Timaru driver Neville Stowell took overall victory at Round 1 of the 2007/2008 Kumho Sport Saloon Series at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway near Christchurch today. Stowell was the fastest qualifier on Saturday afternoon in his Nissan Skyline GTR and won two of the three races today before slicing through the field to finish third in the final race, a handicap event.
Two series debutants from Timaru also starred, with Chris Small scoring a second, third and eighth placing while fellow debutant Jarrod Parmenter qualified second fastest before suffering mechanical problems in all three of Sunday's races. However despite the problems Parmenter still managed a third placing in today's second race.
Rain was falling as the first race started this morning but Neville Stowell leapt away from pole and led all the way from John Hepburn of Timaru. The leading duo opened a huge gap on the rest of the field over the seven lap distance. The rain intensified as the race progressed resulting in plenty of "moments" and positional changes throughout the field. Stowell said later it was hard to tell in the car when the circuit conditions were getting worse. "It was only when you braked that you realised that conditions were worse than the lap prior," he said.
Behind them, another Timaru driver, Mike Small claimed third on the opening lap but he quickly came under attack, initially from Matt Dunn of Timaru in his Toyota Corolla and then in the latter stages it was his son Chris who was applying the pressure. On the last lap Chris got through in his Mitsubishi EVO and despite both father and son
sliding through the final corner Chris beat his father across the line in his first race in the series. Chris' effort was even more noteworthy when it is considered that it was just his third motor racing event and his first in the wet. "Beaten by the boy, he went bloody well," said a proud father. Dunn held on for fifth behind the Small family battle with South Canterbury drivers Gary Duncan, Raymond Hart, Nathan McAuley and Ron Shelton next with Motueka's Noel Parish completing the top ten.
Jarrod Parmenter had started on the front row in his EVO after a great qualifying performance but slipped back after a turbo hose came adrift while Garreth MacKenzie and Grant Waters both retired for the day after completing just three laps.
The second race featured a top six reverse grid with Gary Duncan (Temuka) and Matt Dunn on the front row. Mike Small was behind them in the Nissan Skyline and it was he who burst through into the lead ahead of John Hepburn and Jarrod Parmenter. Stowell was fourth early and tried a move on Parmenter at the hairpin on the second lap but slid wide and immediately lost the place again. Hepburn was pressuring Mike Small but on lap four he started to drop back as his EVO began to overheat, cutting power to the engine. Stowell, meanwhile had worked his way into second. Then, on lap five he made his move on the infield section of the track, slipping into the lead to head Mike Small to the flag. Parmenter also briefly got through but he struck the same problem as Hepburn and dropped back to third at the end. Hepburn held onto fourth ahead of Matt Dunn and Matt Edgar of Wanaka (Toyota) who was a lot happier in the dry conditions. Shelton, Chris Small, Hart and Noel Parish rounded out the top ten.
Stowell admitted after the race he had struggled to catch Mike Small and said it took a brave move to pass him where he did. Small was happy with his Nissan Skyline and paid tribute to his rival Stowell for the work he did on the car to get him to the event.
Sharon Wood of Timaru (Subaru Legacy) and Allan Ranson of Twizel (EVO) led the field away in the handicap race with Ranson taking the lead and holding it until Chris Small overtook him at the beginning of lap four. Noel Parish also went through followed by Ron Shelton of Timaru in his Nissan Silvia. Shelton took the lead on lap five but overcooked it and went off the circuit. However he regained the track and re-took the lead when he passed Chris Small through the infield section on the final lap. Shelton took the win while Small held onto second place despite a lack of brakes over the last few laps. Stowell stormed into third place despite a close call when Noel Parish left the track in front of him on the last lap. Raymond Hart and Mike Small were fifth and sixth respectively. Hepburn suffered more overheating plus gearbox problems and trailed the field home in thirteenth while Matt Dunn was a non - starter after a water pipe which had been taken into Christchurch to be welded arrived back at the track after the race had started.
