Suzuki series grows from competition

The exciting conclusion to the 2010/2011 Suzuki Swift Sport Cup series has baited many to either join or make a return to the 1600cc road car championship following the season finale at Taupo last weekend 11-13 March.

Covering six rounds in five months from Auckland to Invercargill, each of the 18 races became an odds-on opportunity for anyone of the 18 racers entered to win. No-one could have predicted the outcome that saw nine different drivers take the flag first, with a championship drawn out to the final day of the season.

Even though Coatsville’s Mike Turley became the championship benchmark after taking an early and commanding lead, the competitive nature of the series saw the position handed to Auckland’s Dane Fisher in what became a see-saw leader’s battle.

Separated by five points after the 15th race held at the Manfeild series penultimate round, it wasn’t until the series final day 31-year-old Fisher claimed the ultimate title. Incurring a points’ penalty at the final hurdle, Turley was then overtaken for the runner-up spot by Turua 16-year-old A.J. Lauder, having to settle for third.

Similarly, the rookie title went to the final day with Taupo’s Mark Gibson cementing his position after a gallant charge by Rangiora’s Chris Cox and Upper Hutt’s Jamie Gaskin. Benefiting from a first race win at Taupo on the Saturday, Gibson climbed further up the standings to finish the season fourth overall.

Making the task easier for drivers, the teams and improving the level of competition, has been the ultra reliable nature of the small Suzuki cars. With accident damage the leading reason for retirements, drivers could bank more on their ability to get them to the finish. Requiring minimal maintenance during the season, the cost benefit makes it the cheapest race-car category running in New Zealand’s premier motorsport scene.

“Even though we carry a modest parts inventory to cover foreseeable breakages, its testament to the car’s design that they can be put through punishing conditions and return ready to go again. The bits we do have to supply are from impact related damage – without exception,” said Suzuki New Zealand’s motorsport manager Darren Stevens.

“That leaves the drivers to concentrate on their job. As such we’ve seen a full season play out right to the end. Even when Lower Hutt’s Grant Ryan set fastest time at the series first round in early November we wondered if it’d be drivers with more experience or those with youth who’d shine.”

“Then for Mike Turley to cross the line first followed by A.J. Lauder we had an idea it’d be a rather close series. But I think what’s really made it has been the consistently high number of competitors. We never started less than 17 and the lap times between fastest and slowest meant the field was always closely bunched. So that forced them to work hard to maintain or try improve their placing, which I think made them better drivers in a shorter span of time.”

That’s news championship co-ordinator Paul Burborough says bodes well for the next and future seasons:

“The intensity is self-selling the series as a serious way of improving being a driver – especially for those who have greater aspirations and want to move on to other classes. But we’ve also got drivers committed to returning for the sheer enjoyment they’ve had at being in such a competitive environment. They’re getting greater personal returns and are never far from either winning a race or at least finishing on the podium.”

“Plus too the Australian series is about to start for the first time, so we’ll be interested to see if a trans-Tasman competition could evolve, which will give some drivers an exciting chance at racing outside circuits they already know.”

While the calendar for the 2011/2012 season is yet to be set and confirmed, Burborough says the winners from last weekend are all keen to repeat their performance.

This is the fourth season that the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup has run and details about the 2011/12 one-make, small car class will be announced later in the year via the series website www.swiftcup.co.nz.

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Final Points - 2010/11 Suzuki Swift Sport Cup
Position, Driver, Hometown, Points
1,91,Dane Fisher,Auckland,981
2,87,A.J. Lauder,Turua,910
3,6,Mike Turley,Auckland,895
4,35,Mark Gibson,Taupo,862
5,12,Chris Cox,Rangiora,836
6,41,Jamie Gaskin,Upper Hutt,827
7,11,Grant Ryan,Lower Hutt,797
8,14,Shaun Lawrence,Hamilton,755
9,89,Marc Spring,Auckland,701
10,5,Rex McCutcheon,Waiuku,657
11,34,Rob Gibson,Taupo,567
12,10,Ben Erickson,Christchurch,527
13,22,Amy Vincent,Papakura,486
14,71,Sam Barry,Takapau,476
15,15,Brad Lauder,Turua,439
16,23,Daniel Liemburg,Timaru,391
17,4,Tom Barker,Christchurch,313
18,4,Simon Evans,Auckland,272
19,27,Allan Jarvis,Brisbane,151
20,7,Ryan Bailey,Auckland,135
21,27,Patrick Cronin,Marton,88
22,36,Craig McRae,Geraldine,74

2010/11 Suzuki Swift Sport Cup Calendar
Round, Date, Venue, Inviting Club
1, 5-7 November 2010, Pukekohe, NZIGP Inc
2, 26-28 November 2010, Ruapuna, Canterbury Car Club Inc
3, 14-16 January 2011, Teretonga, Southland Sports Car Club Inc
4, 20-23 January 2011, Timaru, South Canterbury Car Club Inc
5, 11-13 February 2011, Manfeild, Manawatu Car Club Inc
6, 11-13 March 2011, Taupo, Taupo Car Club Inc