This Weekend it's all about Qualifying
Thursday 25 November 2010, 11:35AM
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This weekend Hamilton race driver Simon Richards heads to the Powerbuilt International Raceway at Ruapuna, Christchurch for the second round of the BNT V8s Championship.
A top 10 contender in the country's toughest motor racing series, Richards and the team suffered a slow start to the season's campaign when earlier this month he placed 11th overall at the opening round at Pukekohe Park Raceway.
Not quite the position he was hoping to be in prior to entering the South Island leg of the season, at Ruapuna Richards will be looking to improve on his standing before the series takes a break for Christmas.
"We'll be just looking at improving on our placing in the championship and to start with will be focussing on our qualifying. I think we will do ok, this time last year we were doing pretty well in the session but I was blocked by another driver unfortunately." said Richards.
A new controlled brake package with larger rotors and pads has been introduced in the series and can be expected to help bring lap times down this season especially around the technical layout of Ruapuna.
"As a driver the new package gives you more confidence and at Ruapuna they should be an improvement but you never really know until you get there and run them." he said.
Richards sits just five points behind fellow Hamilton driver and two time BNT V8s champion Kayne Scott in 10th and over the weekend will be aiming to pass him in the standings plus two other highly rated drivers albeit new to the series who are well within grasp.
Veteran V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna from Victoria and from the Fujitsu Development Series, New Zealand born but Queensland based Scott McLaughlin are currently placed 8th and 9th respectively just 13 and nine points away.
Further up the ladder and leading the championship after one round is Angus Fogg followed by Craig Baird, Tim Edgell then John McIntyre.
"It's all about qualifying and getting a good spot on the grid for the races so that's what I will be concentrating on first of all. The team is definitely all rearing to go." said Richards.
Round Two of the BNT V8s takes place at Powerbuilt International Raceway Ruapuna, Christchurch this weekend the 27th and 28th November 2010.
Testing, qualifying and top 10 shootout are on the Saturday with all three races to be run on Sunday and televised on TV3 the same day.
The series takes a break over the Christmas period and resumes 15-16th January 2011 at Teretonga Park Raceway followed immediately by round four at Timaru International Motor Raceway on 22-23rd January 2011.