What is it with pronunciation, how do you get Gwinin from Guinon and Yeeoh from Yeo? Maybe Chris needs to write Guynon and David could try a simple Yo on their entry forms and put up with not officially entering a meeting but at least getting commentary that says their name correctly. It’s fairly important really because we need this coverage at race meetings for people right through the field.

Friday at Pukekohe was the usual shambles with a load of public road cars getting in the way of those who arrived early to get testing and set up sorted. How this sort of nonsense is allowed defies logic. I understood that Motorsport is shrouded in all sorts of safety protections to save harmless both drivers and spectators, much of which costs drivers lots to comply with. To have boguns from the street sharing a race track with race car drivers is a recipe for disaster and again it was. Between Greg McDonald, Matt Lockwood and Chris Hanley I imagine there is not a lot of interest in returning to a Pukekohe test day while this sort of disregard for safety is in place.

Saturday saw a very wet qualifying and offered opportunity to those born with webbed feet. Phil Kerr slaughtered the time sheets to take Pro7 Pole at 124.330. Next was Shannon Ferguson on 126.064 followed by Brett Killip and a very happy David Yeo sharing row 2. Tim Redmond got caught by standing water and there ended his home game. For Pro7 Plus the only person who would not be on the front two rows of the grid would be he who qualified in 5th and as it happened Eric Sinton worked hard at achieving that lone position. Matt Lockwood claimed the Pro7 Plus top spot from Chris Hanley with the Hawkes Bay pairing of Steelo and Hicks alongside each other in P3 and 4.

Pole position and Phil Kerr are not usually a happy mix but today was different, a good start and a weather eye on a fast approaching Killip, who had eventually won the battle of wits with young team mate Ferguson, saw Kerr keep it all together to take a well earned win. Drive of the day belonged to Phil Blythe who had posted a rather lethargic qualifier and started from P6. As most of you know, Stu Hewer is not an easy target and then to have the other acknowledged quick drivers also ahead equates to mission near impossible. Blythe reckoned one more lap may have been 2 more places forward but 4th was a good result given the circumstances. A spread of lap times ranging from 1.20 to 1.30 best describes the conditions that saw many exercise caution.

Chris Hanley (P7P) had his hands full trying to unseat Lockwood who was variously gaining then losing ground as Hanley balanced feeling in control with sucking a the brave pills and ended the stanza in 2nd place. Hicks, Steel and Sinton trundled home in that order and no doubt hoping the rain would clear for Sunday.

It seems all drivers like the reverse grid format for race two at each meeting. Not only does it give the traditional front runners the additional challenge of passing slower cars but they need to achieve this while out smarting their usual running mates. The real objective however is to give the bridesmaids a fair crack at winning. This is not to say that these drivers need manufactured grids to taste victory but it definitely allows them to gain confidence and race skills by not only defending but coping with that little bit extra that makes the difference between winners and runners up. Phil Kerr would be the prime example of developing talent who just needs that time at the front to sort out how to stay there. 10th from the start after a previous session win was today’s tutorial and indeed a lesson it was. A bad start put him on the back foot from the get go and from there it was catch up. I guess regaining his 10th place spot by race end left Phil annoyed if not wiser. Brett Killip would have made a great running mate for Kerr but in typical clinical Killip style, he just got on with weaving the traffic and after just 3 short laps he was in contest with Hewer for the win. Hewer is not easily phased and Killip has found over the years that patience is the name of the game, with this in mind, watching the remaining laps was a real distraction because not far behind these two was action aplenty. Forster had Ferguson in his sights and the two Phil’s were engaged in contest that was allowing Forster to open a gap that would prove unassailable by race end. The results sheets show that Hewer had used the 8 laps well and sneaked home to a hairs breath win from Killip, and this would not be the last skin of his teeth episode for Hewer as the next race would reveal. Ferguson prevailed over Forster with Blythe and Kerr finishing in alphabetical order.

Pro7 Plus would have staged a nail biter as well but regrettably David Steel was eliminated after an altercation with Hicks on the opening lap. What appeared to have the makings of a closely contested race came to an abrupt end approaching the mountain when Hicks punted Steel into the armco. Apparently Steels car got a little loose as Hicks was about to take a brave move around the outside whereupon wheels touched and the game was over for Steel. This all mean’t that Lockwood and Hanley became a 2 horse race at the front and that is how they finished.

Race Three once again saw Kerr in with a chance at the big points. A good start would be all he needed to begin 8 laps of close combat with Killip and this he did. Launching one of his best ever, this time Kerr got it nailed and both drivers spent the first half of the race barely separated until lap 5 when Killip edged away. Kerr drove a very disciplined race to cross the line just 1.1 seconds astern and with a comfortable 8 seconds on third and 4th placed Hewer and Blythe. This time it was Blythe who made Hewer work for his result and the photo finish was so close that even the mounting position of the transponders was checked to ensure both were in accordance with the rules. Lesson here everyone. Check the book and ensure your transponder is correctly fitted because here is an instance where the COTC could use that to determine a result. The top 6 was again completed by Ferguson and Forster in that order.

Although Lockwood should be applauded for another clean sweep, and indeed he is, it was Hanley and Hicks who squabbled over 2nd place. A very close race long duel saw Hanley again claim 2nd spot, his most consistent meeting of the season and a sure sign that the Karting graduate has found himself at one with the car and now familiar with the tracks. It is interesting to note here that part of the learning process has been race craft. Watching Hanley over the last two rounds particularly, it is obvious that a blend of “opportunity made” and “opportunity taken” seems to be a feature of how these Karting guys operate. Through Jennian Hanley is impatient and happy to run to the outside in an attempt to force his victim to yield for the esses. From the bottom of the hill however he hangs a little off the back then powers up to force his victim wide over the top. No desperate moves, just clinical pressure and a resignation that there is still another lap. We need more of this so I hope he is persuading his Karting mates to look at Pro7.

The great thing about Sunday is listening to the comments from the evening before. Saturday nights BBQ is always a highlight of the weekend and Eric needs congratulating for organising the best one of the season. The Wool shed setting and a near 100% attendance made for a very social occasion. All film from the season to date was screened to various in house commentaries, most of which bore no similarity to the official studio one. Some rather entertaining antics from the club clowns capped off a great night.

Manfeild at the end of March will see another season complete and it seems there will be a good number of entries judging by the amount of enquiry coming. And next season, well if the current demand for cars is an indicator, we are going to be back up to strength for sure. Already the supply of S1’s is being tested as buyers look for good cars around 7-8k. Pro7 Plus enquiries are coming as well and I believe that one of the top cars may be changing hands after Manfeild. Apart from that we have 3 people wanting confirmation of the engine rule to enable them to get on with building their motors.

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