McIntyre makes it three from three in NZ V8s in Hamilton

Crowned New Zealand V8 champion for the second time only six weeks ago, John McIntyre delivered an equally dominant performance as the New Zealand V8s raced on the support card for the V8 Supercars in Hamilton.

McIntyre won all three Hamilton 400 trophy (non-championship) races after setting pole with a lap time more than eight-tenths of a second faster than closest rival, Angus Fogg, during Friday’s qualifying sessions. This was the largest qualifying margin from any round in the recently completed championship and even more significant given the New Zealand V8s were running on the Hamilton street circuit for the very first time.

McIntyre’s position at the front of the field in the BP Ultimate Ford was never seriously threatened in any of the three races – in race two McIntyre took just five laps to get to the front – and he also earned the honour of going into the record books as the lap record holder by the end of the weekend with a time of 1:32.9823.

“I’ve had the perfect weekend, winning all three races and then the lap record,” said McIntyre. “It was an amazing job by the team!”

Without taking anything away from McIntyre’s composed and convincing hat-trick of wins and the very determined efforts of David Besnard in the Schaeffer Oils Ford, Clark Proctor in the Metalman Ford and Paul Radisich in the HPM Ford to try and catch McIntyre, his competitors provided a variety of thrills and spills for 60,000 motorsport fans filling the Hamilton venue to capacity on Sunday.

Twenty-seven of 29 New Zealand V8 drivers finished the first rain-shortened race; 23 of 29 finished the second race and only 20 of the 29 crossed the finish line in an incident-filled race three. These numbers perhaps indicated an increase in confidence amongst some of the competitors, or a reducing level of respect for the concrete barrier-lined street circuit, or, as in Andy Booth’s situation having been unable to finish two of the three races, a demonstration of just how much damage the big concrete kerbs through the back straight chicane caused to the shock and suspension components in a number of cars.

The New Zealand V8s were competing for the glory of winning on the brand-new Hamilton circuit, earning nominal points as per their regular championship regulations. McIntyre won the Hamilton 400 New Zealand V8 trophy, with Paul Radisich second and Kayne Scott third.

The New Zealand V8s have now completed their 2007-08 season and proposed dates for their 2008-09 calendar have now been released. Starting in Taupo in early October, the series moves to Pukekohe in early November, Powerbuilt Tools Raceway outside Christchurch in late November, Timaru in late January with Teretonga the following week, Manfeild late February and the new Hampton Downs circuit south of Auckland in late March. Provision has also been made for another non-championship round in Hamilton in April 2009. The calendar is expected to be confirmed within the next month.

Races in more detail

In race one, McIntyre was away cleanly while Angus Fogg lost his second place after a bold move from David Besnard who started in third. As the 29-car strong field completed the first few laps on their specified Dunlop racing slicks, steady rain started.

Despite increasingly cautious driving, Besnard, Fogg and others slipped and slid while Paul Radisich navigated the ever-wetter circuit with the expertise born of experience to put the HPM Ford into second place. Besnard and Radisich made contact at one point, then Fogg spun after bouncing awkwardly through the high kerbs of the chicane. Several drivers made contact with the circuit’s concrete barriers with varying degrees of intensity before officials declared the race finished after only six of the planned 14 laps. The wet conditions made racing on slicks too dangerous and schedule requirements meant there was insufficient time to allow teams to change the cars onto the Dunlop wet racing tyres.

McIntyre was declared the winner; Radisich was second with Besnard, Andy Booth and Luke Youlden rounding out the top five.

Besnard completed the fastest lap during the early part of the race, his time of 1:36.8535 earning him the first official lap record on the Hamilton circuit for the New Zealand V8 class and pole position for the day’s second race. Jack Perkins, the 21-year-old son of legendary Australian touring car champion Larry Perkins, was racing in the New Zealand V8s for the first time and bought the Meguiars Holden home in 17th after qualifying in 14th.

For race two, Besnard had Radisich beside him on the front row of the grid as starting positions are determined by the fastest lap time each driver set in race one. Clark Proctor lined up in third and Kayne Scott in fourth after what was a challenging weekend. Scott, a former New Zealand V8 champion now also races for Team Kiwi Racing in the V8 Supercars where his qualifying opportunities were ruined by an air-box intake problem that necessitated an engine change. Having made it through to the top ten in the New Zealand V8 qualifying later on Friday afternoon, Scott’s Fujitsu Ford suffered a gearbox failure so he was undoubtedly pleased to have finished the first race with a relatively competitive time with which to start race two. McIntyre started in fifth.

Weather conditions were fine and dry for Saturday’s early afternoon race. Besnard cleared the start-finish line with Proctor muscling through on Radisich to snatch second place and McIntyre passing Scott to take fourth. McIntyre then tackled and passed Proctor and Besnard to take the lead. Proctor successfully fended off a determined attack from Fogg and put together a well-engineered pass on Besnard to take second place.

