Photo: Andrew Waite along side Peter WardAndrew 'DJ48' Waite bounced back from his troubled round at Teretonga just seven days ago to claim the spoils at Round 4 of the UDC V8 Ute Championship at Timaru International Motor Raceway this weekend. Waite's Valvoline/Hydraulink Falcon developed major engine problems at Teretonga and consequently the young Aucklander was forced into a borrowed vehicle at Timaru. However the change did little to blunt his championship challenge as he won his third round of the four held to date. Fellow Aucklander Mike 'Buzz' Lightfoot was second for the round after another excellent showing while Geoff 'SOS' Spencer of Palmerston North backed up his first ever UDC V8 Ute race win on Saturday with third place overall.
All three races were tense affairs and for the second weekend in succession the category produced three different race winners.
Spencer won Saturdays race, his first in over eighty starts in the class, after he fended off an intense attack from Waite with Lightfoot third.
The second race of the round on Sunday morning took place on a wet track with Lightfoot on pole and Peter 'Rocketman' Robb alongside. While the class has a reputation for ferocious racing everyone was on their best behaviour in the difficult conditions that had claimed several victims in earlier races. Robb led early in the Hill Country Helicopters Holden until both Lightfoot and Chris 'Hammer Time' Hanley, who relishes the wet, got by on lap two. While they pulled away Robb held off Waite until lap 6. Lightfoot and Hanley produced a stirring battle similar to the one between Spencer and Waite the day before, Lightfoot hanging on to notch his second race victory in as many weeks. Waite was third with Peter 'Kaos' Ward snatching fourth from Robb near the end with James 'Huggi' Urquhart sixth.
Lightfoot said conditions were the worst he had ever encountered, particularly at the sweeper onto the front straight. 'The car sledges and then bites. It's scary. I am almost forgetting to breathe. You just never know if you are going to stay on track." Many others reiterated those comments including Waite. "I had a massive moment there once in a Toyota Racing Series car. The corner scares me!"
The finale saw Waite on pole with Lightfoot next to him. On a track that was now dry It was Lightfoot who got away best. He led until the third lap when Waite blasted past. Spencer followed him through although Lightfoot repassed him the next time around. That was the order at the finish, Waite winning from Lightfoot who withstood a lunge by Spencer right on the line. However Lightfoot received a 5 second penalty for a false start which dropped him to fifth, promoting Spencer, Ward and Hanley ahead of him.
Waite was "very happy" but admitted it had not been plain sailing. "I had an engine miss from about 3/4 distance in the last race and just wanted to bring it home. When that happened a win was not at the top of the priority list." Understandably Lightfoot too was pleased. He praised his crew - Wayne, Kev and Dan. "The BSL Buckley Systems Falcon performed brilliantly. I'm over the moon." Spencer took third on a circuit considered to better suit the Fords. "I'm glad I could foot it with those guys. This week in, week out racing has got us in the groove. It's like a coming of age. Once you get these utes within a window they are good to drive. It's a good class to be in."
The UDC V8 Ute Championship now returns to the North Island where Round 5 will take place at Manfeild Park in Feilding from 10-12 February.
QUALIFYING
1st: Andrew Waite (Auckland) Ford - 1.13.525 seconds
2nd: Mike Lightfoot (Auckland) Ford - 1.13.863
3rd: Geoff Spencer (Palmerston North) Holden - 1.14.361
4th: Chris Hanley (Auckland) Holden - 1 14.378
5th: Peter Ward (Auckland) Holden - 1 14.451
6th: Scott McKelvie (Auckland) Holden - 1.14.562
7th: James Urquhart (Karaka) Holden - 1.14.667
8th: Dave Stewart (Wellington) Holden - 1.14.723
9th: David Kernohan (Turangi) Ford - 1.14.963
10th: Jeff Kernohan (Turangi) Ford - 1.15.384
11th: Brett Rudd (Auckland) Holden - 1.15.853
12th: Peter Robb (Wanganui) Holden - 1.16.113
RACE 1 - 8 LAPS (MARBLE DRAW GRID)
1st: Geoff Spencer
2nd: Andrew Waite
3rd: Mike Lightfoot
4th: Jeff Kernohan
5th: Scott McKelvie
6th: Chris Hanley
7th: David Kernohan
8th: James Urquhart
9th: Peter Ward
10th: Brett Rudd
11th: Peter Robb
12th: Dave Stewart
RACE 2 - 8 LAPS (REVERSE MARBLE DRAW GRID)
1st: Mike Lightfoot
2nd: Chris Hanley
3rd: Andrew Waite
4th: Peter Ward
5th: Peter Robb
6th: James Urquhart
7th: Dave Stewart
8th: Geoff Spencer
9th: Jeff Kernohan
10th: David Kernohan
11th: Brett Rudd
12th: Scott McKelvie
RACE 3 - 12 LAPS (GRID BASED ON ROUND POINTS)
1st: Andrew Waite
2nd: Geoff Spencer
3rd: Peter Ward
4th: Chris Hanley
5th: Mike Lightfoot
6th: Dave Stewart
7th: James Urquhart
8th: Jeff Kernohan
9th: Brett Rudd
10th: Scott McKelvie
11th: Peter Robb
12th: David Kernohan
