SHEPHERD TAKES OUT ROUND 2 - FORMULA FIRST.CO.NZ REPORT

After a breathtaking series opener at Taupo Raceway Park which included a victory for veteran Michael Shepherd - and two for the young sensation that is Andrew Vincent, the class headed to the historic Pukekohe Park Raceway for the second round of the Weldwell New Zealand Formula First championship.

While Friday testing was run under heavy rain for 75% of the day, and unfortunately included an incident over the mountain for the 99 McDonald Equipment machine of Bradley McDonald – Saturday brought on fine, but damp conditions for qualifying.

It was rookie standout and NZ Speed Sport scholarship winner Aaron Hodgson who took the lead position for race one, setting a time eight thousandths of a second faster than Ryan Hellier. Then it was the two friends & rivals, Michael Shepherd and the returning NZ champ Ian Foster right behind them in 3rd and 4th respectively. Someone who was affected by the conditions and the chaos was the driver who was in second position in the championship, Andrew Vincent.

Sitting in 10th, only five tenths behind the pole time, Vincent was in with a bunch of young guns who were merely seven hundredths of a second apart - setting the scene to which is usually the closest racing of not only the Formula First calendar, but New Zealand motorsport calendar in general.

Race 1

As the Pukekohe sun beamed down onto the circuit, the lights went out for race one. The entire field left the line, and funneled their way into the first corner in classic Formula First style. After the first lap, many realized that the circuit was still not completely dry, as a massive ‘river crossing’ consumed Ford Mountain – thus creating another dangerous element to the lap.

The top five, consisting of Hodgson, McConkey, Foster, Hellier and Shepherd seemed to have the better of the rest of the field, as they streaked away – leaving the rest to fight for the ‘minors’.

With around four laps to go in the inaugural race of round 2, coming down the incredibly fast front straight, the top 5 were constantly moving back and forth between each other - when suddenly the no.1 Kaeser Compressors machine of Ian Foster veered into the barrier, creating a spectacular scene. With bodywork and smoke flying around the circuit, amazingly Foster managed to continue - but decided to return to the pits to minimize the damage created by the high speed incident.

On that same lap, an ‘incident’ occurred out of the hairpin which unfortunately caused the much improved Jamie Gaskin to suffer steering issues, along with a broken brake line, thus sending him to the pit garage as well.

As the crowd was just getting settled again, the race was nearly over – and it was a titanic battle between two veterans and two stars of the future. But as they flew over the hill and down the front straight it was Michael Shepherd who took out the victory in his Go Rentals Formula First, only 0.116 seconds infront of Aaron Hodgson, with the man who defines the word ‘veteran’ - Bryan McConkey in third overall, respectively.

A few seconds back was the Squawking Magpie machine of Andrew Vincent in fifth place, with Simon Hardy continuing to improve in the car built by his father – in sixth. A few positions behind, it was a battle to the line, as the 99 McDonald Equipment machine raced the 46 of David Ruthven – with Ruthven only just getting the better of McDonald at the line.

Race 2

Sunday brought the same hot and sunny weather from the previous day, which almost guaranteed the same intense action from the NZ Formula First championship class.

As the race began, you wouldn’t know that the championship winning car was in an accident the previous day, as Foster led the first lap infront of Bryan McConkey.

As the two leaders battled out front, the top eight were so close - they could have been covered by a sheet. It was David Ruthven who was making moves early, as he just managed to remain in the draft in the first lap, to pass a few cars and blast the second fastest time of the weekend on the second.

The early stages also included a massive maneuver by Bramwell King, who had 3.5 wheels of his Daytona Raceway machine on the grass while passing the slowing Squawking Magpie car of Andrew Vincent coming onto the main straight.

The top 5 remained Foster, McConkey, Hellier, Hardy and Hodgson until the seventh lap of eight – when McConkey spun his H.R.S machine coming out of the hairpin, creating an obstacle for the rest of the field, thus causing him to lose many spots while trying to get going again, eventually finishing just behind the ERL Alvee of Graeme Lett in eleventh.

That left Foster all out on his own to take a comfortable race win over second placed Michael Shepherd – who in the meantime set the fastest lap of the weekend, thus gaining pole position for race three.

Race 3

As race 3 commenced, it was Michael Shepherd and Ryan Hellier who took an early advantage, as they pulled away from Ruthven through the Esses. As the field headed onto the back straight, Ruthven was in for a shock, as behind him was an onslaught - three cars side-by side, eventually going four wide for the entry into the hairpin, as Hodgson, Hardy and Foster went by.

After a few laps in, a yellow flag came out for an incident involving Mike Lovell and the sweeper’s sandtrap. As the race went green again, it was the defending New ZealandChampion Ian Foster out infront with the current championship leader Michael Shepherd in second. After the first lap of green flag action it was the typical Formula First action, as the lead pack continuously fought amongst themselves for position. This would continue over the remainder of the race.

Where most of the passing was occurring though, was in the mid field. In what could be a breakout season for him, Graeme Lett continued to impress, as he fought his way up to an impressive 11th overall before the last lap, from starting 17th. Just infront of Lett were the three determined young racers - Gaskin, King and Vincent – who never seemed to keep themselves apart – as they fought throughout the race, setting themselves up for the opportunity to gain the best position over the line.

As the last lap board went out, it was still Foster in the lead, but now it was Simon Hardy sitting in second, ready to make his move. But in the end it was Foster who powered away to take the victory, from Michael Shepherd and Aaron Hodgson, who both managed to pass Hardy on the same lap.

It was Jamie Gaskin who would take the “battle of the youth” – with Bramwell King and Andrew Vincent just behind him. Graeme Lett would hold on to his 11th position, securing an impressive 6 position advance over the duration of the race.

With 2 rounds gone already, it’s on to 2010 and the “New Year’s Thunder” at TaupoRaceway Park. Michael Shepherd already has a decent lead in the championship, but can young guns Hodgson, Hellier and Vincent close in and challenge one of the most successful drivers in the history of the class? Come down to Taupo Raceway Park on the 2nd/3rd of January to find out.