KYLE GEORGE CLAIMS ROUND FOUR @ THUNDER IN THE PARK

In a weekend dominated by cubic inches and big horsepower, it was the insanely close racing of the formula first class that got the attention of the thousands in attendance this past weekend at “Thunder in the Park” 2010.

After a dominant display in qualifying, Kyle George looked set to power his way to victory through the weekend. But as it turns out, it wouldn’t be that easy - as George, championship contender Ryan Hellier and current title holder Michael Shepherd resumed their season-long battle at the front during race one.

In the end, it would be the Spectrum Architectural metals/WSS Security Challenge of Kyle George who would lead from the hairpin to the checkered flag, to take the first race honors. Only a miniscule 0.087 seconds infront of Ryan Hellier.

Sunday’s first race saw possibly one of the most frantic finishes in recent memory, as the race was practically an eight-car duel for the victory during the closing laps. After epic drafting contests among the competitors during the event, it all came down to the last time around the hairpin at Pukekohe.

Drama ensued as the bright red machine of George tried to hold back on the lead, to get the slingshot over the hill, which saw him collide with scorpionracecars team-mate Matt Higham, which lead Higham to ‘modify’ the masterpiece of a diffuser that sat on the rear of the 46 of Dave Ruthven. But fortunately for Ruthven, this left him inches behind the two leading machines of Shepherd and Hellier.

The trio powered over the hill, wheel to wheel, just infront of the remaining five. At the line, with just nosecone in it, Ryan Hellier would take the victory - 0.015 infront of Shepherd and merely 0.084 in front of Ruthven. Fellow championship contender Kyle George would end up in fourth, with Scholarship winner Pederson in fifth overall respectively.

Further in the pack an incident occurred involving the talented driver from Palmerston North, Bramwell King. The 15 year old was taken to Auckland’s Middlemore hospital for a check-over, and thankfully released later on in the day.

The final race of the round was for all intents and purposes, a repeat of race 2 - minus the final lap diffuser busting antics. This time round though, George didn’t hold back coming out of the hairpin, powering out of the turn, towing Shepherd and Hellier along with him.

They would go two-wide across the line, but it would be Kyle George who would take the victory and the round win by a single point. Hellier would finish third, 0.1 behind the duo, with Michael Scott showing some form in fourth overall.

With the next round not until the 23rd of January, will this break be advantageous to the challengers to the one of the most triumphant drivers in the NZ Formula First history? Have a great holiday season, and then come to Pukekohe Park Raceway to find out!