LUSH BACK TO CHALLENGE CLEMENTS AT TIMARU THIS WEEKEND
Stuart Lush (McRae GM1) took the battle to defending series champion Ian Clements (Lola T332) at the second round of the 2006/07 F5000 Tasman Cup revival Series at Pukekohe's Pukekohe Park Raceway late last month. And the Auckland man is all set to do the same at the third round at the Placemakers Classic and Historic motor race meeting at Timaru's Timaru International Motor Raceway this weekend.
Christchurch man Clements claimed pole position and won two of the three races at the first round of the popular trans-Tasman series at Melbourne's Sandown Park in November last year but Lush returned the favour at the second round at his home track a fortnight ago, only a broken rear wing support, and subsequent trip into the trackside barriers in the final race of the weekend, preventing what looked like it was going to be a clean sweep.
Clements still has a healthy lead in the overall points standings but having repaired his car in plenty of time for it to be loaded into the container and shipped south for this weekend's Placemakers Classic and Historic meeting at Timaru International Raceway, Lush has another chance this weekend to close the gap.
Formula 5000 was New Zealand's premier single-seater motor racing category through the early to mid 1970s and the big, booming stock-block, mostly Chevrolet V8-powered machines made such an impression on enthusiasts like Lush and Clements that when they could afford to they sought out cars from the period to restore and race.
Others, with a similar interest and passion have joined them and now New Zealand has more restored and race-ready Formula 5000 cars than any other country.
Series supporters Pacifica Shipping and NZ Express have shipped 12 cars to Timaru for this weekend's meeting amongst them Australian visitor Bill Hemming's Elfin MR8 AC and the Murray Sinclair Lola T332 for category newcomer Russell Greer.
Greer, a Blenheim man who owns and races the historic Stanton Corvette sportscar, has just bought Sinclair's ex Graeme Lawrence Lola and will make his F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series debut in the car at Timaru this weekend.
In terms of overall series standings, defending and now two-time F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series champion Ian Clements heads to the third round at Timaru with 160 points, with Auckland's Aaron Burson in second place on 114 and Christchurch's Stan Redmond in third with 112.
Fourth is Auckland's Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400) with 92 points, fifth Christchurch's David Abbott (Lola T430) with 82, sixth the now retired Murray Sinclair with 74.
Seventh is Auckland's Poul Christie (Lola T190, 68), eighth Christchurch's Tony Richards (Lola T332, 60), ninth Stuart Lush (McRae GM1, 56) and tenth Christchurch's Kerry Anderson (Lola T142, 48).
From Timaru the Tasman Cup Revival Series cars will be packed back into their specially fitted out containers and shipped across the Tasman by the MSC line (another keen category supporter) for the final round of the 2006/07 series at the big Phillip Island Classic meeting at the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne over the March 10-11 weekend.
F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series Rnd 2 pace-setter Stuart Lush (#22) leading defending series champion and 2006/07 points leader Ian Clements (#30) and the rest of the field
Photo: Fast Company/Alex Mitchell-Warbirds
Ends
2006/07 F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
Points after Rnd 2 of 4
1. Ian Clements (Lola T332, Christchurch) 160 points
2. Aaron Burson (Talon MR1A, Auckland) 114
3. Stan Redmond (Lola T332, Christchurch) 112
4. Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400, Auckland) 92
5. David Abbot (Lola T430, Christchurch) 82
6. Murray Sinclair (Lola T332, Christchurch) 74
7. Poul Christie (Lola T190, Auckland) 68
8. Tony Richards (Christchurch, Lola T332) 60
9. Stuart Lush (McRae GM1, Auckland) 56
10. Kerry Anderson (Lola T142, Christchurch) 48
11=. Andrew Robson (Lola T332, Australia) 24
11=. John McKinlay (March 73A/2, Auckland) 24
13. Robert Harborow (Lola T163, Australia) 20
14. Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8 A-C, Australia) 12
15. Aaron Lewis (Chevron B24, Australia) 8
16. Roger Townshend (Lola T142, Christchurch) 4
CALENDAR
Rnd 1: November 10-12 2006 Sandown Park (Melbourne, Aust)
Rnd 2: January 26-18 2007 Tasman Grand Prix Pukekohe Park (Pukekohe, NZ)
Rnd 3: February 9-11 2007 The Placemakers Classic Timaru Int. Motor Raceway (Timaru, NZ)
Rnd 4: March 9-11 2007 VHRR Historic Meeting Phillip Island (Vic, Aust)
Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of the New Zealand Formula 5000 Association
Christchurch man Clements claimed pole position and won two of the three races at the first round of the popular trans-Tasman series at Melbourne's Sandown Park in November last year but Lush returned the favour at the second round at his home track a fortnight ago, only a broken rear wing support, and subsequent trip into the trackside barriers in the final race of the weekend, preventing what looked like it was going to be a clean sweep.
