Lightfoot back into action after Christmas break
Mike ‘Buzz’ Lightfoot is excited and rearing to get back behind the wheel of the #96 Buckley Systems Ltd Ford Falcon
when round three of the UDC Finance V8 Ute series gets underway at Teretonga Raceway, near Invercargill, this weekend.
Lightfoot has made the best start to a championship throughout his time in the V8 Utes, with a superb second place at
round two in Ruapuna, rocketing him up to third place in the series standings, now only 51 points behind second placed
Chris Hanley.
However last year’s round at Teretonga was a mixed bag for the Aucklander, with a sixth place in qualifying backed up by
a podium to round out a strong Saturday, however Sunday’s races saw him only record a 13th and a 12th.
This year, running under the watchful eye of Jake Stoneman and the Western Motor Group, Lightfoot will be out to
replicate the results of round two where he followed home team-mate Andrew Waite, with another similar result almost
sure to move him ahead of Hanley in the series standings.
“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel, the BSL Falcon is ready to go and I’m all revved up,” said an excited
Lightfoot. “We have got our eyes firmly set on second place in the championship and if we have a clean run at the next
two rounds, there is no reason why that is not a realistic goal.”
The V8 Utes get underway with two practise sessions on Friday. Saturday’s schedule sees a qualifying session, which
unlike most motor racing series counts purely for points and has no bearing on the starting grid. Also on Saturday will
be a race, with grids determined from a marble draw. Sunday mornings race two sees the marble draw reversed, with the
third and final race on Sunday afternoon sees grids determined from points scored throughout the weekend.
ends