Visiting British driver Michael Lyons (Lola T400) has built a flourishing career on a unique combination of success in historic F1 and F5000 and contemporary International Open GT sports car racing – and it all started at Christchurch’s Mike Pero Motorsport Park (nee Ruapuna).
“That’s right,” says the 23-year-old from Felsted in Essex who heads south for the final round of this season’s MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at the annual Skope Classic meeting this weekend after dominating the two most recent rounds at the Hampton Downs circuit south of Auckland. “The first time I drove a racing car was at Ruapuna. I was out here with my parents and when we found out that you could drive a (racing) car here at a much younger age than in the UK they shouted me a lesson with Andy Neale.”
Obviously money well spent, because since the last time he was here (in 2012 when he won his first MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series races) Lyons has been one of the front-runners in the FIA’s new Historic Formula 1 class, finished sixth in class in the International GT Open sportscar series behind the wheel of a semi-works Ferrari 458 and lapped the field to win the F5000 feature at last year’s big Silverstone Classic meeting in the UK.
In the absence of local class stalwart Ken Smith (Lola T332), who blew an engine at the first NZ Festival of Motor Racing meeting at Hampton Downs three weeks ago, Lyons has again dominated the MSC series races here as well, including lowering his own outright track lap record at the first meeting and completing a five-race clean sweep at the second – despite breaking then running over a header pipe in the final.
Heading into this weekend’s series finale in Christchurch Lyons heads a strong field of stock-block 5-litre engined Formula 5000 single seaters with competition expected to come from series champion-elect Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) from Auckland.
Though the field will be without usual local standouts Ken Smith (Lola T332) and Clark Proctor (March 73A), it will be supplemented this weekend by Russell Greer (Lola T332) from Blenheim, Tim Rush (McLaren M22) from Feilding and David Arrowsmith (Lotus 70) from Christchurch.
Former series champ Ian Clements (Lola T332) is also back after skipping the second NZ Festival round, as are brothers Tony (Lola T332 from Christchurch) and Glenn (Lola T400 from Auckland) Richards, as well as Auckland father and son Peter and Aaron Burson (both McRae GM1) and their running mate David Banks (Talon MR1).
Michael Lyons’ parents, Frank and Judy also continue to compete in the MSC series, Frank in a Gurney-Eagle FA74, Judy a Lola T332, while if emergency gearbox and engine work being done in Auckland this week is completed in time they will be joined by fellow UK visitor Greg Thornton (March 75A).
A special feature of the meeting will be the awarding of a new trophy in memory of class stalwart Stan Redmond who died as a result of injuries sustained in an accident at the final round of the 2012/13 MSC series at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park last February.
As well as being both a competitor and strong supporter of the MSC Tasman Cup Revival Series here and across the Tasman, Redmond made several trips to the UK to race and the Trophy has been put up by a group of drivers and family members from there in consultation with the Redmond family in Christchurch and the New Zealand Formula 5000 Association.
It will be presented – by Redmond’s long-time crew chief and engine man Steve Weeber – to the MSC F5000 series driver who puts in ‘The Most Spirited Drive’ over the weekend.
The MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organised and run with the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney’s Specialized Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Pacifica, Avon Tyres, Webdesign and Exide.
