Round 4 Pukekohe Park Raceway (Sun 8 Dec 2013)


Qualifying:

Off to a very wet start. In the first lap the Red Flags are shown, caused by Dave Campbell (PMC) going into the wall under the GT Radial Bridge on the front straight – slicks were not a good choice! Stu Rowling stays on the track after the red and M2 sent out to clear. Qualifying restart with 7.5 minutes to go, however we do not have a full field this time. Dean Perkins who has a small body panel flapping around the drivers side front wing, completes a massive power slide out of turn 6. Veen Smith appears to be crawling round in the last 2 minutes of qualy. Ross Christensen is going very well - the tires seem to like a drying track. Poor qualifying session due to weather conditions.

1st – Dean Perkins – 1:20.966 in Lap 4
2nd – Ross Christensen – 1:31.151 in Lap 5
3rd – Stu Rowling – 1:35.009 in Lap 5
Best Lap: Dean Perkins – 1:20.966 Lap 4 - Speed: 129.338kph

Race 1:

Christensen jumps the start, with Perkins off like a rocket. Rowling has a big spin at the Sky City hairpin, causes yellow and rejoins after the last car. Christensen is sticking to Perkins like glue. Rick Van Swet, Paul Burnet & Anthony Gailbraith all bunched up in the middle. Adam Wheeler very wiggly out of Sky City Corner but manages to pull back just before the pit lane entrance. Perkins seems to be slowing down and Christensen is gaining very quickly. Gailbraith is coming up on Tony Van Tiel who has stayed consistent the entire race. Perkins & Christensen overtakes Rowling who has been slow throughout the race due to the spin right at the beginning. Van Swet takes a shortcut across the grass at Castrol. Rain has started again, Wheeler has a major amount of smoke pouring out, Gailbraith finally gets past Van Tiel on the last lap.

1st – Dean Perkins – 9:30.004
2nd – Ross Christensen – 9:35.606
3rd – Veen Smith – 9:48.485
Best Lap: Anthony Gailbraith Lap 6 – 1:18.462 – Speed: 133.517kph

Race 2: Handicapped Start Rowling leads the grid, followed by Burnet, Smith, Van Swet and Wheeler. Christensen moves up fast leaving a big gap between him and Van Tiel and Gailbraith. Rowling still in front but Perkins is gaining on everybody now and making his way through the pack. Christensen has overtaken Burnet and Wheeler has fallen back behind Van Swet, who is now in the middle of the race by himself. Gailbraith is now right at the back with Rowling looking to lap him. Perkins is now drifting round the corners – looking like he is having loads of fun! After righting the car again he over takes Rowling and leaving Christensen behind.

1st – Dean Perkins – 10:43.537
2nd – Rowling – 10:56.326
3rd – Ross Christensen – 11:05.528
Best Lap: Dean Perkins Lap 5 – 1:22.692 – Speed: 126.687kph

Race 3: Handicapped Start Rowling leads the grid with the same order as previous. Wheeler has some serious tail wiggling coming out of Sky City Corner. By the time we get to lap 2 Perkins has already made up from last for 3rd. Christensen looking pretty slow on the back straight this time. Van Tiel and Gailbraith overtake Wheeler around the new chicane. Perkins is now second behind Rowling who is quite far in front this time. Van Tiel over takes Gailbraith and he overtakes right back, looks like we are battling it out for 5th! Wheeler is really far back this time. Perkins almost spins right round on the Sky City Corner with Rowling looking to get past him mid spin but whilst avoiding a collision Burnet sneaks right through for the 2nd, Gailbraith has now overtaken Smith in time to cross the finish line in fourth.

1st – Dean Perkins – 9:09.862
2nd – Paul Burnet – 9:27.008
3rd – Stu Rowling – 9:30.789
Best Lap: Dean Perkins Lap 2 – 1:10.249 Speed: 149.127kph

 

Posted: Thu 12 Dec 2013

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