Motueka driver Bryce Parish was forced to withdraw from the event after turbo problems in his Nissan Skyline prior to qualifying while Phil Hood of Kaikoura was another non-starter.
The next round of the series takes place at Teretonga Park near Invercargill on Sunday 9 December.
QUALIFYING
1st - Neville Stowell - Nissan Skyline GTR, Timaru - 1 minute 31.657 seconds
2nd - Jarrod Parmenter - Mitsubishi EVO, Timaru - 1.32.217
3rd - John Hepburn - Mitsubishi EVO, Timaru - 1.32.552
4th - Mike Small - Nissan Skyline GTR, Timaru - 1.33.725
5th - Ron Shelton - Nissan Silvia, Timaru - 1.35.050
6th - Chris Small - Mitsubishi GSR, Timaru - 1.36.346
7th - Nathan McAuley - Mitsubishi EVO, Timaru - 1.36.707
8th - Matt Edgar - Toyota DX Corolla, Wanaka- 1.36.789
9th - Raymond Hart - Nissan Skyline, Timaru - 1.38.075
10th - Matt Dunn - Toyota Corolla, Timaru - 1.39.426
11th - Gary Duncan - Mitsubishi EVO, Temuka - 1.39.753
12th - Grant Waters - Mitsubishi GSR, Timaru - 1.40.702
13th - Allan Ranson - Mitsubishi EVO, Twizel - 1.41.248
14th - Noel Parish - Nissan 300ZX, Motueka - 1.42.473
15th - Sharon Wood - Subaru Legacy, Timaru - 1.45.077
16th - Garreth MacKenzie - Toyota Corolla, Christchurch - 2.32.701
DNS - Bryce Parish - Nissan Skyline GTR, Motueka
DNS - Phil Hood - Mitsubishi EVO, Kaikoura
RACE 1 - GRID START (7 LAPS)
1st - Neville Stowell
2nd - John Hepburn
3rd - Chris Small
4th - Mike Small
5th - Matt Dunn
6th - Gary Duncan
7th - Raymond Hart
8th - Nathan McAuley
9th - Ron Shelton
10th - Noel Parish
11th - Allan Ranson
12th - Jarrod Parmenter
13th - Sharon Wood
14th - Matt Edgar
DNF - Garreth MacKenzie, Grant Waters
DNS - Bryce Parish, Phil Hood
RACE 2 - TOP SIX REVERSE GRID (7 LAPS)
1st - Neville Stowell
2nd - Mike Small
3rd - Jarrod Parmenter
4th - John Hepburn
5th - Matt Dunn
6th - Matt Edgar
7th - Ron Shelton
8th - Chris Small
9th - Raymond Hart
10th - Noel Parish
11th - Nathan McAuley
12th - Gary Duncan
13th - Allan Ranson
14th - Sharon Wood
DNS - Garreth MacKenzie, Grant Waters, Bryce Parish, Phil Hood
RACE 3 - HANDICAP (6 LAPS)
1st - Ron Shelton
2nd - Chris Small
3rd - Neville Stowell
4th - Noel Parish
5th - Raymond Hart
6th - Mike Small
7th - Allan Ranson
8th - Jarrod Parmenter
9th - Matt Edgar
10th - Nathan McAuley
11th - Sharon Wood
12th - Gary Duncan
13th - John Hepburn
DNS - Matt Dunn, Garreth MacKenzie, Grant Waters, Bryce Parish, Phil Hood
CALENDAR 2007/2008 KUMHO SPORT SALOON SERIES
Round 1: 13/14 October 2007 - Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Round 2: 9 December 2007 - Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 3: 12/13 January 2008 -Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
Round 4: 15/16 March 2008 - Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna, Christchurch
Round 5; 5/6 April 2008 - Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
Round 6: 12/13 April 2008 - Teretonga Park, Invercargill
