Photo: Mike Turley ahead of Grant RyanAucklander Mike Turley came through from sixth in a fiercely fought race to take the first Suzuki Swift Sport Cup race victory of the 2010/2011 summer race season at Pukekohe Park Raceway Saturday 6 November.
With the afternoon race running for just seven laps instead of the intended ten, Turley had the lead when pole-setter Grant Ryan, from Lower Hutt, struck serious trouble around the 2.8 kilometre circuit. Ending up backwards in the wall, the ensuing race-pack concertina effect caused Hamilton’s Shaun Lawrence to roll his car, forcing an early finish to the race.
The results were taken back to the last lap of action, with Turley declared the winner, followed by AJ Lauder (16, Turua) and Lower Hutt’s Grant Ryan third.
Earlier, Turley demonstrated he had a clear grasp of the basic principle behind racing small cars like the Suzuki Swift: getting a wind-draft tow from the car.
“We had a few dramas in qualifying; I was pretty fast in practise yesterday but seemed to struggle today. I knew we had a quick car, we just had to find the right sort of setup and I think we’ve got it sussed for now. Grant Ryan had a problem on the back straight, Marc Spring went around him and I went the other way – it just so happened that was the inside for the next corner so I had the line for the rest of it. So I think that one move set me up for the win.”
From pole position at the race start, Lower Hutt’s Ryan had the early lead, dominating the first five laps. Sixteen-year-old AJ Lauder started second, was overtaken by Spring while Turley leapt from his qualifying position of sixth into fourth by the end of the first lap. Rounding out the top five early runners was Taupo’s Mark Gibson, who along with brother Rob, is contesting the Suzuki series for the first time.
Spring intensified the pressure on Ryan before he and Turley completed their move around the front-runner, while Lauder was pushed back to fourth, but the teenager kept his nerve to recover and finish second.
Lauder said: “When I slipped back to fourth I didn’t think we’d get it back. Then when we got the slip-stream on the back straight all the way round was the only chance I had to claw some of it back. My plan was to stay out of trouble, keep position and if anything happened be there to move forward.”
After the shortened race, Ryan and Lawrence were checked and cleared by ambulance staff.
Suzuki championship co-ordinator Paul Burborough said watching the race was like a continual traffic jam, given the 18-strong field is the biggest starting grid ever seen for the small car series.
“It’s real door handle-to-door handle stuff out there as the drivers try to feed through the turns. They’ve produced the closest racing action of the day!” said Burborough.
Qualifying for Round 1, Suzuki Swift Sport Cup
1, Grant Ryan, Lower Hutt, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:14.089
2, AJ Lauder, Turua, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:14.367
3, Marc Spring, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:14.843
4, Mark Gibson, Taupo, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:14.923
5, Rob Gibson, Taupo, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:14.989
6, Mike Turley, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.117
7, Shaun Lawrence, Hamilton, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.122
8, Ryan Bailey, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15. 219
9, Dane Fisher, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.243
10, Jamie Gaskin, Upper Hutt, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.315
11, Daniel Liemburg, Timaru, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.442
12, Rex McCutcheon, Waiuku, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.476
13, Tom Barker, Christchurch, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.583
14, Amy Vincent, Papakura, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.761
15, Allan Jarvis, Brisbane, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:15.882
16, Sam Barry, Takapau, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:16.139
17, Chris Cox, Rangiora, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:16.147
18, Brad Lauder, Turua, Suzuki Swift Sport, 1:16.358
Race one: Suzuki Swift Sport Cup (shortened from 10 to 7 laps)
1, Mike Turley, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, 9:14.757
2, AJ Lauder, Turua, Suzuki Swift Sport, +1.551s
3, Grant Ryan, Lower Hutt, Suzuki Swift Sport, +1.583s
4, Dane Fisher, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, +1.974s
5, Marc Spring, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, +2.053s
6, Ryan Bailey, Auckland, Suzuki Swift Sport, +2.070s
7, Mark Gibson, Taupo, Suzuki Swift Sport, +2.848s
8, Shaun Lawrence, Hamilton, Suzuki Swift Sport, +2.870s
9, Rob Gibson, Taupo, Suzuki Swift Sport, +3.323s
10, Jamie Gaskin, Upper Hutt, Suzuki Swift Sport, +3.481s
11, Daniel Liemburg, Timaru, Suzuki Swift Sport, +4.008s
12, Rex McCutcheon, Waiuku, Suzuki Swift Sport, +5.301s
13, Tom Barker, Christchurch, Suzuki Swift Sport, +6.016s
14, Sam Barry, Takapau, Suzuki Swift Sport, +9.468s
15, Chris Cox, Rangiora, Suzuki Swift Sport, +10.398s
16, Amy Vincent, Papakura, Suzuki Swift Sport, +10.544s
17, Allan Jarvis, Brisbane, Suzuki Swift Sport, +11.093s
18, Brad Lauder, Turua, Suzuki Swift Sport, +21.688s
