MEDIA RELEASE
18 OCTOBER 2009
THREE DIFFERENT WINNERS IN KUMHO SPORT SALOONS
The opening round of the 2009/2010 Kumho Sport Saloon Series produced three different winners from the three races at Timaru International Motor Raceway today.
Chris Small of Timaru won the opening race in his Mitsubishi EVO after setting the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday. Small crossed the line 3.8 seconds ahead of fellow Timaru driver Nathan McAuley in a similar car. Two other local drivers were third and fourth, Raymond Hart crossing the line third in his Nissan Skyline ahead of McAuley's brother Ivan McAuley in fourth place in another EVO. Series debutant Gary Ridden of Christchurch was fifth in his EVO with Phil Hood of Kaikoura in yet another of the Mitsubishi's rounding out the top six.
The second race, a handicap event, saw another local driver taste victory. An elated Grant McKissock greeted the flag in his EVO just in front of Hart to take the win. Nick Smart of Christchurch was third in his Nissan Skyline GTR. Ridden was fourth ahead of the McAuley brothers, Ivan securing fifth and Nathan sixth. Small suffered a blown engine in the race, just managing to nurse the car home, while Daniel Liemburg and Phil Hood were non-finishers - Liemburg also suffering engine dramas.
The third and final race, another handicap event, went to Motueka driver Noel Parish in his Nissan Fairlady 300ZX. Temuka driver Stan Moore was next, a shade over 3 seconds behind Parish, while Hood recovered from his earlier problem to finish third. McKissock was fourth with Nathan McAuley and Garreth McKenzie of Christchurch next. After his engine failure in the previous race Small re-entered the fray in his father's race car - a Nissan Skyline - to finish in the points. Gary Ridden was a non-finisher on this occasion while Grant Waters also retired with gearbox problems.
Earlier in the day the Mitsubishi EVOs of Gary Duncan and Glen Hodgson had clashed at the start of a race ending both their days prematurely.
The next round of the championship takes place at Teretonga Park in Invercargill over the weekend of 5/6 December.
MEDIA RELEASE
17 OCTOBER 2009
SMALL STARTS SEASON WITH POLE POSITION
Chris Small of Timaru won the opening battle of the 2009/2010 Kumho Sport Saloon Series at Timaru International Motor Raceway at Levels today when he secured pole position for the first race of the round tomorrow. An elated Small recorded the fastest lap of the session with a time of 1 minute 08.873 in his Mitsubishi EVO. While Small had reason to celebrate his team faces some work overnight as a gearbox problem surfaced during the session.
Track conditions were tricky for the series first outing of the season with a damp, fast drying surface for competitors to contend with.
Another local driver, Nathan McAuley, set the second quickest lap of 1 minute 09.937 seconds in his EVO, a time later equalled by Christchurch driver Garreth MacKenzie in his Toyota Corolla.
South Canterbury drivers took the next fastest times with Ivan McAuley, Raymond Hart and Gary Duncan rounding out the top six.
A good entry of seventeen cars will face the start in three races tomorrow. The first race is timed to start at 1.45pm with the second and third races, both handicap events, scheduled for 2.45pm and 3.45pm respectively.
Kumho Sport Saloon Series
CALENDAR 2009/2010 KUMHO SPORT SALOON SERIES
Round 1: 17/18 October 2009 - Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
Round 2: 5/6 December 2009 - Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 3: 8-10 January 2010 - Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Round 4: 20/21 March 2010 - Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Round 5: 27/28 March 2010 - Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
Round 6: 24 April 2010 - Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
1st - Chris Small - Mitsubishi EVO - Timaru - 1 minute 08.873 seconds
2nd - Nathan McAuley - Mitsubishi EVO - Timaru - 1.09.937
3rd - Garreth MacKenzie - Toyota Corolla - Christchurch - 1.09.937
4th - Ivan McAuley - Mitsubishi EVO 3 - Timaru - 1.10.022
5th - Raymond Hart - Nissan Skyline GTR - Timaru - 1.10.176
6th - Gary Duncan - Mitsubishi EVO - Temuka - 1.10.374
7th - Glen Hodgson - Mitsubishi EVO - Upper Moutere - 1.10.895
8th - Phil Hood - Mitsubishi EVO - Kaikoura - 1.11.180
9th - Gary Ridden - Mitsubishi EVO 2 - Christchurch - 1.11.273
10th - Murray Beeby - Nissan Sentra - Timaru - 1.11.573
11th - Grant McKissock - Mitsubishi EVO - Timaru - 1.12.548
12th - Nick Smart - Nissan Skyline GTR - Christchurch - 1.12.720
13th - Stan Moore - Mitsubishi EVO 1 - Temuka - 1.12.930
14th - Daniel Liemburg - Toyota Starlet - Timaru - 1.13.109
15th - Noel Parish - Nissan Fairlady 300ZX - Motueka - 1.15.125
16th - Grant Waters - Mitsubishi GSR - Timaru - 1.15.532
17th - Kirk McLaren - Mazda RX7 - Ashburton - 1.16.613
