COCKERTON WINS THE BATTLE AS SHEPHERD GOES BACK TO BACK

Just weeks after a dramatic round at Manfeild Park, the Vortex NZ Formula First championship headed to the fabled Hampton Downs Motorsport Park. For one driver, the aspiration of going back to back was quickly becoming a reality. Championship leader Rowan Shepherd would be just a few consistent runs away from completing the rare feat in the Formula First class.

After setting blistering times during Free Practise on the Friday, it was anyone’s guess among the top three title contenders as to who would take the pole position come Saturday morning. After the 20 minute session, it would be the Scorpion Racecars/Safety Step machine of Taylor Cockerton who would stop the clocks at a 1.20.086, just under four tenths faster than his nearest competitor, Rowan Shepherd.

Third on the grid would go to the resurgent David Ruthven, regaining the form that took him to his inaugural victory last time at Hampton Downs – with Cory Holmes and Ryan Hellier rounding out the top five, just under three hundredths separating the two.

The first race of the weekend was set up to be a thriller, with four championship front runners on the first two rows. But the Safety Step/Scorpion Racecars driver, Taylor Cockerton, had other plans. After making the pass for the lead on the INOV8 machine of Rowan Shepherd during the opening lap, the eight lap race was all Taylor Cockerton.

The sixteen year old would drive away from the field, to complete the race in dominant fashion – with the fastest lap as well as a winning margin of just under eight seconds.

The battle for second was another matter altogether, as the 1NZ, 46 of David Ruthven and the rising star of the Vortex Formula First championship, Arran Crighton, would fight it out over the eight lap event. Crighton started the inaugural race back in seventh spot, but a mega opening lap would see the kart star fighting it out with the elite of the Formula First field.

In the end though, it would be the 1NZ INOV8 machine of Rowan Shepherd who would move one step closer to his second straight title, holding off Ruthven and Crighton for a second place finish, mere hundredths ahead of the 46 and 66 machines.

Fifth would go to the former 2NZ of Ryan Hellier, just five tenths behind the first four, whilst the 6 Ardex/All Subaru Partsworld ScorpionRacecars chassis of Cory Holmes would have to fight his way back from an opening lap incident to make the top six. He would hold off the Speedsport scholarship winner of James Webb as well as Oliver Gordon, Ian Foster and Chris Symon – who rounded out the top ten. Brody McConkey would not be far behind Symon in eleventh, with the duo of Ron Carter and Bob Dillow reigniting the rivalry, finishing just over a tenth of a second apart.

Nik Pervan and Liam Foster would round out the finishers, with Faine Kahia would make a spectacular exit early on, going over the wheel of another competitor.

Sunday’s first race was almost a mirror image of the previous event, as the Safety Step Scorpion Racecars machine of Taylor Cockerton would manage to power away early on, leaving the INOV8 machine of Rowan Shepherd to contend with the chasing David Ruthven, Cory Holmes and Ryan Hellier.

Cockerton would complete the race over five seconds ahead of the field, giving a hint at what just could have been for the Aucklander if it wasn’t for incidents out of his control during the ‘13/’14 season. The battle for second was your classic Vortex Formula First brawl, as a four car showdown would ensue for the majority of the eight lap event.

Crossing the line for the chequered flag though, it was Cory Holmes in the Ardex/All Subaru Partsworld Scorpionracecars chassis taking second, with his car just inches ahead of the three other contenders in a four-wide finish. Just under three hundredths behind him was the INOV8 machine of Rowan Shepherd, with Ryan Hellier and David Ruthven all within two tenths of a second of each other in the end.

Oliver Gordon would cross the line in sixth overall, with Brody McConkey and Arran Crighton just behind. Chris Symon would be the third of the rookies to finish, with team mates James Webb and Faine Kahia following close. Ron Carter would sit just two hundredths behind Kahia over the line, beating out Bob Dillow to go 2-0 in their personal showdown for the weekend.

Nik Pervan would continue to build consistency in his return to the Vortex Formula First class, with Liam Foster following suit.

With one race to go in the weekend, all that was needed for Rowan Shepherd to retain his title was a decent finish, something that had been the backbone his 2013/14 campaign.

As the lights went out, it was the duel at the front between the 1NZ and the 11 machine of Taylor Cockerton that would draw the focus of many. The two would fight it out over the first few laps, with Shepherd fighting to hold onto the draft of the 11 Safety Step Scorpion Racecars machine, but in the end it would be in vein. Cockerton could be seen inching away, leaving Shepherd once again to hold off the field. This time around, Shepherd could retain a decent gap over the following pack, just enough to witness Cockerton crossing the line; six seconds ahead.

But in the end, it wouldn’t matter, as second place would be enough for Rowan Shepherd and the Michael Shepherd Racing team to retain their title for 2013/14 - giving them a mega total of seven championships overall. Going back-to-back is no easy feat in any championship, but with the competitiveness of the Vortex Formula First series it has to be one of more impressive accomplishments in anyone’s career.

"[We’re] really happy with the championship win and although we were suffering this weekend with handling issues we have done enough to take out the championship which is great. We have had a reliable car all season and we have finished every race in the points which is the key" explained an ecstatic Shepherd following race three.

Meanwhile, with the number one spot sealed for another season, the two and three plates are still going to go down to the wire, as the machine of Cory Holmes would take the final podium spot in race three, giving him a 72 point advantage rolling into the Taupo Finale. In reality, second to fifth has a legitimate chance at scoring the number two plate for 2014/15 and one small mistake could cost them.

Be sure to head to Taupo Motorsport Park for the grand finale, Easter weekend.

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