

Dale Chapman of Christchurch won an additional race in the Saloon category, taking his Fiat X1/9 Abarth R to the win. Steve Scoles of Dunedin in his Triumph TR8 and Dennis Chapman of Christchurch in his Ferrari Dino Replica had a coming together in one of the Sports Car races with the Chapman car receiving some damage.

Munro Tall of Queenstown won both Clive Wilson Computers Racing Car Class events on Saturday, setting a new lap record of 1 minute 00.36 seconds in his Reynard in the process. In Sunday's races Don Nelson of Riverton won the first race before Steve Ross of Dunedin won the final two outings in his Lola T142.

Doug Erskine of Tuatapere was first across the line in the opening Lone Star Cafe & Bar Mini 7 South Saloon race on Saturday ahead of Invercargill's Alan Crawford but as neither were official Mini 7 entries class honours instead went third placed driver Mark Donaldson of Hanmer Springs. Donaldson then took one of Sunday's races and Mark Mitchell of Christchurch the other, run in wet conditions.    

Mark Quertier and Mark McFadden of Christchurch won the EnviroSouth Vintage Car Races on Saturday race while McFadden also set a new lap record for those cars with a 1 minute 15.87 second lap in his 260M Zephyr. The following day Peter White of Dunedin in his Buckler and McFadden took the victories. 

Invercargill driver Scott O'Donnell was the dominant individual in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans races winning all three races plus the Flying Farewell. 

Tony Gordon of Whangarei won the much anticipated Ray White Real Estate Muscle Car race in his Chev Corvette. The small field was a quality one and provided a great race with Gordon also snaring the lap record with a lap of 1 minute 11.12 seconds.

A parade of vintage Bentley's on Sunday morning drew widespread interest to add to a great event.

The next motor racing event at Teretonga Park is the Hydraulink 200 featuring the finals of the New Zealand V8s Championship, Toyota Racing Series, Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup, MTA Formula Ford Championship and the MINI Challenge plus rounds of the Production Racing Series and First Windows & Doors V8 Development Series.

Lindsay Beer

Publicity Officer

Southland Sports Car Club