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NZTC Championship
2000/01
PRESS RELEASE
#4a
27th November 2000
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RILEY
MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO 2000/2001 NEW ZEALAND TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
The first
round in the 2000/01 New Zealand Touring Car Championship Meeting
began today at the Manfield Motor Racing Circuit in conjunction
with the New Zealand Grand Prix Series.
The heavens
opened an hour and a half prior to the 20 minute qualifying session
but fortunately the rain held off and the teams had little difficulty
choosing slick tyres and dry weather set-ups.
At the half
way point Kevin Bell in the International Motorsport BMW 320i
was on pole, with recently returned team mate Brett Riley second
and Team Kiwi's Angus Fogg in a Nissan Primera third.
Current New
Zealand Touring Car Champion, Jason Richards had to return to
the pit lane after clutch plate problems frustrated his qualifying
run. Jody Vincent in the Nissan Sentra SSS was having problems
of his own after he made an excursion off the track, losing his
front and back bumpers in the process.
Late in the
session, with Bell back in pit lane and the Team Kiwi cars still
circulating, Riley put in his best effort and topped the time
sheet.
Also improving
to put himself onto the second row of the grid and displace Fogg
from his third place was the Toyota Corona of Rhys McKay.
A dry track,
with the occasional period of light drizzle kept the teams guessing
about the weather conditions for Race One of the three race meeting.
Brett Riley
in the Castrol BNT BMW 320i made a faultless start to head the
field down the main straight for the first time, but Nissan specialist
Angus Fogg in the Team Kiwi Placemakers Nissan Primera made a
lightening break off the second row of the grid to flash past
Riley and take the lead.
The race
was a tangle of black and white as the International Motorsport
BMWs fought first the Team Kiwi Nissan Primeras and then each
other to take glory in the first race.
In the first
half of the race Fogg and Riley changed places several times,
with Riley taking back the lead at the hairpin only to lose it
to Fogg on the Hulme straight. Kevin Bell fought a fantastic rear
guard action with McKay, who came off second best and headed into
the grass, Richards and then Fogg, before turning his attentions
on Manfeild master Riley for the lead.
Despite clutch
and engine problems current NZTC Champion Jason Richards harried
Riley at the hairpin on lap 5, sustaining driver side panel damage
as a result. As Richards fell into the clutches of Jody Vincent's
Nissan Sentra, Angus Fogg in Team Kiwi's other car lost ground
due to a faulty air intake and was eventually passed by Barrie
Thomlinson in the Lexus IS 200.
On the final
lap Richards was overtaken by Aaron Harris in the BMW 320 Coupe,
Matthew Farmer in a Nissan Bluebird and a recovering Rhys McKay
in a Toyota Corona.
Riley retained
his composure to maintain his maximum points advantage, with team
mate Kevin Bell finishing second and Barrie Thomlinson in third.
Tomorrows reverse grid position will see Barrie Thomlinson with
the advantage in what is forecast to be a fine dry day.
For more
information contact:
Tony Bunyan
New Zealand Touring Car Website
Email editor@nztouringcars.co.nz
Website www.nztouringcars.co.nz
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