Biggest Day Of V8 Utes Season Tomorrow

Biggest Day Of V8 Utes Season Tomorrow

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the biggest day of the season for competitors in the 2008/2009 ENZED V8 Utes Series. After five rounds throughout the country since last November the new champion will be decided at the country's southernmost circuit, Teretonga Park near Invercargill, tomorrow as the final four races of the series are fought out. Spectators are guaranteed to be treated to a truly exciting conclusion to the championship.

Defending champion Matt Lockwood (The Phantom), originally of Palmerston North but now resident in Auckland, has led the series since the opening round, but that lead has been cut to just one point as competitors ready themselves for the finale. Lockwood won last year's series in his Sola H2O Holden after leading throughout the series but momentum is currently with Caine Lobb, 'The Ginja Ninja' of Whangarei. Lobb has won seven of the last eight races in his Mark Cromie Holden. Other leading competitors from throughout the series have been Mack 'BOMBA' Peach in The Barn Company Holden and Simon Beirne 'Jnr Burner' in his Team McDonald's Falcon. Beirne was the round winner at Teretonga last year and in testing at the circuit this afternoon he unofficially dipped into the 1 minute 9 second mark, believed to be the only competitor to do so.

Fourteen utes have entered the final round of the series with successful kiwi international star Chris Pither of Palmerston North making his series debut in the Cairns Bins Falcon. Craig 'Paddy' Paterson of Dunedin who is currently fifth in the championship upholds southern pride in the BP2GO Falcon.

Others on the grid tomorrow include Graham Beirne and Frank Van Shaijik of Christchurch in their John Jones Steel Ford and Holden respectively along with fellow Cantabrian Mike Pero. Meanwhile a strong North Island contingent has made the long trek south for the final round. Representing Holden are Geoff Spencer 'Spence' of Palmerston North, James 'Huggi' Urquhart of Auckland and Peter 'Rocketman' Robb of Wanganui. Driving Ford's are Turangi's 'Dirty Dave' Kernohan plus 'Sly & Dirty' Bob Grove of Auckland.

The pressure will be on the championship contenders tomorrow with qualifying and four quickfire races packed into a day where the title is at stake. The grid for the first race will be based on the morning's qualifying times and will be of 8 laps duration. The second race, over a 10 lap distance, features a marble draw grid with the third race grid a reverse of the second race grid. That race will also be over 10 laps. The championship will very probably come down to the very last race of the season, another 10 lap event, with a grid based on the aggregate points scored at the round to that point.

Also on tomorrow's programme are Pre 65 Saloons, Super Six Saloons plus local Sports and Racing Cars and the final round of the Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans Saloons.

ENZED V8 Utes are powered by The Rock and fuelled by Demon Energy.

The series commercial partners include ENZED, The ROCK FM, Yokohama - the official tyre supplier, Penrite Lubricants - the series official oil and Demon Energy.

Provisional Points to date: Matthew Lockwood - 670; Caine Lobb - 669; Mack Peach - 617; Simon Beirne - 600; Craig Paterson - 542; Graham Beirne - 493; Geoff Spencer - 486; David Kernohan - 448; James Urquhart - 440; Frank Van Shaijik - 426; Mike Pero - 415; Peter Robb - 377; Bob Grove - 253; Peter Ward - 224; Ash Cairns - 107; Mike Lightfoot - 92; Steve Elliott - 62; Dayne Running - 27; Miles Worsley - 0;

For more information please utilise the following:

www.nzv8uteracing.co.nz

Phone numbers for individual drivers involved in the series for the purposes of interviews and photographs of some competitors can be obtained via - 021 351 499 or lindsay.beer@xtra.co.nz

ENZED NZV8 Utes Calendar 2008/2009:

Round 1: Manfeild Park, Feilding - 21-23 November 2008

Round 2: Pukekohe Park Raceway, Auckland - 5-7 December 2008 (Thunder In The Park)

Round 3: Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo - 23-25 January 2009 (A1GP World Cup Of Motorsport)

Round 4: Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch - 6-8 March 2009

Round 5: Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru - 13-15 March 2009 (Truck Race Meeting)

Round 6: Teretonga Park, Invercargill - 22 March 2009 - FINAL

ENDS

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