Scott dominates in BNT V8s in Hamilton

Newly-crowned BNT V8 champion Kayne Scott took three victories to dominate the BNT V8 support races at the Hamilton 400. Scott also set a new lap record in the #1 Fujitsu Ford on the slightly revised circuit to complete an excellent final weekend for the Mark Petch Motor Sport team which has backed Scott for many years.

When asked about the weekend’s result, Scott simply said: “I’m very happy!” which is understandable when he demonstrated such a brilliant run of form on the streets of Hamilton – his hometown – to start his season as defending BNT V8s champion. Although the three Hamilton races are not championship races, Scott’s three race victories also earn him the honour of the trophy round win.

Scott was just pipped for pole position by LG Ford driver Angus Fogg during Friday’s official qualifying and then had to fight hard to win the weekend’s first 14-lap race. But his start-to-finish victories in the other two races in what was obviously a strong-running car secured the trophy.

Second for the weekend was Auckland driver Tim Edgell in the Chesters Ford. Having been unable to set a qualifying time on Friday due to a broken driveshaft, Edgell drove from the rear of the 20-strong starting grid into a well-deserved fifth place in the first race. From there he improved to finish second in race two, but faced a serious challenge from a hard-charging Fogg in race three when Fogg drove through the field from twelfth to snatch second place from Edgell. The second and third places that Edgell secured on the Hamilton street circuit are his best two results all season.

Fogg finished the trophy weekend third overall. Having set his first pole position this season, the LG Ford driver was tangled in a variety of situations – some his own doing, many caused by others. Despite the challenges, North Shore-based ‘Foggy’ secured two second places and a twelfth to complete the final round of the BNT V8s 2008-09 season on the podium.

Dean Perkins made up for not competing in the whole BNT V8s championship with a strong run in Hamilton, putting together fourth, fifth and sixth places in the GT Radial Ford to finish fourth for the weekend.

Taking fifth place for the round former champion John McIntyre said it was just one of these weekends.

“Kayne certainly had the car to beat this weekend and, with rising water temperature in the third race, we simply drove to finish fourth and conserve the engine. You need significant car advantage to pass on this street circuit and particularly to pass under brakes, in the third race when we’re all experiencing worn brakes and tyres,” said the Nelson driver who also competed in three Porsche GT3 races and announced his signing by Stone Brothers Racing as one of the teams endurance drivers in the high profile V8 Supercar events, Philip Island 500 and Bathurst 1000.

“Interestingly, I’ve heard that the TV cameras were largely following the intense battles going on mid-field, so we’ve probably achieved lots of good TV coverage for our sponsors, which is a pretty major reason for running at a high profile event like this.”

The BNT V8s’ season is now complete and while all the details are yet to be finalised, the 2009-10 series looks likely to start in early November 2009 either at Pukekohe or Taupo. The season will include six championship rounds expected to include Powerbuilt Tools Raceway in Christchurch, Teretonga Park outside Invercargill, Levels Raceway outside Timaru, Manfeild in Feilding and a final at either Hampton Downs or Pukekohe. A non-championship round at the Hamilton 400 will complete next season’s racing.

ENDS/

BNT V8s trophy round, Hamilton 400 – Race 3

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Provisional points earned

1, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon, 75

2, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 67

3, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 60

4, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon, 54

5, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 49

6, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon, 45

7, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 42

8, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon, 39

9, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore, 36

10, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore, 33

11, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon, 30

12, John Penny, Taupo, Holden Commodore, 28

13, Shannon Coker, Hamilton, Holden Commodore, 26

14, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon, 24

15, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon, 22

16, Andy Knight, Christchurch, Ford Falcon, 20

DNF, Craig Baird, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon, 0

DNF, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon, 0

DNF, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore, 0

DNF, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore, 0

Hamilton 400 trophy round – overall provisional points

1, Kayne Scott, 225

2, Tim Edgell, 176

3, Angus Fogg, 162

4, Dean Perkins, 148

5, John McIntyre, 140

6, Andrew Anderson, 139

7, Andrew Porter, 138

8, John Hepburn, 86

9, Michael Bristow, 81

10, John Penny, 79

11, Andy Knight, 78

12, Inky Tulloch, 74

13, Paul Manuell, 72

14, Shannon Coker, 70

15, Adam Brook, 66

16, Simon Richards, 63

17, Andy Booth, 60

18, Nick Ross, 55

19, Cam Hardy, 48

20, Craig Baird, 42