Clements still has a healthy lead in the overall points standings but having repaired his car in plenty of time for it to be loaded into the container and shipped south for this weekend's Placemakers Classic and Historic meeting at Timaru International Raceway, Lush has another chance this weekend to close the gap.
Formula 5000 was New Zealand's premier single-seater motor racing category through the early to mid 1970s and the big, booming stock-block, mostly Chevrolet V8-powered machines made such an impression on enthusiasts like Lush and Clements that when they could afford to they sought out cars from the period to restore and race.
Others, with a similar interest and passion have joined them and now New Zealand has more restored and race-ready Formula 5000 cars than any other country.
Series supporters Pacifica Shipping and NZ Express have shipped 12 cars to Timaru for this weekend's meeting amongst them Australian visitor Bill Hemming's Elfin MR8 AC and the Murray Sinclair Lola T332 for category newcomer Russell Greer.
Greer, a Blenheim man who owns and races the historic Stanton Corvette sportscar, has just bought Sinclair's ex Graeme Lawrence Lola and will make his F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series debut in the car at Timaru this weekend.
In terms of overall series standings, defending and now two-time F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series champion Ian Clements heads to the third round at Timaru with 160 points, with Auckland's Aaron Burson in second place on 114 and Christchurch's Stan Redmond in third with 112.
Fourth is Auckland's Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400) with 92 points, fifth Christchurch's David Abbott (Lola T430) with 82, sixth the now retired Murray Sinclair with 74.
Seventh is Auckland's Poul Christie (Lola T190, 68), eighth Christchurch's Tony Richards (Lola T332, 60), ninth Stuart Lush (McRae GM1, 56) and tenth Christchurch's Kerry Anderson (Lola T142, 48).
From Timaru the Tasman Cup Revival Series cars will be packed back into their specially fitted out containers and shipped across the Tasman by the MSC line (another keen category supporter) for the final round of the 2006/07 series at the big Phillip Island Classic meeting at the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne over the March 10-11 weekend.
F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series Rnd 2 pace-setter Stuart Lush (#22) leading defending series champion and 2006/07 points leader Ian Clements (#30) and the rest of the field
Photo: Fast Company/Alex Mitchell-Warbirds
Ends
2006/07 F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
Points after Rnd 2 of 4
1. Ian Clements (Lola T332, Christchurch) 160 points
2. Aaron Burson (Talon MR1A, Auckland) 114
3. Stan Redmond (Lola T332, Christchurch) 112
4. Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400, Auckland) 92
5. David Abbot (Lola T430, Christchurch) 82
6. Murray Sinclair (Lola T332, Christchurch) 74
7. Poul Christie (Lola T190, Auckland) 68
8. Tony Richards (Christchurch, Lola T332) 60
9. Stuart Lush (McRae GM1, Auckland) 56
10. Kerry Anderson (Lola T142, Christchurch) 48
11=. Andrew Robson (Lola T332, Australia) 24
11=. John McKinlay (March 73A/2, Auckland) 24
13. Robert Harborow (Lola T163, Australia) 20
14. Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8 A-C, Australia) 12
15. Aaron Lewis (Chevron B24, Australia) 8
16. Roger Townshend (Lola T142, Christchurch) 4
CALENDAR
Rnd 1: November 10-12 2006 Sandown Park (Melbourne, Aust)
Rnd 2: January 26-18 2007 Tasman Grand Prix Pukekohe Park (Pukekohe, NZ)
Rnd 3: February 9-11 2007 The Placemakers Classic Timaru Int. Motor Raceway (Timaru, NZ)
Rnd 4: March 9-11 2007 VHRR Historic Meeting Phillip Island (Vic, Aust)
Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of the New Zealand Formula 5000 Association