Zero Fees To Support Leitch In Championship

Zero Fees To Support Leitch In Championship

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Damon Leitch in the Zero Fees Stealth he will drive in the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship - photo courtesy of Advantage Advertising.

MEDIA RELEASE

30 SEPTEMBER 2008

ZERO FEES TO SUPPORT LEITCH IN CHAMPIONSHIP

Zero Fees, the Southern Institute Of Technology's tertiary funding scheme, will support young Invercargill motor racing star Damon Leitch in his campaign to win the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship.

The support comes as the fifteen-year-old Southlander prepares for his second season at national level commencing at the Taupo Motorsport Park from 3-5 October. Leitch will compete at Taupo, the first of seven rounds in this summer's championship, in his new Zero Fees Stealth.

Leitch, a Year 11 student at James Hargest College who is also enrolled for a distance learning automotive programme at the SIT, is excited at the prospect. "I'm very pleased to

have a great southern sponsor to help with the season and I hope it will assist to promote the programmes at the SIT."

Bharat Guha, Corporate Services Manager, SIT say's, “SIT has great pleasure in providing support for Damon Leitch, one of Southlands own and an outstanding SIT student. In a sport in which speed and consistency play a key part, Damon’s skill clearly matches his passion and personality, and his performance on and off the race track mark him as an outstanding individual. SIT are pleased to have Damon as a distance learning automotive student and in 2009 he will come back on campus through STAR, to bring his own

unique drive and skills to the SIT community. SIT are proud to stand with Damon and wish Damon great success in his career on and off track.”

Leitch finished tenth in the championship last season, an outstanding effort at the wheel of an elderly Class 2 Van Diemen. He frequently defeated many of the more advanced Class 1 cars and was the first Class 2 car home in nineteen of the twenty races. His end of season tally made impressive reading as he scored five top ten finishes. A highlight came on the final day of the series when Leitch sealed his best result of the championship, a magnificent fifth place at his home track, Teretonga Park.

Racing legend Ken Smith has taken an interest in the youngster's career and his advice at the beginning of last season was to try and secure a top ten finish in the championship before moving into Class 1 with the aim of a top three placing the following year. A more modern car, a Class 1 Stealth, has been procured for an attack on the overall championship this year. The car is the first Stealth ever built and has been raced by drivers such as Rob Henderson and most recently James Mitchell. The goal is to race competitively in the top three while also seeking Rookie of the Year honours. As he raced in Class 2 last year Leitch is still eligible for that title.

Leitch is looking forward to the season and say's it should be easier this year. "Dad and I learnt a lot last year and knowing the tracks this time around will be a big advantage."

Damon's campaign in the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship is supported by Zero Fees, EH Ball ITM Building Supplies, Ray White Real Estate,Toll Tranz Link, BNT, Kingsford-Smith Motor Painting Ltd, Advantage Advertising, Caltex Invercargill Oil Shop, Turntru Machining, Discount Tyres, PPG, Trade Tools, Teng Tools, Collingwood Foodcentre, Macaulay Ford, Courtesy Ford South Auckland, Howard Anderson Upholstery, Laker House Of Travel, Print & Copy, Office Shop, the Bell Booth Group, C Rothbury and Leitch Motorsport.

After the opening round at Taupo, Leitch and the Zero Fees Stealth will contest further rounds of the series at Pukekohe and Powerbuilt Tools Raceway in Christchurch prior to Christmas. The championship then moves to Timaru and Invercargill's Teretonga Park in January before the final two rounds at Manfeild Park in Feilding and the new Hampton Downs track at Meremere south of Auckland.

ENDS

CALENDAR 2008/2009 MTA FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP

Round 1 - 3-5 October 2008: Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo

Round 2 - 7-9 November 2008: Pukekohe Park Raceway, Auckland

Round 3 - 28-30 November 2008: Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch

Round 4 - 9-11 January 2009: Timaru International Motor Raceway, Timaru

Round 5 - 16-18 January 2009: Teretonga Park, Invercargill

Round 6 - 27 February - 1 March 2009: Manfeild Park, Feilding

Round 7 - 20-22 March 2009: Hampton Downs, Meremere