Photo: Geoff 'SOS' Spencer of Palmerston North fending off championship leader Andrew 'DJ48' WaitePalmerston North driver Geoff 'SOS' Spencer is having the season of his life in this years UDC V8 Ute Championship as the series heads toward his home round at Manfeild Park in Feilding this weekend.
After more than eighty race starts in the category he broke through for his first ever win at Timaru last month in his TWL/The Barn Company Holden Ute. The victory came as no suprise as the series veteran had come perilously close to his maiden win at Teretonga Park just one week prior to the Timaru success.
Manawatu raised drivers have always featured prominently in V8 Ute racing in this country and locals will be hoping Spencer can continue the trend this weekend. Chris Pither has won the championship for the past two seasons and Matt Lockwood won the inaugural title. In fact Caine Lobb of Whangarei is the only driver from outside the region to have won the series since it began in 2008.
However Spencer is slugging it out in the most hard fought season of UDC V8 Ute racing to date. Andrew 'DJ48' Waite leads the series to Manfeild in his Valvoline/Hydraulink Falcon ahead of fellow young gun Chris Hanley in the PB Technologies Holden Ute. Waite is back in his orginal ute after using a borrowed vehicle to win at Timaru and is ready to up his title challenge. "I definitely will not be holding back. It's time to stretch our legs. We were conservative in the South Island rounds as it is harder to pass on those circuits. Manfeild is different - I will be pressing on!"
Behind the leading duo come three drivers who have all notched up their debut victory in the class within the last month. Mike 'Buzz' Lightfoot scored his first win at Teretonga mid January and has already followed that up with another. Peter 'Kaos' Ward was another debut winner at Teretonga while Spencer broke his duck at Timaru. These three lie third, fourth and fifth in the championship respectively.
Spencer is looking forward to racing at home. "It's all about building on our momentum and confidence and bringing it to our home circuit. Manfield is a good track with plenty of passing opportunities and good viewing for the spectators." Spencer contested the Winter Series races at Manfeild in his Toyota Corolla and says the seat time gained there has been valuable preparation.
Racing in the UDC V8 Ute Championship is closer than ever this season and with its format of marble draw and reverse grids the scene is set for a great spectacle on the sweeping curves of Manfeild this weekend.
The UDC V8 Ute Championship is one of the classes on a programme that features the New Zealand Grand Prix for Toyota Racing Series cars.
SERIES POINTS (AFTER ROUND 4)
A Waite - 1018; C Hanley - 940; M Lightfoot - 888; P Ward - 814; G Spencer - 767; D Stewart - 644; J Urquhart - 634; S McKelvie - 603; D Kernohan - 586; B Rudd - 575; J Kernohan - 555; P Robb - 422; S Taylor - 180; H Gardiner - 146; G Beirne - 120;