Behind McIntyre and Proctor, Besnard’s car appeared to fade, allowing Fogg, Scott and Radisich to run in the top five for several laps while, behind them, Andy Booth then Andrew Porter retired to the pits, as did Inky Tulloch.

Just three laps to go, Fogg again attacked Proctor and, with a deft move, took second place to follow McIntyre past the chequered flag. Scott was fourth, Radisich fifth with Paul Manuell the best of the Holden drivers in sixth. Dean Perkins, Andrew Anderson, Paul Pedersen and Tim Edgell rounded out the top ten, while Besnard dropped to finish 17th after a flat tyre forced a pit stop.

Starting order for the third race, a 20-lapper, was decided by totalling the points earned in the first two races. This put maximum points-earner McIntyre on pole, Radisich beside him on the front row and Proctor and Manuell third and fourth.

Within seconds of crossing the start line for race three, McIntyre effectively put his foot on the throat of his competitors by establishing a lead of over a second over Radisich, in second, who was also pulling away from the chasing pack of Proctor, Manuell and Besnard. This trio raced tightly with Besnard getting past Manuell, then Manuell snatching fourth position back, leaving Besnard to be harassed by Fogg and Scott. The brakes on Besnard’s Ford appeared to be suffering, allowing both Fogg and Scott past, then Besnard had two big lock-ups, eventually retiring on lap 13.

The safety car came out in response to Chris Adams grazing the wall which allowed Radisich, et al to close on McIntyre. After half a lap of racing, the safety car was out again to collect Andrew Fawcet’s bumper, but McIntyre eased out another margin over Radisich while Manuell got passed Proctor. But as Proctor bumped over the kerb, he made contact with Manuell, causing him to spin. Manuell did well to hold the Orix Holden off the walls, but he was unable to finish better than 15th. Proctor crossed the line in fourth place but was later excluded from the results for failing to take the drive-through penalty issued by officials. These incidents offered Scott the opportunity to improve to third place to follow McIntyre and Radisich across the line. Youlden was fourth in the revised results with Paul Pedersen fifth.

New Zealand V8s Hamilton 400 trophy: Race 1 results (6 of 14 laps completed)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA

2, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

3, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA

4, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

5, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

6, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

7, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA

8, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

9, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA

10, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ

11, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon BA

12, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ

13, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA

14, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA

15, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

16, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY

17, Jack Perkins, Melbourne, Holden Commodore VZ

18, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY

19, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY

20, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

21, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY

22, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA

23, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA

24, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

25, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

26, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

27, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY

DNF, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (4 laps)

DNF, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA (2 laps)

New Zealand V8s Hamilton 400 trophy: Race 2 results (18 laps)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA

2, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

3, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

4, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA

5, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

6, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

7, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA

8, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY

9, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon BA

10, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

11, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ

12, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA

13, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

14, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ

15, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY

16, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

17, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA

18, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY

19, Jack Perkins, Melbourne, Holden Commodore VZ

20, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

21, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA

22, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA

23, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY

DNF, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA (11 laps)

DNF, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA (8 laps)

DNF, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (7 laps)

DNF, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (5 laps)

DNF, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY (4 laps)

DNF, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ (3 laps)

New Zealand V8s Hamilton 400 trophy: Race 3 results (20 laps)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA

2, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

3, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA

4, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon BA

5, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

6, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA

7, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ

8, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA

9, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

10, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY

11, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA

12, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA

13, Jack Perkins, Melbourne, Holden Commodore VZ

14, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA

15, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ

16, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA

17, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY

18, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA

19, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ

20, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY

DNF, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ (19 laps)

DNF, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (13 laps)

DNF, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA (13 laps)

DNF, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY (11 laps)

DNF, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA (10 laps)

DNF, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY (5 laps)

DNF, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (4 laps)

DNF, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ (1 lap)

Excluded from results, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA (ignored black flag)

New Zealand V8s Hamilton 400 trophy event

Overall position, Driver, Points earned

1, John McIntyre, 225

2, Paul Radisich, 183

3, Kayne Scott, 156

4, Luke Youlden, 120

5, Paul Pedersen, 120

6, Dean Perkins, 117

7, Angus Fogg, 115

8, Paul Manuell, 106

9, Clark Proctor, 105

10, Cam Hardy, 100

11, David Besnard, 78

12, Nick Ross, 72

13, Michael Wallace, 71

14, Andrew Anderson, 59

15, Jack Perkins, 58

16, Andrew Fawcet, 57

17, Andy Booth, 54

18, Michael Bristow, 54

19, Mark Pedersen, 49

20, Kevin Williams, 42

21, John Penny, 39

22, Tim Edgell, 39

23, John Hepburn, 38

24, Simon Richards, 38

25, Connel McLaren, 33

26, Chris Adams, 32

27, Inky Tulloch, 28

28, Shaun Turton, 12

29, Andrew Porter, 7