Baird bitten in Timaru V8 racing

Defending V8 champion Craig Baird had a steady weekend of action at Timaru up-ended in the weekend’s fourth round of the BNT V8s championship when mechanical failure in the United Video Ford forced him from the final race.

Heading in to the series half-way mark with a ten point lead in the standings, Baird was planning on at least consolidating his position and hopefully extending the advantage. Instead he now sits second – 56 points behind.

“Motor racing is about doing your best in the most extreme of conditions and that requires as much luck as preparation,” said the multiple New Zealand champion.

“We showed great pace early in the weekend and that carried through to the first qualifying session. The first race went really well – it was fantastic to be racing so close when so often you find the cars so evenly matched that you can’t overtake.”

That was the case for the second 12-lap race where Baird tried in vain to pass the Ford of Kayne Scott to try reclaiming his points lead from Angus Fogg.

“I was a little frustrated in the second race, as until the guy in front makes a mistake then passing is difficult. But in saying that the real weekend turner is in the final race where if you keep clear of the carnage makers you can get easy points.”

Expecting results from that theory, Baird’s 17th position on the grid for the 22-lap reverse-grid finale meant he’d have plenty of opportunity to re-take the lead.
Up to tenth position by the half-way mark, the United Video Racing team Ford was still in the points hunt for weekend honours.

“At the end of the back straight a hole blew in the rear differential and dumped all the oil out in one massive spot,” said Baird retrospectively of the race ending incident.

“I kept on my way, unaware of any problem. It didn’t get on my tyres, there was no smell, no noise – nothing. Then when I came around again I could see there had been oil, hit it, but still didn’t realise. Soon then the diff started to rattle and I thought ‘oh’.”

With the race temporarily halted to clear the cars that had slid from the track, Baird was towed to the pits, concluding his weekend.

“I guess it’s a cliché to say that’s racing because I feel bad for those who also suffered. It’s one of those bad luck things that ultimately affected so many, because if I had any idea I’d have parked it long before that lap was over.”

“I know Garry Pedersen will spend weeks getting to the bottom of why it blew that hole and just dumped all the oil in one spot,” Baird said of his team head and father-in-law.

Closing the South Island leg of the championship, the team now return to their Auckland base to begin preparations for the fifth round of the series; Manfeild near Feilding, in three weeks time.

The United Video Racing team would like to acknowledge the support from United Video, John Andrew Ford, TRN Radio Hauraki, LeasePlan, WD 40, Redline Signwriters, Marsh Motorsport, Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferry, Performance Friction Brakes, Koni, Fusion, GER, Dunlop, PWR Eastern Automotive, VnC Cocktails and the Mad Butcher.

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BNT V8s championship points after round four (of seven) – top-three.
Pos Car No. Name Car Hometown Total
1,6,Angus Fogg Falcon,Auckland,713
2,1,Craig Baird, United Video Racing team Falcon,Gold Coast,657
3,47,John McIntyre,Falcon,Nelson,608

2010/2011 BNT V8s championship calendar
Round Date Venue Inviting Club
1 5-7 November 2010 Pukekohe NZIGP Inc
2 26-28 November 2010 Ruapuna Canterbury Car Club Inc
3 14-16 January 2011 Teretonga Southland Sports Car Club Inc
4 21-23 January 2011 Levels South Canterbury Car Club Inc
5 11-13 February 2011 Manfeild Manawatu Car Club Inc
6 11-13 March 2011 Taupo Taupo Car Club
7 15-17 April 2011 Hamilton MotorSport NZ