Round 7 Report: CARnival Carnage see Battle for Championship Heating up again!

MORE HOT ACTION IN THE WAIKATO AT THE PENULTIMATE ROUND OF THE 2014/15 SEASON, RED FLAGS AND SAFETY CARS FEATURE AGAIN

After a three week break the Vortex Racewear Formula First Championship season returned to Hampton Downs in the Waikato for the penultimate round of the 2014/15 season.

Heading into this round Palmerston North’s Bramwell King held a slender 24 point lead over second placed Michael Shepherd and judging by the previous two rounds at Manfeild close wheel to wheel action was guaranteed as the Championship nears its finale with several drivers still in the hunt for season’s top honours.

Qualifying on Saturday would produce close times again with only a second covering the top eight. As the session ended Michael Shepherd would top the time sheets with a 1:20.394 ahead of Brody McConkey, Brook Reeve, and Ryan Hellier. Fifth was a returning Arran Crighton back after engine failure saw him miss the last two rounds. Sixth was Jacob Smith who only managed 3 laps before pitting with a broken rocker cover stud, 7th was Championship leader Bramwell King who struggled to get a clear lap ahead of Ian Foster, Bob Dillow, Robert Steven and Elliot Andrew also struggling without a clean lap and oil on track. Twelve was Ron Carter ahead of Nik Pervan, Michael Neville (returning to run a Sabre after some time away from the class). Next was Amy Smith in 15th ahead of Dave Scammell, Matt Podjursky, Liam Foster and Alex Hawley.

Race 1

A late afternoon start to Race 1 gave several teams that had suffered problems during qualifying time to repair their cars and a full grid of 19 left pit lane to cars face the starter. As they approached their grids though Ian Fosters car headed down pit lane with an oil leak to retire.

The lights went out and the field roared down into turn 1 and out of sight, as they crested the rise to complete lap 1 Michael Shepherd led Brody McConkey from Brook Reeve, Arran Crighton, Ryan Hellier, Bramwell King, Jacob Smith, Bob Dillow, Elliot Andrew, Michael Neville, Robert Steven, Ron Carter, Dave Scammell, Nik Pervan, Amy Smith, Matt Podjursky, Liam Foster and Alex Hawley.

Lap three would see Liam Foster off at the Hairpin as a repeat of throttle jamming issues from Manfeild returned this time luckily he was able to re-join and head for the pits without any damage.

Michael Shepherd would control the race and lead every lap to the flag from Brody McConkey as close battles down through the lead pack allowed the front two to get a slight gap. Third would go to Brook Reeve having another strong drive to just hold out charging Bramwell King who had started 7th. Fifth would go to Ryan Hellier from Arran Crighton and Jacob Smith. A gap then followed back to Elliot Andrew in eighth ahead of Bob Dillow, Dave Scammell, Ron Carter, Robert Steven, Michael Neville, Matt Podjursky, Amy Smith, Nik Pervan and Alex Hawley.

DNF Ian Foster (Mechanical).

Fastest lap went to Bramwell King with a 1:20.239

Race 2

Sunday morning dawned fine and warm with predicted showers staying away but the field would encounter a slippery track for other reasons.

The drivers headed onto the track for race 2 with the Sabre of Brook Reeve firing up at the last possible moment after a mystery misfire on the dummy grid cleared just in time! The start was messy and the lights went out before Brook Reeve had stopped in his grid box meaning a red flag and full restart. The second restart was equally messy with Nik Pervan, Amy Smith & Liam Foster all penalised for jump starts and the field had barely gone a few hundred metres when Ian Fosters car belched oil due to a blown rocker cover gasket resulting in numerous cars going off behind him, unfortunately the cars of Michael Neville and Ron Carter would touch sending the Sabre of Neville airborne and into the barrier ended the race and the weekend for both car and driver, Carters car would retire also with front suspension damage and the cars of Dave Scammell and Bob Dillow would also suffer minor damage. The race was stopped for some time as the car of Neville was recovered; luckily Michael was ok apart from a stiff neck however the car wasn’t so good!

The third restart saw a clean get away finally but Michael Shepherd then slowed on the back of the circuit with a mechanical problem and dropped to 9th. Bramwell King made the most of the pack slowing behind Shepherd and pulled out a sizeable gap from the chasing pack. The race saw plenty of position changes in the main pack as drivers again fought for points mindful of races running out in the battle to claim final championship positions. King would hold on to claim the win from an impressive Michael Shepherd who recovered to pass numerous cars on the final laps to salvage second place, third was Hellier from McConkey, Elliot Andrew, Jacob Smith, Ian Foster, Brook Reeve, Arran Crighton, Dave Scammell, Bob Dillow, Matt Podjursky, Robert Steven, Amy Smith, Liam Foster, Nik Pervan & Alex Hawley.

DNF’s Ron Carter & Michael Neville (Accident).

Fastest lap went to Michael Shepherd with a 1:21.193

Race 3

With the field missing the cars of Michael Neville and Ron Carter the drivers paraded around on the warm up lap only for Liam Foster to retire before the start.

The lights went out and the field got away well but as the leaders screamed across the start line to complete lap 2 the Safety car board and flags came out as Alex Hawley was beached in the turn 4 gravel trap, the drivers bunched up again as the rescue marshals retrieved Hawley’s car. As the Safety car pulled into pit lane Shepherd led from King, Reeve, McConkey, Crighton, Hellier, Andrew, Ian Foster, Jacob Smith, Robert Steven, Dave Scammell, Amy Smith, Nik Pervan, Matt Podjursky and a recovering Bob Dillow who was caught out on oil in turn 1 at the restart and spun. Ian Foster would retire on lap 4 as oil leak issues reappeared.

Again Shepherd and King would battle for the lead with the pack snapping at their heals with numerous position changes each lap however as the flag fell to end the final race of the weekend it would be Shepherd from King and Brook Reeve (who claimed the Rookie title for the season this weekend with an unassailable 247 point lead) third, fourth was McConkey from Hellier, Crighton, Andrew, Jacob Smith then Robert Steven having a great drive in 9th. Tenth was Dave Scammell ahead of Nik Pervan, Amy Smith, Bob Dillow and Matt Podjursky.

DNS Ron Carter, Michael Neville, Liam Foster

DNF Alex Hawley (Accident), Ian Foster (mechanical).

Fastest lap went to Brody McConkey with a 1:20.408.

Top Ten for the weekend were;

1: Michael Shepherd 217

2: Bramwell King 196

3: Brody McConkey 175

4: Brook Reeve 159

5: Ryan Hellier 158

6: Elliot Andrew 130

7=: Jacob Smith 126

7=: Arran Crighton 126

9: Dave Scammell 99

10: Bob Dillow 92

The championship now heads to Taupo Motorsport Park for the finale of the season at Easter weekend with the top spot still up for grabs. Bramwell King holds a 3 point Championship lead from Michael Shepherd, Ryan Hellier holds on to third place by 82 points from Brody McConkey, fifth is new Rookie Champion Brook Reeve 88 points ahead of Jacob Smith in sixth.

Get along to Taupo if you’re in the area as this weekend could be one to remember, who will be our seasons champion and who will fill the minor placings in one of the most closely fought seasons in recent history?