McIntyre takes second New Zealand V8 championship in action-packed final round

Nelson’s John McIntyre is celebrating winning his second consecutive New Zealand V8s Championship title this weekend, but it wasn’t an easy run to the end for the BP Ultimate Ford driver.

Having run the same engine all season, McIntyre’s Ford suffered a broken timing chain during the weekend’s first race at Teretonga Park outside Invercargill meaning McIntyre was unable to finish the race – his first DNF of the six-round, 18-race championship season. This meant his nearest rival, Havoline Ford driver Angus Fogg was able to close the points’ gap from 115 to 55.

His car repaired overnight, McIntyre started the second race nearly at the back of the field, while Fogg started in position two beside pole sitter Kayne Scott in the Fujitsu Ford. Fogg followed Scott home by the time the chequered flag came out, while McIntyre had carefully negotiated his way into 14th place, but the points’ margin was down to only 12 points with the controversial full reverse grid race yet to come.

The third and final race of each New Zealand V8s’ round sees the points each driver earned in the round’s first two races added together and then the order reversed. McIntyre was therefore started a little ahead of mid-field, while Fogg and Scott were on the back row with 25 V8s ahead of them.

McIntyre swiftly worked his way into the lead. “Once I was past Andrew [Porter] to take the lead, I eased off a bit, but then my crew chief radioed me that Angus was up to fourth. I needed to press on; it’s when you slow up that you make mistakes.”

The professional racing driver and team owner – who celebrates his 31st birthday on 10 March – set up his own racing team at the beginning of the 2006-07 V8s racing season. To win the hotly-contested championship in his first year with his own team was a significant achievement, and to win it again the following season indicates the level of commitment and professionalism demonstrated by John McIntyre Racing – as do the other top-running V8 teams.

“It’s better to have won this second championship,” said McIntyre. “We’ve won two rounds and won seven of the 18 races. We got off to a good start early on and have put more on the line this year to win. Overall it’s much more satisfying.”

Taking second place overall with 977 points to McIntyre’s 1004, Fogg said you just had to look at the last race at Teretonga to see just how close this series is. “I was very lucky to get through one major incident in that last race – I was nearly t-boned. We’ve made a few stuff-ups, but my driving has generally been more mistake-free. That’s a good trend to be setting,” said the Auckland-based driver who is also the chief engineer on his Havoline Ford.

Former V8 champion and multiple TraNZam champion Kayne Scott took third place this season with a total of 932 points. He also won the Teretonga round, taking home the Hydraulink 200 cup, having scored his first two race wins this season on the world’s most southern racing circuit which he enjoys very much.

“You’ve got to get out of the blocks early to win this championship and we didn’t do that,” said the Hamiltonian who is driving a Ford this season after four seasons in a Holden. “What’s really telling about how close-fought this series is now is qualifying. We fight tooth and nail for pole position – we’re only a few hundredths of a second apart in time – and to be on pole makes all the difference between winning and a lower placing.”

Scott will be racing both the Team Kiwi Racing Ford and the Fujitsu Ford at the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar event in April, a task he expects to be challenging with back-to-back qualifying sessions and races to contest in the two different Ford V8s.

Two-time former V8 champion Andy Booth improved his 2007-08 placings with strong results at the final two rounds to take fourth place overall with a total of 809 points. “Today’s reverse grid race involved half good luck and half good judgement – there were potentially two crashes I could have been involved in, but having said that, Teretonga is one circuit where I don’t mind the reverse grid so much because it’s wide enough to pass.”

The Big Ben Pies Holden driver said the top ten in this series is getting stronger and stronger. “Just look at the consistent results that John had to deliver to win (McIntyre finished 15 of the 18 races in the top ten) and when drivers like Paul Radisich and David Besnard are struggling to get into the top five ... well, that says a lot about the competitiveness and quality of our field.”

Melbourne-based kiwi expatriate Paul Radisich finished fifth overall in his first season in the New Zealand V8s. Another former champion Paul Manuell was sixth and fellow Aucklanders Clark Proctor and Dean Perkins seventh and eighth respectively. Australians David Besnard and Luke Youlden rounded out the top ten. Rookie of the year was Andrew Porter who finished a highly creditable 16th.

While the 2007-08 championship is now officially complete, the New Zealand V8s contest a trophy round comprising three races at the first Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar street race in April. The exact format of the three races is yet to be confirmed, but most of the current competitors are expected to be racing. Specific ticket and event information is available on the event website www.v8supercar.co.nz while full results for the New Zealand V8s Championship are available on www.nzv8s.co.nz.

The First Windows & Doors Development V8s have also been running at Teretonga this weekend. Pukekohe’s Michael Bristow is leading the championship and, with three wins in this fifth round of the six round series, has extended his lead over Peter Butler. Bristow has also been racing the Tex Onsite Ford in the main New Zealand V8s championship series and achieved placings of 12th, seventh and 18th.



Qualifying in more detail

The New Zealand V8s’ official qualifying sessions see all cars run in the first 20 minute period, the top 20 have another 15 minute session and then the fastest ten drivers contest a final 15 minute session to decide the final grid placings for race one.

