MEDIA RELEASE
30 SEPTEMBER 2007
MICHELS WINS FOR HIS MATE
The annual 1 Hour Endurance Race at Teretonga Park
has featured some exciting finishes over the years and the 2007 event did not
disappoint when it took place at Teretonga Park today. The race was part of the
opening meeting of the 2007/2008 season presented by Fulton Hogan.
Invercargill driver Rick Michels won the race for
the second time in his BMW M3 after previously winning the event in 2002. "This
one is for Les McGraw," he said after today's race. McGraw who passed away
recently was a member of Michels team and a hardworking member of the Southland
Sports Car Club. Michels last win came one year before A1 Auto Services donated
an impressive trophy for the race. "In 2003 my car broke down on the startline,
in 2004 I was second, I didn't do the race in 2005 and 2006 and now I have my
name on the trophy. This is definitely the best one for me as I didn't expect
it. I'm absolutely stoked. It's all thanks to a great crew of people," said a
happy Michels after the race.
Michels settled into 5th place early on as Gore
driver Gary Jenkins in a Holden Commodore, Stephen Cropper of Dunedin in his
rapid Mazda Cosmo, Mataura's Amanda Tulloch in a V8 Falcon and Christchurch
driver Brent Russell in a Mitsubishi EVO battled it out. Cropper was the first
to pit handing the lead to Jenkins ahead of Russell, Michels and Tulloch.
Jenkins was the next to call in the pits leaving Russell in the lead from
Michels with Tulloch third.
The leading trio all pitted on the same lap
with Russell and Michels resuming at the front. However Tulloch's stop was a
little longer as 35 litres of fuel was added to the V8 Falcon and Amanda's
father Inky took over the driving duties.
Michels began closing on the leader after the pit
stops and was through soon after while Jenkins climbed back into second. Cropper
slowed in the last quarter of the race after he broke an axle, ironically a
repeat of his race two years ago when he also broke an axle while running
prominently.
As the end of the race neared Russell slowed when
he lost third and fifth gear. Michels now led from Jenkins but the drama was far
from over. With just a few minutes remaining the safety car was deployed after a
car stopped on the circuit. At the restart Jenkins was quickly on Michels' tail,
however both he and Tulloch were adjudged to have passed slower cars before the
start/finish line and were subsequently penalised. However worse was to follow
for Jenkins when the Commodore ran out of fuel, dropping the Gore driver to 17th
place in the race classification.
An elated Michels crossed the line to win
while Russell nursed the EVO home in second. The Tulloch Falcon was third
followed by Cropper, Bradley Dawson of Invercargill in his Toyota Trueno and
James Mitchell of Dunedin in a Nissan 180SX.
Michels also won the 1601-2500cc race on the
programme.
Earlier in the day Jenkins and Inky Tulloch had
each claimed a first and second place in the Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans
Series Group A races with Russell third on both occasions. In Group B
Invercargill driver Matthew Ralston won both races in his Nissan Silvia
with Dunedin drivers Jamie Hodgins and Scott Cameron taking one second and one
third each.
Inky Tulloch won the 2501cc and over race while Hodgins
and Ian McKenzie of Otautau (Datsun Sunny) won their classes.
Matthew Ralston took the Flying Farewell from
Tulloch who started from the pitlane with Bradley Dawson third.
Fourteen - year - old Damon Leitch set the fastest
time in qualifying to take pole position in the Racing Car Class although his
Van Diemen was affected by understeer during the day which slowed him in the
races. Phil Reed of Invercargill won the first from Noel Atley and Leitch
before
Atley of Invercargill won the second after Reed and
Leitch collided. Atley also won the third race which Reed and Leitch did not
start. Donald Nelson and Roger Burt were second and third respectively on each
occasion in the final two races.
Leitch's retirement after the second race meant he
left the circuit to race in the finals at the Invercargill Kart Club meeting
adjacent to Teretonga where he was also hit by another competitor. However he
salvaged a sixth place at that meeting.
Southland won the annual motor racing challenge
with Otago, scoring 325.3 points to Otago's 189.7.
John Beck of Invercargill dominated the motorcycle
races on his Suzuki GSXR1000, winnng all three with Jeremy Holmes second on each
occasion and Mark Weller third each time. While Beck was unchallenged at the
front, Holmes and Weller spent the day racing in very close company.
The next meeting at Teretonga Park will be the
"Blast From The Past" meeting presented by Fulton Hogan, part of the 50th
Anniversary Celebration weekend from 9-11 November.
Lindsay Beer
Publicity Officer
Southland Sports Car Club