Attention sporting editor
Hydraulink Racing Team Press Release:
For immediate release: 7th March 2007.
Double victory chase for Hydraulink's Besnard
Hydraulink Racing Team driver David Besnard has dual-class victory on his mind for this weekend's round of summer-series
race action.
Held at the world's most southern race venue, the 2.62km circuit on the outskirts of Invercargill will see the
Gold-Coast based driver contest two classes of race car - and the New Zealand Grand Prix.
This weekend's penultimate round of the NZV8s season will be a three-fold test as he not only has to learn a new
circuit, but races the #48 Hydraulink Ford and #72 Toyota Racing Series car.
With a podium result from the previous NZV8s weekend at Timaru, Besnard was rueing missing an outright win when he was
punted from the track.
"If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all," joked the 30-year old Besnard after the Sunday of racing.
A week between race weekends, the Hydraulink Racing Team crew have had only to attend to minor panel scuffs and a
check-over of essential components before arriving in Invercargill. With a freshly installed windscreen, the outlook by
Besnard is buoyant.
"I mean you come all this way and you just have to keep going don't you. We're about being best under pressure; the crew
and team are just working so well that it's only fair things swing our way."
As well as getting the #48 Hydraulink Ford back to the front of the championship, Besnard has his sights set on being at
the front of the New Zealand Grand Prix field come Sunday afternoon.
Joining fellow Australian Leanne Tander in a two-car Toyota team, Besnard will take the Hydraulink name along with the
#72 car number of the late Ashley Stichbury to the race.
Having never driven a wings and slicks car since his CHAMP car debut in 2004, Besnard is coy about his chances: "I came
over here to win races, so for me this is just another opportunity. With no testing I guess it's about as big a
challenge as you can get - but it's worth a shot."
With precious time between the NZV8 and TRS races, Besnard is hoping for a fine weekend - to at least let his overalls
dry between races.
Arriving in Invercargill on Wednesday, Besnard starts preparations with a seat fitting for the #72 TRS car before he
gets to test it proper on Friday morning. As well as that he has to run the Hydraulink Ford to ensure it is dialled in
for Saturday morning qualifying.
The action proper starts on Saturday afternoon with a 12-lap race in the Ford, before immediately jumping in to the
Toyota for his maiden 10-lap race.
Sunday is equally as frenetic, with the 16-lap NZV8 race in the morning and an immediate 10-lap Toyota race straight
afterward. That is followed by the full-reverse grid 20-lap NZV8 race early in the afternoon and the feature 40-lap New
Zealand Grand Prix race from 4pm.
Ends.
Parker ENZED NZV8s Championship - Round 5, Timaru
Provisional points after Round 5 (revised)
1, John McIntyre, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 771
2, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Holden Commodore, 761
3, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 706
4, David Besnard, Gold Coast AUS, Ford Falcon, 668
5, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 580
6, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon, 476
7, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 474
8, Luke Youlden, Melbourne AUS, Ford Falcon, 448
9, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 443
10, Paul Manuell, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore, 436
11, Pete Roberts, Taupo, Ford Falcon, 364
12, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 356
13, Darryn Henderson, Wellington, Holden Commodore, 353
14, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon, 344
15, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore, 330
16, Cameron McLean, Brisbane AUS, Ford Falcon, 324
17, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore, 318
18, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 315
19, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon, 303
20, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon, 294
21, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 221
22, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 181
23, Ian Tulloch, Mataura, Ford Falcon, 174
24, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon, 148
25, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore, 146
26, Dale Lambert, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 137
27, Gene Rollinson, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 124
28, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon, 106
29, Ian Spurle, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 101
30, Colin Corkery, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 92
31, Julia Huzziff, New Plymouth, Holden Commodore, 42
32, Shaun Richardson, Te Kauwhata, Holden Commodore, -42
2006/2007 NZV8s Championship Calendar
Round 1: 3 - 5 November 2006, Pukekohe Park, Auckland
Round 2: 24 - 26 November 2006, Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Christchurch
Round 3: 19 - 21 January 2007, Taupo Motorsport Centre, Taupo
Round 4: 16 - 18 February 2007, Manfeild Autocourse, Feilding
Round 5: 2 - 4 March 2007, Timaru International Motor Raceway, Timaru
Round 6: 9 - 11 March 2007, Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 7: 20 - 22 April 2007, Pukekohe Park, Auckland
Ends