Booth was fastest during the first session, setting a time of 1:03.088 within just a few laps of being on the 2.6 km Teretonga circuit in the Big Ben Pies/Tasman Motorsport Holden. His team-mate Paul Manuell was second fastest with last year’s Teretonga pole-sitter Scott third fastest. Young Aucklander Tim Edgell set the fourth quickest time, but due to an accumulation of driver demerit points incurred in previous incidents this season was obliged to set out Saturday’s first race and start from the back of the grid for the weekend’s second race. McIntyre was fifth fastest, but was initially quickest in the second session. Scott soon jumped to the top of the list with McIntyre second and Booth third. Amongst the top-runners, Paul Radisich and David Besnard didn’t make it through to the top ten.

In session three, first Booth, then Scott headed the timing chart with no one able to better Scott’s time of 1:02.552, giving the Fujitsu Ford driver his first pole position of the season. The qualifying ranking was then Booth, Fogg, McIntyre, Manuell, Clark Proctor, Mark Pedersen, Michael Bristow, Dean Perkins and Luke Youlden.



Race one in more detail

Scott led from the front for all 14 laps, never looking seriously under threat from Booth in second place.

“It’s almost a sense of relief to have the win and pole this weekend,” says Scott who demonstrates his commitment to the New Zealand V8 series by choosing to race in Invercargill this weekend, rather than at Eastern Creek with Team Kiwi Racing in the V8 Supercars. “This season we have often been fastest earlier in qualifying and then Andy [Booth] will put in a quick one or Angus will. It’s really satisfying to get pole after all the hard work we’ve all put in, but interestingly it’s exactly the same time we set last year at Teretonga to take pole – after all the development work we’ve done with the car this season. I love this circuit and have done well here many times.”

While Fogg pursued Booth with vigour, he had to settle for third place. “I was pushing as hard as I could behind Andy,” said the Havoline Ford driver. “It’s one thing to get within a couple of car lengths, but it’s another thing to get past.”

Initially Manuell battled with McIntyre for fourth place, but with McIntyre’s Ford suddenly slowing due to a broken timing chain, Manuell was then being challenged by Proctor, the pair coming home fourth and fifth. Pederson was sixth, Perkins seventh and, after some exciting tussles, David Besnard was eighth, Youlden ninth and Anderson tenth.

Despite having his 115 point margin over closest rival Angus Fogg reduced to 55 points, McIntyre still felt confident he could take the championship title. “By the time I’d coasted around to the pits after the engine went, I’d already worked out that even if Angus wins the second race on Sunday I would have to finish around 20th or worse, then add in unknown factor of the reverse grid race where I’ll start closer to the front and we should be fine for the championship.”



Race two in more detail

With starting positions for the second race determined by the fastest lap times each driver sets in the first race, Scott was again on pole again with Fogg beside him, their two Fords followed by Booth and Manuell making up a Holden second row. McIntyre started from the back of the grid after his team discovered that it was a timing chain failure that caused his retirement from race one.

As 29 New Zealand V8s thundered across the start line after their rolling start, several drivers became entangled with Connel McLaren spearing off the circuit and Chris Adams doing a great job to bring his Holden back under control. Scott was convincingly in the lead as the field completed lap one when, from amongst a melee of V8s, Adam Brook’s Ford ploughed into the tyre wall around Teretonga’s huge left-handed sweeper. This caused the race to be red-flagged as officials cleared the circuit, then Scott again led the field away with a very determined Fogg chasing him for the remaining 16 laps. Behind Scott and Fogg, Manuell and Booth diced for third with some great battles between Proctor, Pedersen – who was racing with an injured knee after an accident earlier in the pits – Perkins and Besnard.

Meanwhile McIntyre’s conservative approach to hang back for a couple of laps until the field settled and spread out then allowed him to pick his way through the slower drivers towards a comfortable mid-field position.

Scott took his second win of the weekend in very windy conditions. Close behind was Fogg, with Manuell and Booth third and fourth respectively. Pedersen, Radisich, Bristow, Anderson, Perkins, and Proctor completed the top ten. McIntyre finished 14th which saw the 115 point margin he’d held coming into this final round reduced to just 12 points.



Third race in more detail

With Julia Huzziff and Shane Turton on the front row, McIntyre only a few rows back and top point earners Booth, Fogg and Scott at the back of the grid, it was simply a matter of when McIntyre would hit the lead. Andrew Porter was quick to push through to the front within a few metres of the rolling start and he wasn’t keen to give McIntyre the lead only two laps later. But McIntyre made sure he took and held the lead despite a series of on- and off-track incidents taking place behind him. A whole swag of drivers – Anderson, Radisich, Proctor, Booth, Scott, Perkins, Manuell and Fawcet – took evasive action with varying degrees of success or luck. Radisich and Fawcet retired while Scott following Booth through the moving chicanes said: “It was really interesting watching Andy get around some of those guys – I just sat back, watched then followed.”

