New MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series paceman Clark Proctor (March 73A) again proved the man to beat in the 12-lap NZ Express-sponsored final at the annual Skope Classic meeting in Christchurch on Sunday.

It was the second win of the weekend at the 3.33km Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park circuit for the talented Auckland-based all-rounder, who claimed his debut series pole position and win at the fifth MSC series round at Auckland’s Hampton Downs circuit a week before, and who only missed out on a sixth round series clean sweep at this weekend’s penultimate 2012/13 series round when a brake line blew while he was leading the second race of the weekend earlier in the day.

Defending series champion Steve Ross (McRae GM1) shadowed Proctor in the red flag-interrupted qualifying session on Saturday morning and beat a slowing Proctor to the finish line in the first race of the day on Sunday morning but the lap times told the story, Proctor quickest in all three races, including the second before he was slowed by the brake problem.

After the final, however, Proctor was just as happy talking about Ross, a driver who – like fellow former series champion Ken Smith – has set the bar in the class so high.

“Steve’s a good competitor, a great guy to race against and a good all round guy off the track as well. He and Kenny are the guys who have set the milestones in this class so they are the guys, when you come into the class, you aim at. Yes, the class is first and foremost about the cars but there’s still an element of competitiveness amongst the drivers and Steve is a benchmark so it is really  great to compete with him at this level,” he said.

In hot, dry conditions in front of a large and appreciative crowd Proctor and Ross thundered away from the rolling start at the start of the feature NZ Express final side by side but Proctor was already a couple of car lengths ahead as he and Ross accelerated away from the first corner with UK-based series regular Greg Thornton slotting his ex Stu Lush McRae GM1 into third ahead of a fast-starting Russell Greer (Lola T332), Class A standout Michael Whatley (Surtees TS8) and the first of the six-strong contingent of visiting Australian drivers, Paul Zazryn (Lola T332).

That’s how the order looked like it was going to stay too, until Michael Whatley pitted to check out fluctuating oil pressure (a problem quickly traced to a cracked oil tank). That elevated Greer to fourth until he was shuffled back to sixth by Paul Zazryn and compatriot Bryan Sala (Matich A50).

Behind Sala, Greer led a race-long battle for Lola supremacy initially fronted by David Abbott (Lola T430) from Sefton Gibb (Lola T332), series young gun Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) and Peter Sundberg (Lola T332 with Australian Aaron Lewis in the other Matich A50 in 11th and Talon MR1 pair Aaron Burson and David Banks disputing 12th.

Initially, Proctor and Ross pulled away from Thornton but as Ross got closer their pace slowed, allowing Thornton to pull back a couple of car lengths and enjoy the dice from the best seat in the house.

“It was brilliant,” he said.”Clark and Steve are both champions and to be able to watch them at such close quarters was fantastic. They both used completely different lines which of course I tried and to be honest it was wonderful just to be within a second of them. My car was fantastic too and I think we are now getting back to the point where we were in Australia (where Thornton won two of the three MSC series races at the non-championship Tasman Revival meeting in November).”

A little further back former New Zealand saloon car star Peter Sundberg (LOla T332) was having one of his best MSC series races to date following Sefton Gibb past David Abbott (Lola T430) mid race and eventually crossing the finish line in eight place.

Behind Abbott, Talon MR1 drivers Aaron Burson and David Banks remained close and Aaron’s father Peter (McRae GM1) again got the better of Australian visitors Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) and Rod Carroll (Lola T140) after the trio swapped places throughout the race.

(Race 2 8 laps Sun)
With another crack start and a healthy early margin on Steve Ross, Clark Proctor looked set to win the second race too, leading comfortable until slowing on the fourth lap with a long brake pedal, letting Ross close back up and a lap later find a way past.

“The problem,” he explained afterwards,”was the clip on the brake line on the right rear caliper let go. On about the fourth lap the pedal started getting a little spongy which affected my gear changing then by about lap five the brake pedal was absolutely on the floor.”

