HODGSON CLOSES THE GAP @ ROUND 7 - FORMULA FIRST REPORT

After having an unprecedented three-way tie for the event win at the last round of the Weldwell New Zealand Formula First championship, it was onto the penultimate event of the series, at “Thunder in the Dark II” held at Manfeild Park.

Qualifying came down to the wire, as three of the top four drivers set the fastest lap times with at least two laps left in their timed session. In the end it was the returning champion in his Kaeser Compressors/Plummer Pneumatics Challenge, Ian Foster who would take the first position, with Speedsport scholarship winner and the driver second place in the championship - Aaron Hodgson in second overall.

Third went to the points leader Michael Shepherd, with Andrew Vincent and Jamie Gaskin making up the top five positions which were separated by merely eight tenths of a second.

Race 1

As the first race of the weekend began, the top five seemed to have an advantage over the initial laps, as they pulled away from the rest of the field. From then on, the top three fought it out amongst each other, as championship leader Michael Shepherd in the Inov8/Go Rentals challenge patiently waited in fourth to capitalize on any errors.

In a constant drafting battle synonymous with Weldwell New Zealand Formula First racing, the lead would change various times over the event, creating a spectacle very few can replicate.

As the laps counted down, the yellow 33 machine of Dave Scammell would end up beached on the last turn before the main straight, causing local a yellow - which would set the scene for an intense last lap that would set the benchmark for the weekend.

As the top five entered the long back straight for the last time, it was evident they would catch the ailing E.R.L Alvee of Graeme Lett, who was driving for critical points in his own championship campaign.

The five lead cars would enter the local yellow zone inches apart, waiting for the moment to make their race winning move. Just as they passed the zone, Foster - who was leading at the time - would miss-shift at a crucial point, causing havoc for the following cars – spreading the field out three wide on their way to the line.

But it would be Aaron Hodgson who would take the win, storming down the inside of both Foster and Vincent to cross the line first by only 0.057 seconds. Foster would end up second, with the Dodson’s Autospares/Squawking Magpie Wines machine of Andrew Vincent gaining third. Shepherd would take a hit on his championship lead finishing in fourth – with Jamie Gaskin in the LascomNZ/Macbuilt engineering machine in fifth overall, just one second behind the Speedsport Scholarship driver.

Race 2

Sunday brought cooler temperatures for the first race of the day, which started with Foster leading the pack. It looked as if the race would mirror the previous day’s events, until about half way through, when Ian Foster seemed to have his own way, from falling to fourth and firing back to the lead – to pulling a small margin when he wanted. That was until the final lap, when the chasing pack caught up, and the drafting battle recommenced.

The lead pack continuously jostled for the optimum position for the run out of the final turn onto the front straight, at some stages running two wide through the infield complex.

As they exited “Higgins” for the last time, it was anybody’s race once again - and when they hit the final turn onto the front straight, it was a three wide race, with Foster Shepherd and Hodgson side by side to the line.

By just four hundredths of a second, it would be the Kaeser Compressors Challenge of Ian Foster who would take the victory, from a determined Hodgson – with Shepherd taking a minimal points disadvantage in third.

Race 3

The final race of the round began in a flurry of action, as this time it was the top half of the field which would keep up with the main contenders through the first lap. Unfortunately for Foster this may have been costly, as coming out of the last turn onto the front straight – on the very first lap; he was involved in an incident, causing him to retire from the race.

This left the three championship contenders along with the green machine of Jamie Gaskin to fight it out for the closing race of the weekend for the Weldwell New Zealand Formula First class.

The four would battle it out over the remaining laps, constantly changing the lead virtually every corner. But in the end, the laps counted down – and after leading a majority of the laps, Shepherd would exit the last corner with that sinking feeling, as Aaron Hodgson would drive by at the line to steal the victory.

Not only that, but the Dodson’s Autospares/Squawking Magpie machine of Andrew Vincent also passed the three-time champ across the line, as the top three would only be separated by only one tenth of a second.

As the final round approaches, business has certainly picked up – as Speedsport Scholarship winner Aaron Hodgson has clawed back what seemed to be an insurmountable points tally, to merely sixty seven points to the Inov8/Go Rentals machine of Michael Shepherd.

With a victory securing seventy five points, the final three races of the Weldwell New Zealand Formula First class will showcase the determination, the will and the desire that has been shown throughout the season, throughout the field – all in two days of epic motorsport action at the Grand Finale @ “Easter Thunder 2010” on the 3rd and 4th of April, come and check it out live…