VORTEX FORMULA FIRST STEALS THE SHOW @ NZ MOTOR CUP. RD4 REPORT

Vortex Formula First steals the show @ NZ Motor Cup. RD4 Report.

In a weekend that saw NZ’s premier open wheel categories all situated in one spot, it was the entry level Formula First class that would put on some of the most spectacular racing seen in recent history.

The race weekend kicked off with the usual Friday practice sessions. With astronomical track temps the norm throughout the event and with the addition of the high G final corner, the mighty 1200cc machines were to be pushed to their limits the entire event.

Qualifying saw the championship contenders take over the first two rows, with 1NZ Rowan Shepherd taking P1. Manurewa’s David Ruthven would put in a flyer to take the second spot, with Cory Holmes and Taylor Cockerton taking P3 and P4 respectively. Brody McConkey, Ian Foster, Chris Symon, James Webb, Oliver Gordon and Jacob Smith would fill out the ten.

Race 1

With mere tenths separating the top dozen in qualifying, the anxiety levels were high as the lights went out for race one. After a frantic first lap, the top three could be seen pulling a margin on the chasing field. Cockerton, Ruthven and Shepherd would then proceed to enthral the crowd with millimeter perfect drafting manoeuvres throughout the race. But as always, it’s the final lap that counts and crucially for blue machine of David Ruthven, it would be a case of so close yet so far. Running through the gears out of the hairpin for the final time, Rutvhen would hit fourth, only for it to pop out at the most inopportune time, giving the chasing Shepherd and Cockerton a chance to take advantage.

Take advantage they did, as Shepherd would take the win by a measly six hundredths of a second from Taylor Cockerton – with a frustrated Ruthven claiming the three spot. The rest of the field would be led by a storming drive by Oliver Gordon, powering his way from ninth place on the grid to take fourth overall. 2013/14 sensation, Cory Holmes would have to settle for fifth place with rookie Faine Kahia taking P6. Another standout rookie this year is the Junior Drag ace Brody McConkey, who would fall from fifth to take seventh overall respectively.

Auckland’s Jacob Smith would take P8, with Arran Crighton spectacularly taking the ninth place. The former karter put on a show into turn one every lap through the weekend, pushing his Alvee to the absolute limit right through the weekend.

The top ten was filled by series stalwart Bramwell King, moving up from his 13th place start, with Formula First President Ian Foster taking the eleventh spot after falling back from a first lap lockup and collision with Speedsport Scholarship winner James Webb. Webb would not be able to make it back as easily, finishing in 14th overall respectively. Foster didn’t run a solo race though, as a group including Dave Scammell and Bob Dillow would see some of the more intense battles for eleventh you will see this season. In the end, it was two hundredths of a second that separated 11 and 12, with Dillow just six hundredths behind. Unfortunately the circuit would claim its first victim, as Ron Carter would pull out of the event due to the oil in his Formula First wanting to leave its designated area for the catch tanks rather quickly.

Race 2

The second day of the event would continue the theme of epic performances in the Vortex Formula First class, with race two ending in a result that has been a long time coming.

The race would proceed as previous, as the top three would take advantage of the intense race action behind them to pull a gap early on, leaving them to duel to the end. This time around though, current NZ champ Rowan Shepherd would take the lead with two to go, giving both Taylor Cockerton and David Ruthven a sniff at a potential victory. As the final lap commenced, it was Ruthven who would take the initiative, holding back until the final sweeping corner to make his move.

It would pay off for the kid from Manurewa, drafting past Shepherd to take his inaugural Vortex Formula First victory by four hundredths of a second. "We’re super happy to get the first win under our belt. We went home yesterday thinking what could have been so it’s great to know that we can do it. We managed to pull away from Taylor (Cockerton) a bit on the last lap and that was just enough to battle it out with Rowan on the line. It was close but we got it." Ruthven later explained.

I don’t know about you, but I still remember a fresh faced kid with a heavy ‘murican accent rolling round the back of the field in the immaculately prepared and mighty Piranha chassis, slowly reigning in the skills and knowledge to put a campaign together. So after few years and all the hard work and dedication to the sport, to see a race victory for the Dave ‘n’ Ray Racing team in 2014 is a great accomplishment that was celebrated by all involved.

The third spot would go to the aforementioned Cockerton, with a pack of four fighting it out to the line for the fourth place finish, which would go to Cory Holmes. Oliver Gordon would be nine hundredths behind him, with Chris Symon and Foster mere hundredths off the fifth spot.

The youth brigade of Brody McConkey, Bramwell King and Jacob Smith would round out the top ten, with Webb, Scammell, Crighton, Dillow and Kahia ending the list of finishers for race two.

Race 3

The final race of the round, held in track temps of 35+ degrees Celsius, would go down as one for the ages and leave trackside commentators stunned.

As the field headed round the Hampton Downs motorsport park circuit for the first time, a rare error from championship points leader Rowan Shepherd would see him lock up under brakes and onto the grass. This allowed the entire field an opportunity to fly past the champ, practically handing the round victory to the new leader, David Ruthven. Or at least that’s what many thought.

What was to happen next is rarely seen, as although the 1NZ INOV8 machine was over seven seconds behind the leader at the back of the field – Rowan Shepherd began to make inroads. As much of the field was battling away, Shepherd would simply use that to his advantage, gaining mega two car drafts on his way past, sitting in sixth place overall with four laps to go.

With pace to burn, the real challenge would be overtaking the next four cars, all fighting for championship contention. Once again, that was the general consensus as, in what had to be the manoeuvre of the weekend, Shepherd would go around the outside of both Oliver Gordon and Cory Holmes in turn one – leaving just two cars to go.

Going into the final lap, with the track side commentators salivating at the potential of seeing something unprecedented, it was down to three drivers for the win – Taylor Cockerton, David Ruthven and Rowan Shepherd. Coming out of the hairpin for the last time, it was Shepherd in the superior position – far enough behind the leading 46 machine of Ruthven to pull a draft coming onto the final straight. As they drag raced their way to the line, it would be Rowan Shepherd taking the victory by a mere four thousandths of a second, with the commentators calling it the race of the weekend. Ruthven would take second, with Cockerton in third.

Waiuku’s Cory Holmes would take the battle between himself and Oliver Gordon, finishing in fourth overall, with Chris Symon finishing in sixth. Fellow rookie Brody McConkey would finish an impressive weekend with seventh spot, ahead of Webb, King and Jacob Smith.

Dave Scammell, Faine Kahia and Bob Dillow would end the list of finishers, as Formula First President Ian Foster would end the weekend on the side of the track with a transmission breakage – while the spectacular Arran Crighton would not make the finish due to his motor crying enough after five laps.

So with under a week to the New Zealand Grand Prix round at Manfeild Motorsport Park, the top four has some head scratching to do to figure out what will it take to reclaim the number one spot from the all conquering INOV8 team of Rowan Shepherd and co.

Or has the first race win just awoken a monster inside the 46 machine of Dave Ruthven? There’s only one way to find out @ Manfeild Park this coming weekend, 8th/9th of February.

For more info, keep it locked on FormulaFirst.co.nz, or check out facebook.com/NZFormulaFirst #FormulaFirstNZ