In the HVRA class, Gary Johnstone, of Christchurch, took first blood in his Jaguar XJS from Leon Hallett, of Mosgiel, in a Ford Mustang. David Hunter, of Dunedin, was third in an MGB GT. A handicap race on Sunday morning saw Mussa Russell, of Taupō, take the win in a Ford Escort from John Mackley, of Wallacetown (Anglia), and Barry Leitch, of Invercargill, who was third in a Cortina. Johnstone and Hallett had a great battle at the front of the third race with Hallett prevailing by the barest of margins with Hunter third. Another handicap race saw Jamie Green, of Dunedin, in a Datsun1200, win from Craig Sawyer, of Taupō, in a Vauxhall Viva, and Leitch.
Wayne Perkins, of Alexandra, won the first Pre 78 Classic Saloon race in a Viva from Mark McGuinness, of Wellington, in an Alfa Romeo GTV. The second race featured a handicap start with Blair Bishop, of Dunedin, taking the win in his Fiat 850 ahead of David Berry, of Oxford, in a Ford Escort.
On Sunday morning, McGuinness beat Perkins after a good battle. Steve Pauling, of Nelson, was third in each of those races.
The finale was for the Brian Crosbie Memorial Trophy and in a handicap race, the spoils went to Peter Scobie, of Dunedin, in a Mini, from Rod Sinclair, of Invercargill, in his Alfa Romeo Giulia and Bishop.
Bob Hyslop, of Tauranga, won three of the four classic saloon races in his Mazda RX7. On Saturday, he led home Steve Ross, of Dunedin, in the PDL Mustang, and Mike Baker, of Picton, in a Porsche 964 in both races.
On Sunday morning, he won from Baker and Marcus Stewart, of Christchurch, after Ross retired from the race. In the finale, Hyslop retired, leaving the win to Baker from Stewart and Jim Wallace, of Christchurch, in a BMW M5.
Mark Barrett, of Rolleston, won three of the four vintage racing car races in a Lotus 23B Replica with Paul Coory, of Mosgiel, in a CAE Sprint car, taking the other. Barrett and his wife Tracey plus Coory dominated the podium in all four races.
Royce Bayer, of Rangiora, made a clean sweep of the Formula Ford/Libre races in his Argo. He won the first from Jordan Michels, of Invercargill, with Marc Doran, of Queenstown, third in a Ray 86F.
On Sunday morning, Bayer won again from Doran and Keith Cowan, of West Melton, in a Johnston FF, after Michels came to a halt on the final lap. He won the final two races from Michels with Doran and Ian Arbuthnott, of Pahiatua, (Argo) picking up the third placings.
The Allied 24/7 Fuel Mainland Muscle Cars supported the classic classes. Angus Fogg, of Riverhead, led all the way in his Mustang to win Saturday’s race from Rhys Gould, of Christchurch, (Mustang) and Mike Wallace, of Dunedin, in his Chev Monza.
Brayden Phillips, of Christchurch, won Sunday morning’s handicap race in his Mustang from Fogg and Wallace while Wallace won the third when he got his nose in front right on the line to beat Fogg by .003 of a second after a great battle with Gould third.
The finale was a handicap which went to Hamish Frew, of Christchurch, in a Camaro from Phillips and Colin Campbell, of Tauranga, in a Torana.
Saturday’s Mini 7 South race finished under safety car with Bailey Paterson, of Ohoka, leading the train of cars across the line with Justin Neill, of Christchurch, second and fellow Christchurch driver Daniel Lamb third. Angus Fogg won Sunday morning’s race with a run to the line to pip Neill and Lamb. Paterson, Neill and Lamb were the first three home in both of the Sunday afternoon races.
Dion Dawson, of Invercargill, won three of the four Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloon races in his Saker SVS with his brother Kyle taking the other in his Jaguar. Bob Hyslop in his Mazda and Mike Baker shared the third places across the weekend.
The MX5 Heritage Cup ran with the club saloons with Dean Evans, of Hamilton, winning all four races with Matthew Smith and Mike Harcourt, of Christchurch, and Everard Petrie, of Rolleston, sharing the placings.
The next race meeting at Teretonga Park is the annual Southern Thunder event over the weekend of March 15/16 featuring NZ Super Trucks, Allied 24/7 Fuel Mainland Muscle Cars, NZ V8 Utes and much more.
By Lindsay Beer
