AJ Lauder has become by far the youngest NZV8s champion, clinching the Gold Star title for the original-specification cars with a solid drive at Pukekohe today.
Meanwhile Australian V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna almost wrapped up the TLX category for the fast new-generation cars when he won the race after a tough battle with Cambridge driver Nick Ross.
Lauder, from the Coromandel township of Turua, had a big points lead coming into the meeting and drove a sensible race in his Ford Falcon, bearing the championship situation in mind. He finished sixth in his class.
“We had to finish,” he said. “I thought it would be more hectic than it was.
“We were told to stay clean.”
Behind Lauder, things were more hectic as several of the less experienced drivers in the 30-car Fujitsu Heat Pumps-backed NZV8s field skated off onto the grass at different points, some bringing dirt back onto the surface as they regained the track.
Lauder’s brother Brad, just 16, retained his second place in the championship even though he finished well down the field. Shaun Varney, who had been a close third, lost ground when he went off the track in his Falcon.
Nelson’s John McIntyre won the TL class in his Falcon after a good battle with Aucklander Andrew Anderson’s Holden Commodore.
McIntyre had qualified on pole but Anderson went round the outside of him in turn one – “a great move”, McIntyre said. Later McIntyre found extra speed down the front straight and squeezed inside into turn one.
Anderson lost his second place when he got baulked by a lapped driver, allowing Pukekohe driver Kevin Williams to overtake him in his Ford.
Out front Bargwanna pulled away from Ross, both driving new-generation (TLX) Commodores, but Ross closed right up when the Australian ran into traffic.
Ross nudged the leader from behind once or twice, but Bargwanna was unfazed. “No problem, that’s racing,” he said. “That was good racing.”
Timaru driver Brent Collins took third in his Toyota Camry ahead of team-mate Martin Short, showing that there were no team orders even though Short was second in the championship, well ahead of Collins.
“It’s open slather,” Collins said. “If Martin’s quicker than me he can get past.”
The TLX championship will be decided over two races tomorrow. If Bargwanna takes the championship he will be the first Australian to do so.
