Persistence was the key for Shane Van Gisbergen and Alex Davison as they wrestled their uncooperative car to overall victory in the Waikato 400 endurance round of the BNT V8 SuperTourers championship at Hampton Downs today.
The Kiwi-Australian pairing, both full-time V8 Supercar drivers, could not get their Ford on the podium for any of the three sections of the event but they plugged away to earn the biggest points tally at the end of the weekend, while some other top teams suffered mechanical failures or crashes.
“It was due to others’ misfortunes and it was just our consistency,” Van Gisbergen said.
“We didn’t have the car to challenge for wins, there were a lot of little things but they add up. But it’s good points for the championship.”
Davison said it would have been nice to win races as well as the round, but the car did not have the balance to run right at the front.
The three sections all had different winners – Greg Murphy-Jack Perkins (Holden) in yesterday’s race, Tim Edgell-Lee Holdsworth (Holden) in today’s first race and Ant Pedersen-Chaz Mostert (Ford) in the final. Holdsworth and Mostert are both full-time Supercar drivers.
However each of these teams also suffered a non-finish because of a mechanical problem.
Scott McLaughlin and Jonathon Webb were in contention for the round victory after finishing second in heat two in their Holden but Webb crashed early in the final after an attempt to pass Edgell ended with him going on the grass.
Webb’s car then shot across the track and took out the Holden of Andrew Waite and Daniel Gaunt, who had recorded good finishes in both the opening races.
Young Christchurch driver Richard Moore was rapt to finish second overall, sharing his Holden with Supercar racer Tim Slade.
“I had to pinch myself when I was chasing down Jack Perkins,” he said after finishing second in the final. “It’s so hard to compete with these full-time professionals [the Supercar drivers] when we only have seven meetings a year, but every time I get in the car we get a step forward.”
Murphy retained his overall championship lead at this fifth round of the Hankook Super Series after earlier winning the four-round sprint series and – despite his non-finish – coming fifth in the first of three endurance rounds which complete the overall championship.
He would have been in strong contention for the overall round victory if not for the gearbox failure in this morning’s race. The car was a winner yesterday but did not feel so good this afternoon, he said.
“These cars are very sensitive and it doesn’t take a lot put them out of the window [of good balance],” he said.
Edgell said Holdsworth had helped develop more speed from his car and had also given him some driving tips. “Lee has absolutely changed the whole team atmosphere,” he said.
The Kiwi took over his Holden midway through race two after Holdsworth had established a lead, but found himself in an uncertain situation.
“When I got in the radio wasn’t working and I didn’t know whether we were first or second,” he said after scoring his breakthrough SuperTourers victory. “I was looking round to see if anyone was close.”
Edgell had nothing to worry about – he matched the pace of the Aussie aces behind him and brought the car home well clear of McLaughlin and Webb.
Pedersen and Mostert were forced out of race one with a broken axle but stormed back to post a third and a victory today. Pedersen stands second in the championship, ahead of Van Gisbergen.
A swift driver change helped set them on the path to the win in the final heat.
“I’ve got the bruises to prove it,” Pedersen said – in his haste to get into the car he had banged his limbs against parts of the car.
