Post by Aaron Drever on Feb 8, 2009 23:38:51 GMT 12
McIntyre Dominates Super Saloon Series Opener
By Aaron Drever.
The opening round of the 2009 National Super Saloon Series kicked off at Waikaraka Family Speedway in extreme conditions with over 30 degrees recorded at start time of 7pm. The best of the best lined up and greeted the small but vocal faithful as they embraced what could only be described as scintillating racing with not one stoppage in the entire night.
The original 16 entries had two late withdrawals with both Mark Pitcher (#9w Mustang) and Kevin Sallie (#31h Corvette) not able to participate in the opener. Withdrawals allowed the ranks to be boosted by the addition of two of the north islands most experienced drivers in Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) and Kevin Moore (#10m Pontiac) adding to the strong contingent of drivers from up and down the country.
Heat One saw the Hawks Bays Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) lead flag to flag from Lance Jennings(#96a Corvette) who moved from grid four with the big movers being the defending series champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) advancing five places and former national champion Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) moving four places all to finish in the top 6.
Murray Pierce (#68s Camaro) was still coming to grips with his brand new car and could be labelled the donut king giving the back straight a taste of the Auckland Infield dust, however he recovered to finish 10th and still advance a couple spots from his original grid start. Wellingtons Donald Gregory (#21w Corvette) was the dark horse and having spent the last two weeks including some midnight shifts to get the car ready for the series was fast but slowed towards the end of the first heat. We latter learnt that engine drama retired him for the night and an early trip back to the capital to get the car ready for the next round.
Heat Two was another cracker with rookie super saloon peddler Craig Cardwell (#8h Mustang) drive like a bat out of hell and take a convincing win holding out former national champions Peter Hemi (#38h VE Holden) and Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro). Another fantastic display from Current National Champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) had him as the big mover of the race with gaining five places from his starting grid. Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) advance a couple of places but a great midfield battle between Tauranga’s Ben Harding (#24m Corvette) and heat one winner Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) allowed the Aucklander Jennings to advance a head on points
The pole shuffle was an interesting affair with two laps for the drivers to battle to advance the grid start for the 15 Lap A-main Final. First out the ranks were Craig Cardwell (#8h Mustang) and Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette), the latter showing the rookie the quickest way round Waikaraka Park with the win in the pole shuffle giving grid 6 start in the feature to Cardwell.
Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) advanced to take on newly crowned North Island champion Paddy North (#46e Lovelady Monaro). North got the jump on Flynn and the Hawks Bay hero was not able to reel in the flying South Islander who showed tremendous pace in his Lovelady Monaro to claim the win.
Full of confidence Paddy North (#46e Lovelady Monaro) next challenger was Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) who the vocal locals were throwing their weight behind as these two cars were almost neck and neck the whole way round with the ever experienced Jennings out dragging the South Islander across the line sending the small crowd into a giant roar of support.
Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) then took on current national champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) and won. He then advanced to the front row showdown with points leader Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) and the Aucklander again won this time receiving a standing ovation with the locals well and truly showing there support for the hometown veteran.
The time had come and the drivers were ready for the business end of the night the Auckland faithful were again treated to a much anticipated A-Main Feature and the four wide salute to the crowd was the start with wheel to wheel action throughout from green to chequered.
Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) got the Jump on Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) and that’s pretty much the way it went for the opening six or so laps with Jennings under a tonne of pressure from defending national series winner and current New Zealand champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac), and Emerson starting to pull away in the distance. McIntyre advanced passed Jennings to second place at the half way stage taking a gap left by Jennings out of turn four.
The race for the lead was now on, would McIntyre get Emerson?
Lap after lap we watched in anticipation as Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) sat behind Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) then came the moment of truth where drivers become hero’s and tonight was no different, with three laps to go McIntyre knew after following Emerson for as many laps that he was not going to give up the low line, so decided to make his own line and that happened to be right out wide.
Lap 12 of 15 as the cars enter turn one McIntyre right out by the concrete wall got passed Emmerson with the crowd roaring in support. Emerson tried to reel in the defending series winner but was unable too.
The chequered flag fell with Shane McIntyre taking the opening round of the National Super Saloon Series from Brent Emmerson and Local Lance Jennings. Paddy North was fourth and Grant Flynn crossed in fifth.
The champagne was sprayed and the winners receiving a huge round of applause with Brent Emmerson saying “its not over yet we got another round in a couple of weeks”!
By Aaron Drever.