Behind Proctor, Ross and Michael Whatley the big mover was Paul Zazryn who slotted into fourth place in front of Greg Thornton and Sefton Gibb. Behind Gibb, young gun Dunkley circulated in seventh until caught and passed by a hard-charging Bryan Sala with fellow Matich driver Aaron Lewis in ninth in front of local Lola men Russell Greer, David Abbott, Peter Sundberg and Stan Redmond.

By the third lap Greg Thornton had caught and passed Zazryn with Bryan Sala edging away from Gibb, Dunkley, Lewis and the battling duo of Greer and Abbott.

Twice Abbott got past Greer but each time Greer was able to respond and take the positioin back.

“Yes,” said Greer, “one of those times I made a mistake and David got past me but then he made an even bigger one (mistake) and I was able to get the place back!”

Just ahead, Sala was edging closer to Paul Zazryn, while Greg Thornton was slowly reeling in Michael Whatley.

Neither quite managed to gain another position before the chequered flag came out but at the flag the gap between the two English drivers was just 0.134 of a second, the one between Zazryn and Sala just 0.168.

Having lost valuable set-up time with driveline issues at the two Hampton Downs rounds Sala in particular was enjoying the opportunity to dial driver and car into the track and concentrate on his lap times.

“Yesterday,” he said, “we were still learning the track, now we are just fine-tuning the car to get it handling a bit better round here.”

Compatriot Paul Zazryn was also proving a quick learner.

“Yes, ” he said, ” I’m loving it here, having a ball. I was actually quite surprised when I got up to fourth but after a couple of laps I felt I was pretty comfortable there. After Greg went past I could see Bryan coming but by that stage it was just a matter of keeping the car straight and on the Island.

Compatriot Aaron Lewis ran in ninth place until mid race when his car went off song and he slipped back down the field to 15th place.

“It’s the (fuel) pumps,” he explained afterwards.”The battery won’t run the pumps for long enough so the voltage drops and the fuel pressure goes down to 80 pounds and that’s that. Unless I can find a battery with more grunt we’ll have the same problem in the final.”

Race 1 (8 laps Sat)
After topping the time sheets in the red flag-interrupted qualifying session on Saturday morning, Proctor won the weekend’s first MSC race later in the afternoon from  Ross, Whatley and Thornton. Fellow front-row starter Ross was resolute in his pursuit Proctor, but despite closing the gap to less than a car length at the hairpin at one stage, couldn’t find a way past.

“Yes,” he dead-panned after the race, “we had a few problems….the main one being the yellow car in front of us!”

As Proctor and Ross eased away Whatley circulated quickly and cleanly in third with Thornton fourth and Sefton Gibb – making an impressive return to the series after 18 months out of his Lola T332 – fifth, Paul Zazryn and Bryan Sala vigorously disputing sixth and category young gun Alan Dunkley seventh.

Behind Alan Dunkley, Russell Greer caught and passed David Abbott with Abbott leading a three car freight train consisting of Lola T332 drivers Peter Sundberg and Stan Redmond ,and Aaron Burson.

Meanwhile, after missing out on qualifying as he put his car’s gearbox back together after smashing the casing on Friday Australian visitor Aaron Lewis was able to work his way from the back of the grid to 14th place by the time the chequered flag came out.

Behind Lewis, Aaron Burson’s father Peter Burson (McRae GM1) eventually got the better of visiting Australian driver Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) to cross the finish line in 15th place with Rod Carroll, who had been able to repair damage to his Lola T140 sustained at Hampton Downs with the help of Christchurch-based F5000 specialists Motorsport  Solutions LTD, 16th and compatriot John Bryant in a similar Lola T140 18th.

The MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organized and run with the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney’s Specialized Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants,  Pacifica, Avon Tyres and Exide. Invercargill’s Teretonga Park hosts the final round at the Classic Speedfest meeting in a fortnight’s time.