By the mid-way point of the 22 lap race, Fogg was into third position behind the hard-charging duo of McIntyre and Tim Edgell and although he chased Edgell, he had to settle for third. Booth made it through into fourth place to score one of his best round results of the season. Scott stuck to Booth’s bumper to take fifth, while Nick Ross, Michael Wallace, Connel McLaren, Perkins and Porter rounded out the top ten for the season’s final race.

It’s interesting to note the overall season statistics show with McIntyre’s uncharacteristic failure to finish Teretonga’s first race means that Fogg and Proctor remain the only drivers to have finished every one of the 18 championship races.





New Zealand V8s Championship – Qualifying

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Qualifying time

1, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 1:02.552

2, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:02.638

3, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:02.921

4, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 1:02.943

5, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:03.159

6, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.488

7, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.694

8, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.727

9, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.745

10, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.762

11, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.808

12, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 1:03.917

13, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 1:03.931

14, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.200

15, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 1:04.218

16, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.375

17, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.386

18, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.422

19, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.601

20, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.540

21, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.576

22, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:04.585

23, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 1:04.610

24, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 1:04.660

25, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 1:04.726

26, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY, 1:06.039

27, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 1:06.850

28, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 1:07.414

29, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, no time set



New Zealand V8s Championship – Teretonga Race 1 (14 laps)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 75

2, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 67

3, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 60

4, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 54

5, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 45

7, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 42

8, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 39

9, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 33

11, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 28

13, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 26

14, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 24

15, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 22

16, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 20

17, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 18

18, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 16

19, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 14

20, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 12

21, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 10

22, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 9

23, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 8

24, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY, 7

25, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 6





New Zealand V8s Championship – Teretonga Race 2 (18 laps)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, Kayne, Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 75

2, Angus, Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 67

3, Paul, Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 60

4, Andy, Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 54

5, Mark, Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Paul, Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 45

7, Michael, Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 42

8, Andrew, Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 39

9, Dean, Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Clark, Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 33

11, Andrew, Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, Michael, Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 28

13, Tim, Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 26

14, John, McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 24

15, Inky, Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 22

16, Haydn, Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 20

17, Andrew, Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 18

18, John, Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 16

19, Cam, Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 14

20, Simon, Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 12

21, Nick, Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 10

22, Chris, Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 9

23, John, Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY, 8

24, Shaun, Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 7

25, Julia, Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 6

26, David, Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 5

27, Connel, McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 4

EXCL, Luke, Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA,

DNF, Adam, Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA,



New Zealand V8s Championship – Teretonga Race 3 (22 laps, reverse grid)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Points earned

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 75

2, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 67

3, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 60

4, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 54

5, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 49

6, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 45

7, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 42

8, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 39

9, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 36

10, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 33

11, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 30

12, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 28

13, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 26

14, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 24

15, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 22

16, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 20

17, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 18

18, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 16

19, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 14

20, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 12

21, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY, 10

22, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 9

23, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 8

24, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 7

25, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 6

DNF, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA

DNF, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA





New Zealand V8s Championship – Provisional Points (all 6 rounds)

Position, Driver, Hometown, Car, Total points

1, John McIntyre, Nelson, Ford Falcon BA, 1004

2, Angus Fogg, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 977

3, Kayne Scott, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 932

4, Andy Booth, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 809

5, Paul Radisich, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 748

6, Paul Manuell, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 733

7, Clark Proctor, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 652

8, Dean Perkins, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 595

9, David Besnard, Gold Coast, Ford Falcon BA, 523

10, Luke Youlden, Melbourne, Ford Falcon BA, 446

11, Mark Pedersen, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 400

12, Cameron McLean, Brisbane, Ford Falcon BA, 399

13, Andrew Anderson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 397

14, Michael Wallace, Dunedin, Holden Commodore VY, 395

15, Tim Edgell, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 383

16, Andrew Porter, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 337

17, Cam Hardy, Hamilton, Holden Commodore VZ, 329

18, Haydn Mackenzie, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 320

19, Simon Richards, Hamilton, Ford Falcon BA, 308

20, Andrew Fawcet, Wellington, Ford Falcon BA, 300

21, Adam Brook, Christchurch, Ford Falcon BA, 297

22, Nick Ross, Cambridge, Holden Commodore VZ, 276

23, John Penny, Taupo, Ford Falcon BA, 275

24, Connel McLaren, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 254

25, Inky Tulloch, Gore, Ford Falcon BA, 221

26, Dale Lambert, Auckland, Ford Falcon BA, 192

27, Kevin Williams, Auckland, Holden Commodore VZ, 188

28, Paul Pedersen, Rotorua, Ford Falcon BA, 169

29, Chris Adams, Mosgiel, Holden Commodore VY, 163

30, Michael Bristow, Pukekohe, Ford Falcon BA, 152

31, Eddie Bell, Christchurch, Holden Commodore VY, 79

32, Dave Stewart, Wellington, Holden Commodore VY, 73

33, Julia Huzziff, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 71

34, Shaun Turton, Pukekohe, Holden Commodore VY, 70

35, Darryn Henderson, Wellington, Holden Commodore VZ, 45

36, John Hepburn, Timaru, Holden Commodore VY, 25

37, Gene Rollinson, Auckland, Holden Commodore VY, 16