The opening round of the 2009 National Super Saloon Series kicked off at Waikaraka Family Speedway in extreme conditions with over 30 degrees recorded at start time of 7pm. The best of the best lined up and greeted the small but vocal faithful as they embraced what could only be described as scintillating racing with not one stoppage in the entire night.
The original 16 entries had two late withdrawals with both Mark Pitcher (#9w Mustang) and Kevin Sallie (#31h Corvette) not able to participate in the opener. Withdrawals allowed the ranks to be boosted by the addition of two of the north islands most experienced drivers in Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) and Kevin Moore (#10m Pontiac) adding to the strong contingent of drivers from up and down the country.
Heat One saw the Hawks Bays Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) lead flag to flag from Lance Jennings(#96a Corvette) who moved from grid four with the big movers being the defending series champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) advancing five places and former national champion Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) moving four places all to finish in the top 6.
Murray Pierce (#68s Camaro) was still coming to grips with his brand new car and could be labelled the donut king giving the back straight a taste of the Auckland Infield dust, however he recovered to finish 10th and still advance a couple spots from his original grid start. Wellingtons Donald Gregory (#21w Corvette) was the dark horse and having spent the last two weeks including some midnight shifts to get the car ready for the series was fast but slowed towards the end of the first heat. We latter learnt that engine drama retired him for the night and an early trip back to the capital to get the car ready for the next round.
Heat Two was another cracker with rookie super saloon peddler Craig Cardwell (#8h Mustang) drive like a bat out of hell and take a convincing win holding out former national champions Peter Hemi (#38h VE Holden) and Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro). Another fantastic display from Current National Champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) had him as the big mover of the race with gaining five places from his starting grid. Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) advance a couple of places but a great midfield battle between Tauranga’s Ben Harding (#24m Corvette) and heat one winner Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) allowed the Aucklander Jennings to advance a head on points
The pole shuffle was an interesting affair with two laps for the drivers to battle to advance the grid start for the 15 Lap A-main Final. First out the ranks were Craig Cardwell (#8h Mustang) and Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette), the latter showing the rookie the quickest way round Waikaraka Park with the win in the pole shuffle giving grid 6 start in the feature to Cardwell.
Grant Flynn (#6b Corvette) advanced to take on newly crowned North Island champion Paddy North (#46e Lovelady Monaro). North got the jump on Flynn and the Hawks Bay hero was not able to reel in the flying South Islander who showed tremendous pace in his Lovelady Monaro to claim the win.
Full of confidence Paddy North (#46e Lovelady Monaro) next challenger was Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) who the vocal locals were throwing their weight behind as these two cars were almost neck and neck the whole way round with the ever experienced Jennings out dragging the South Islander across the line sending the small crowd into a giant roar of support.
Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) then took on current national champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) and won. He then advanced to the front row showdown with points leader Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) and the Aucklander again won this time receiving a standing ovation with the locals well and truly showing there support for the hometown veteran.
The time had come and the drivers were ready for the business end of the night the Auckland faithful were again treated to a much anticipated A-Main Feature and the four wide salute to the crowd was the start with wheel to wheel action throughout from green to chequered.
Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) got the Jump on Lance Jennings (#96a Corvette) and that’s pretty much the way it went for the opening six or so laps with Jennings under a tonne of pressure from defending national series winner and current New Zealand champion Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac), and Emerson starting to pull away in the distance. McIntyre advanced passed Jennings to second place at the half way stage taking a gap left by Jennings out of turn four.
The race for the lead was now on, would McIntyre get Emerson?
Lap after lap we watched in anticipation as Shane McIntyre (#1nz Pontiac) sat behind Brent Emmerson (#7m Lovelady Camaro) then came the moment of truth where drivers become hero’s and tonight was no different, with three laps to go McIntyre knew after following Emerson for as many laps that he was not going to give up the low line, so decided to make his own line and that happened to be right out wide.
Lap 12 of 15 as the cars enter turn one McIntyre right out by the concrete wall got passed Emmerson with the crowd roaring in support. Emerson tried to reel in the defending series winner but was unable too.
The chequered flag fell with Shane McIntyre taking the opening round of the National Super Saloon Series from Brent Emmerson and Local Lance Jennings. Paddy North was fourth and Grant Flynn crossed in fifth.
The champagne was sprayed and the winners receiving a huge round of applause with Brent Emmerson saying “its not over yet we got another round in a couple of weeks”!
