The Carters Tyres SI Endurance Series invades Christchurch’s Mike Pero Motorsport Park at Ruapuna this Saturday with the top teams, drivers and cars in NZ Endurance racing ready to battle it out in the annual SIERDC 3 hour endurance race. At the Series opener at Teretonga Park on 10 September fans witnessed an exciting race that was run at an eye wateringly fast pace. Both the race and lap records were smashed, with the race winning Trass Family Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3 of Richard Muscat & Sam Fillmore smashing the previous race record by an incredible 7 laps. However it was the 2nd place Tulloch Motorsport SaReNi Camaro GT3 of John McIntyre & Simon Gilbertson that snatched a new SIERDC 3hr lap record, which is also a new outright Saloon car lap record, at an incredible 55.713. However with an increased grid for Round Two, all teams will need to be on their game to get further points on the board for both the Carters Tyres SI Endurance Series Championship and to qualify for the upcoming MSNZ NZ Endurance Championship event in March 2017.
The pace at Teretonga was electric right from the outset with the top 8 cars all qualifying under the magic minute at the fast and flowing circuit. The race started just as furiously with fans thinking it was a 10 lap sprint rather than a 3 hour Enduro, and expect nothing less at Ruapuna. Unfortunately we won’t see our defending South Island Series champions Angus & George McFarlane return for Ruapuna, their new Porsche GT3R sustaining significant damage after only just 5 laps of the Teretonga race after a clash with the Tulloch Motorsport Camaro. This clash also seriously dented the Camaros chances of winning the race with the resulting puncture meaning an early and unscheduled pit-stop dropping them well down the field. However there is a real mx up of drivers for Round Two, with two of the three Teretonga podium finishers undergo driver changes for Ruapuna. Regular co-driver Danny Stutterd is set to replace former Australian GT champion Richard Muscat in the TFM Ferrari and past Series champion Paul Kelly teams up with the world’s best Porsche Cup driver, Craig Baird, in the distinctive Blue PKMC Porsche. Kelly had teamed up with young gun Dan Gaunt at Teretonga and a solid 3rd place proving what can be done in a well prepared & driven 997 GT3 Cup Car and in an interesting twist Dan Gaunt now makes a surprise return for Ruapuna round as he teams up with 3hr rookie Sue McLaughlin in her Porsche 997 GT3. The M2 Motorsport Holden Commodore SuperTourer was fourth overall at Teretonga after challenging for the lead in the early stages of the race before oil pressure problems slowed their progress. This is another top car with a driver change for Ruapuna with Aaron Harris stepping in for Richard Moore and with their problems sorted, the Ruapuna circuit should really suit this team. Also look out for the beautiful Carters Tyres Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 that suffered a DNF at Teretonga due to steering issues. It will be back for Ruapuna and expect a better run now the team has finally got some track time under their belts in this new machine including a recent test day at Ruapuna. An exciting addition to the GT class will be the Falcon V8 SuperTourer of Paul Rickerby/Graeme Rhodes who will also be one of the cars aiming to win the BJ Lloyd Memorial trophy for 1st V8 home at the Ruapuna round. For 2016 there are multiple brands that could snare this historic piece of V8 silverware, including Ferrari, Chevrolet, Mercedes, Holden or Ford’s which will make for an interesting battle within the race. Scott O’Donnell & Allan Dippie were 5th at Teretonga and second Porsche home in their brand new 991 GT3, however the Stuggart brand is well represented at Ruapuna with 997 GT3’s for Hayden Knighton/Kane Lawson, Lindsay O’Donnell/Phil Mauger, Barry Moore/Tim Mackersy and the Nigel de Geest/Kynan Yu car that didn’t make the Teretonga race start after clutch issues and as Teretonga has proven, none of this big field of GT class cars can be discounted from claiming a podium finish.
The “Kiwi built” Class 1 (3501cc+) was dominated by the Toyota 86 of Craig & Scotty McDermid at Teretonga as they mixed it with the GT class cars, in fact having an awesome battle with the O’Donnell/Dippie Porsche 991 for the first 90 minutes of the race. Second in class was the RX7 V8 of Darryl Barrett/Hamish Frew who finished well head of the Falcons of Perry Scarfe/Grant Silvester and Ian & Alyssa Clapperton who were both delayed after suffering various issues during the race. So yet again the class battles will be fought tooth and nail, and with all cars in Class 1 making the finish line at Teretonga, getting to the chequered flag Ruapuna is hugely important in this championship fight.
The Class 2 (2001-3500cc) winners at Teretonga were experienced duo Mike Driver/Phil Hood in the Seat Leon Supacopa from the similar car of Jim Wallace & Stephen Grellett. Third in class was Warren Good/Ron Mackersey who will swap the BMW M3 for a VW Golf Cup Car at Ruapuna, whilst the Mazda RX8 of Jarrod Parmenter/Andrew Brunton will be hoping to put their new car blues behind them for Round 2. Ruapuna will see additional entries into class 2 for the Ssangyong dealer team ‘Super Ute’ that suffered engine issues before Teretonga and two and BMW Mini Challenge cars, one for father & son team Graham & Lee McDermid who step up from the 1hr Series and one for Team Kiwi Racings young development driver Thomas Boniface & Tyson Harvey. This class also sees the welcome return of another father & son team of John & Angus Petrie who will be doing a rain dance in their 4WD Subaru WRX.
It was the new kids on the block that took out Class 3&4 (0-2000cc) at Teretonga, with Rodney & Michael Parkes (Honda S2000) taking the class win in their 3hr debut. Pre-series class favourites Arron & Stu Black (BMW E30 WTCC) were sidelined early in the race with fuel pump, however managed to get running again but could only climb back to 3rd in class behind the ever reliable Peugeot 106 of Ken Sinclair & Dennis Ham. Fourth in this class was the 2k cup spec Mercedes 190E who missed most of Fridays testing due to engine issues so will be looking forward to being back on more familiar territory at Ruapuna. Round Two will also see the return of the second Peugeot 106 of Tim Stanton and a possible Toyota Starlet entry making this class as competitive as any other within the entire Series.
As the quick-fire three round Carters Tyres Series passes its half way mark after Ruapuna, there is no rest for the teams as they then tackle the tight & twisty Levels Raceway circuit in Timaru on 15th October for the Series Grand Finale where the overall series champion will be awarded the ‘South Canterbury Toyota Cup’ as Carters Tyres SI Endurance Series winners. Thanks to Series sponsor Carters Tyres Service as well as Allied 24/7/fuel, the Series will again have a massive prizemoney pool of over $30,000- that will be paid out for 2016, as well as major spot prizes up for grabs to a competitors in either the One Hour or Three Hour Series.
There are entries are still available for the Ruapuna round and for more information, or to be added to the South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club’s e-mailing list, please contact Chris Dunn via e-mail at [email protected] Club information and live updates on race day can be found on the clubs facebook page www.facebook.com/sierdcnz, and for more information on the series sponsor Carters Tyre Service, please visit www.carterstyres.co.nz. The Ruapuna action starts from 10.30am Saturday and gate entry is only $15-00.
