The 2011 season got underway on a weekend of changeable weather conditions. Saturday saw sunshine and a bit of wind, with Sunday really living up to the Icebreaker name with a cold Southerly and rain – so much so, that Race 3 was reduced to 6-laps, and only 5 cars took the starters orders.
Mike Creswell (Lola T342, #7) opened the weekend setting fastest lap in qualifying with a 1:14.643. Taking P2 was Dave Silverton (PRS, #43) on a 1:15.338, with the ever present Tony Cross (Lola T340, #340) setting P3 at 1:15.358.
Race 1 saw Creswell drop back in the first lap, with Silverton driving into the lead for the first three laps. However, Class II driver, Grant Campbell (Swift FB4, #46) soon took over on the 4th lap and wasn’t headed for the rest of the race. Behind Campbell, Silverton and Cross filled out the top three at the line, with Cross only slipping back to third on the last lap.
Race 2, run under wet conditions on the Sunday morning saw lap times drop by around 10-seconds on average. Creswell made for a better start to the race, maintaining the lead through to lap 6 where he dropped four places, falling behind the trio of Campbell, Cross and Silverton, as well as Mike Lee in his Class II Mondiale M86S (#55).
Race 3 turned into a wet weather practice session after a group consensus regarding the heavily deteriorated weather.
Fastest lap for the weekend went to Dave Silverton, outclassing the Class II cars, and taking all four bonus points on offer for the weekend.
The second round of the series now moves to the bumps and divits of Pukekohe Park Raceway on October 8th for a one-day, quick-fire event.
