Nick Hamlin of Invercargill was crowned Club Champion at the Southland Sports Car Club 2010/2011 season prizegiving earlier this week.
Hamlin took the SSCC Club Champions Trophy after a very successful season in both racing and clubsport events, winning the Sprint Championship and the Clubsport Championship, for which he gained the Warren Robbie Memorial Trophy. He was also second in both the Motorkhana Championship and the 1301cc-1600cc class of the Race Championship. The points he accumulated over the season saw him clinch the overall Club title for the first time.
Runner-up in the championship was Roger Laird of Gore. Just two nights earlier Laird had won the Eastern Southland Car Club Championship for the third time. Laird took the Keith McFadzien Trophy for winning the Motorkhana Championship, finished second in the Clubsport Championship and third in the Sprint Championship.
Last year's Club Champion Robert Ralston of Invercargill maintained his success on the track winning the clubs 2010/2011 Race Championship which brings with it the Noel McIntyre Trophy. Winton drivers Brent Cross and Pierre Neame were second and third respectively. Ralston also won the Auto Centre Trophy (2501cc & over class) and the Erskine Flying Farewell Trophy. In the other race classes Walter Willmott won the Turntru Machining Trophy for the 0-1300cc class, Jeremy Dawson the Nebulite Windows & Doors Trophy (1301-1600cc) and Ivan Harvey, the Arrow International Trophy (1601-2500cc). Willmott, Dawson and Harvey all hail from Invercargill.
In the Sports & Racing Car Classes young Invercargill driver Jamie Conroy won the Harold Williams Memorial Trophy for the Sports & Racing Car Championship and the Evolution Motorsport Trophy for the Flying Farewell Championship. He also won the Hedges Challenge Trophy awarded to a young driver from either Otago or Southland each year.
The Most Improved Driver Of The Season was Dave McKenzie of Invercargill who received the Howard Kingsford-Smith Trophy. The novice driver of the year was Justin Heffernan of Invercargill who received the Arrow International Trophy. Brendon Leitch won the Junior Driver Of The Year award, donated by the SSCC Ladies Committee, while Nicola Kett of Invercargill won the Ladies Trophy after she finished second in the 1601-2500cc class of the race Championship.
The final awards recognised efforts behind the scenes. Barry Keen received the Workers Award - the RB Munro Trophy, while David Begg and Trevor Caldwell shared the Macks Panel & Paint Trophy for Marshall Of The Year. The Keith Douglas Memorial Trophy awarded for Distinguished Service to the club went to Wendy Jenks, a life member who has served in many important roles over a long period including SSCC President.
The new season gets underway at Teretonga Park over the weekend of 24/25 September.
