Round 8 Report: Shepherd Takes Championship!

THE CHAMPIONSHIP GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE AT EASTER FINALE IN TAUPO

SHEPHERD CROWNED 2014/15 NATIONAL CHAMPION

The 2014-15 Vortex Racewear Formula First Championship season had come down to its final round at the Taupo Motorsport Park and although the Rookie title had been decided at Hampton Downs the seasons National Champion was still to be decided, the Twilights Trophy was also still up for grabs and the minor placings too were all still very close with many close battles in the field a testament to one of the most hotly contested seasons in memory.

Qualifying on Saturday morning would see 18 cars on track for the last qualifying session of the season.

Ryan Hellier carrying on his pace from Fridays testing would claim pole for this round with a quick 1:49.832 ahead of series leader Bramwell King who was keen to stamp his mark on the round and try to claim his first National title. Third was Brody McConkey ahead of ScorpionRaceCars Elliot Andrew and Michael Shepherd in fifth. 2014/15 series Rookie Champion Brook Reeve was next in sixth just ahead of Auckland’s Jacob Smith in seventh and rookie Matt Podjursky who with engine improvements found himself in the top ten for the first time in eighth. Taupo local Craig Greenwood was next in ninth ahead of Ian Foster, Arran Crighton, Ron Carter, Liam Foster, Bob Dillow, Amy Smith, Nik Pervan, Dave Scammell and Alex Hawley.

Race 1

As the cars rolled out of pit lane the crowd lined the viewing platforms to watch the first of three races that would decide the 2014/15 Championship, would it go down to the last race to find the new Champion? Lights out and the field raced into turn one to begin the first of six laps around the 3.3km long circuit. The early lead was held by championship hopeful Bramwell King from Ryan Hellier and Michael Shepherd, the front group though as usual in a close freight train around the circuit. Michael Shepherd made his presence felt by leading lap 3 then he and Hellier would swap the lead as King sat closely behind waiting his chance to pounce. Contact between Brook Reeve and Elliot Andrew in the chicane would see the Flouro orange car of Andrew spin to recover in tenth and Reeves car eventually retire with steering damage two laps from the end. The last lap back straight drag race and braking heroics into the final chicane would see Hellier take the win ahead of Michael Shepherd, King, and McConkey then a slight gap back to the chasing pack of Craig Greenwood, Ian Foster, Jacob Smith, Arran Crighton and Elliot Andrew. Bob Dillow was next in tenth ahead of Matt Podjursky, Liam Foster, Nik Pervan, Amy Smith, Ron Carter, Dave Scammell and Alex Hawley.

DNF to Brook Reeve

Fastest lap would go to Michael Shepherd with a 1:50.759

This result saw Michael Shepherd take the Championship lead back by a very small margin so it was all on for the final two races to come on Sunday.

Race 2

Sunday Morning dawned wet a rare sight this season as all races so far had been in dry or drying conditions and few teams had even run wet setups all season. Conditions started to ease and as the teams arrived at the track the sun came out however there was no drying wind and the track condition was tricky, wets or dry’s was the dilemma for everyone especially the series leaders as the wrong decision could be very costly!!

As the teams were called to their cars the majority of the field chose to stay on dry tires as patches of drying track were now visible. The lights went out and the field left their grids the cars on dry tires struggling to get the right about of power down to avoid wheel spin on the damp track. The field made their way around the first lap carefully testing each corner for grip at race pace, Bramwell King emerged from the spray of the back straight and chicane to lead lap one from Ryan Hellier and Michael Shepherd, Brody McConkey was fourth across the line followed by Elliot Andrew, Ian Foster, Brook Reeve, Craig Greenwood, Jacob Smith and Bob Dillow rounding out the top ten. As the race progressed it was clear the drivers that had chosen wet tires had made the right call as the others struggled on a track that refused to dry quickly enough to provide the grip they needed especially out of the turns. Michael Shepherd led lap two from Bramwell King and Ryan Hellier, Shepherd was clearly comfortable with the grip levels and starting to ease a gap from the pack. Bramwell King and Ryan Hellier kept in touch though until Kings Championship challenge ended in the most cruel way when a steering arm failed with two laps to go, he would limp around the circuit and back to the pits but would be classified as a non-finisher handing the title to Michael Shepherd for the sixth time in his career an awesome effort after some time away from the track.

At the flag Michael Shepherd would take a comfortable win by six seconds from Ryan Hellier and Brook Reeve the newly crowned Rookie Champ benefitting from Kings demise to claim another podium finish. Taupo local Craig Greenwood would record a season high fourth showing his track knowledge to good effect on the tricky surface. Elliot Andrew was next in fifth ahead of Brody McConkey, Ian Foster, Jacob Smith, Arran Crighton and Liam Foster in tenth. Nik Pervan came home eleventh ahead of Ron Carter, Bob Dillow, Dave Scammell, Matt Podjursky, Amy Smith and Alex Hawley.

DNF to Bramwell King (mechanical failure).

Fastest lap went to Michael Shepherd with a 2:02.438.

Race 3

With the series Champion now decided the final race of the season would be one for bragging rights but to also finalise the minor placings that were still up for grabs and to also find the Twilight champion that was still close between Feilding’s Bob Dillow and Auckland’s Ian Foster the latter have clawed back a deficit in the previous races to now lead the Twilight series standings narrowly.

The race took on a familiar look in the opening laps with the lead pack in a big train down the straights as the field sorted themselves out. Ryan Hellier would lead lap one from Bramwell King and Michael Shepherd, Brook Reeve would cross fourth ahead of Brody McConkey, Elliott Andrew, Ian Foster, Matt Podjursky, Arran Crighton and Craig Greenwood in tenth, Jacob Smith in eleventh followed by Ron Carter, Nik Pervan, Liam Foster, Amy Smith, Dave Scammell, Alex Hawley and recovering from a spin Bob Dillow.

King would lead across the line on lap two but behind Brody McConkey would end up in the gravel trap when an argument over track position didn’t go his way his car being recovered though before the need for a safety car. Michael Shepherd led laps three and four before Ryan Hellier took the lead with two to go. At the flag it would be Ryan Hellier taking the final win of the season ahead of rookie Brook Reeve, Michael Shepherd would fill the final podium spot in third ahead of season runner-up Bramwell King in fourth. Fifth went to ScorpionRaceCars driver and rookie runner-up Elliot Andrew, sixth went to Ian Foster who also claimed the Twilight title for the year. Craig Greenwood would finish seventh ahead of Jacob Smith who just held on for eighth his car suffering with a broken rear suspension trailing arm ahead of Arran Crighton, Matt Podjursky, Amy Smith, Nik Pervan, Ron Carter, Liam Foster, Bob Dillow, Dave Scammell, Alex Hawley and a recovering Brody McConkey.

Fastest lap went to Ryan Hellier with a 1:50.394

Top Ten for the weekend were:

1: Ryan Hellier 217

2: Michael Shepherd 202

3: Craig Greenwood 145

4: Elliot Andrew 134

5: Ian Foster 132

6: Brook Reeve 127

7: Jacob Smith 120

8: Brody McConkey 115

9: Bramwell King 114

10: Arran Crighton 111

Vortex Racewear 2014/15 Championship seasons top 10:

1: Michael Shepherd 1559

2: Bramwell King 1474

3: Ryan Hellier 1355

4: Brody McConkey 1171

5: Brook Reeve 1160 (Rookie)

6: Jacob Smith 1065

7: Elliot Andrew 920 (Rookie)

8: Ian Foster 731

9: Bob Dillow 713

10: Dave Scammell 655

For a full list of this season’s final points standings see the 2014/15 Season page.