1999 NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup Championship

[ Summary | 2.0 litre Qualifying | 2.0 litre Race | Dunlop Winter Cup Qualifying 1 | Dunlop Winter Cup Qualifying 2 | Dunlop Winter Cup Race ]

Centennial Circuit, Taupo
Saturday & Sunday 29/30th May 1999

Summary

The NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup provided two huge wake-up calls for the teams intending to contest the Liquor King Drivesafe 500 later on in the year.

The first was for the V8 Teams. If they thought they could muscle it over the 2.0 litres, they were in for a shock. The second was for the crack 2.0 litre International Motorsport Team who have dominated their Class for more than five years.


Angus Fogg clinched the NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup in the Husqvarna/The Rock FM/Collingwoods Ford Telstar laying down the gauntlet for both, managing to out pace them all for a well deserved win in the Geoff Short Motorsport Team car. Fogg's determination was obvious from the weekend's outset, taking out the first Winter Cup Qualifying Session. Richards responded with a 0.5 second margin in the second session, so the scene was set for a show down.

Happy Chappies! (l to r) Angus Fogg does the business, while NZRDC organiser Chris Abbott kept the Meeting Hassle Free and Husqvarna Motorsport Boss Geoff Short Enjoyed Clinching the NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup for Ford

The weather was overcast but warm with periodic heavy downpours of rain making the choice between wet weather and intermediate tyres difficult. Saturday's 2.0 litre race created the spark for a classic car chase when Fogg made contact with Jason Richard's BNT/Castrol BMW 320i at the hairpin to take the lead. Richards, in a superb drive, was forced to call on all his ability to overhaul Fogg and ultimately regain the lead for the win.

The Winter Cup provided a platform for the significantly larger V8 Tourers to pit themselves against the nimble 2.0 litre cars. To be fair to the V8s they were significantly disadvantaged by the tight Centennial Track and the wet slippery conditions. This made it difficult for them to transfer horsepower to the track and their combination of weight and lack of traction nobbled their performance. Chris Butler was the pick of the bunch, though Paul Manuell and NZGP title holder Simon Wills kept him honest with competitive drives.
Fogg Raced Away for a Well Deserved Win After Pole Sitter Richards Slid Off the Dry Line in the Esses

As another prelude to the Drivesafe 500, teams were required to make a compulsory pit stop, removing a wheel and replacing it. The teams took it in their strides, with little advantage being made by any of the top teams over one another.

Touring Car newcomers Jody Vincent (in the ex-Peter van Brugel Nissan Sentra SSS) and Kent Robertson in the recently reformed Alfa Romeo Team spent the week familising themselves with track and car

Current MANZ and NZRDC Touring Car Champion Jason Richards Makes his Scheduled Pit Stop

Ex-1300 cc Touring Car drivers Dean Mildenhall and Glen Collins came to grips with their V8 Holden Commodore steeds, the conditions proving particularly tricky for Collins who had only taken possession of the ex Andrew Fawcet Commodore on Thursday night.

International Motorsport's second BMW 320i sat idle in their garage all weekend after Geoff Brabham missed his flight from the USA. There is still no word on who will pilot the car in the upcoming Drivesafe 500.

Qualifying
2.0 litre Qualifying - (Maximum 15 minutes)

 No.
Driver
Car
Laps
Best Lap Time
Gap
 1 Jason RICHARDS BMW 320i 11 45.491 00.000
 4 Angus FOGG Ford Telstar 13 45.876 00.385
 5 Geoff SHORT Ford Telstar 6 47.870 02.379
 10 Jody VINCENT Nissan Sentra SSS 15 48.735 03.244
 56 Kent ROBERTSON Alfa Romeo DNP    
 100 Geoff BRABHAM BMW 320i DNP    

Circuit Length: 1.4 km
Winter Cup Qualifying 1- (Maximum 10 minutes)

 No.
Driver
Car
Laps
Best Lap Time
Gap
 4 Angus FOGG Ford Telstar 12 45.040 00.000
 1 Jason RICHARDS BMW 320i 10 45.199 00.159
 27 Chris BUTLER Holden Commodore 14 45.386 00.346
 2 Simon WILLS Holden Commodore 14 45.401 00.361
 5 Geoff SHORT Ford Telstar 12 46.256 01.216
 15 Paul MANUELL Holden Commodore 13 46.356 01.316
 23 Alan REA Holden Commodore 13 47.636 02.596
 10 Jody VINCENT Nissan Sentra SSS 12 47.807 02.767
 59 Bruce KENNEDY Holden Commodore 14 48.031 02.991
 53 Brian FRIEND Holden Commodore 13 48.602 03.562
 65 Dean MILDENHALL Holden Commodore 13 49.098 04.058
 56 Kent ROBERTSON Alfa Romeo 4 55.007 09.967
 75 Glenn COLLINS Holden Commodore 3 56.799 11.759
 100 Geoff BRABHAM BMW 320i DNS    

Circuit Length: 1.4 km
Winter Cup Qualifying 2- (Maximum 10 minutes)

 No.
Driver
Car
Laps
Best Lap Time
Gap
 1 Jason RICHARDS BMW 320i 11 42.734 00.000
 4 Angus FOGG Ford Telstar 9 43.257 00.523
 15 Paul MANUELL Holden Commodore 11 43.396 00.662
 2 Simon WILLS Holden Commodore 16 43.537 00.803
 27 Chris BUTLER Holden Commodore 12 43.694 00.960
 5 Geoff SHORT Ford Telstar 12 44.644 01.910
 65 Dean MILDENHALL Holden Commodore 11 44.988 02.254
 23 Alan REA Holden Commodore 11 45.472 02.738
 53 Brian FRIEND Holden Commodore 13 45.926 03.192
 10 Jody VINCENT Nissan Sentra SSS 13 46.251 03.517
 59 Bruce KENNEDY Holden Commodore 8 47.021 04.287
 56 Kent ROBERTSON Alfa Romeo 9 48.750 06.016
 75 Glenn COLLINS Holden Commodore DNS
 100 Geoff BRABHAM BMW 320i DNS    

Circuit Length: 1.4 km

Full Race Report

Race One - 2.0 litre Touring Cars

Results - Race 1 (8 Laps)

 No.
Driver
Car
Elapsed Time
Laps
Best Lap Time
On Lap
 1 Jason RICHARDS BMW 320i 6:06.192 8 43.682 8
 4 Angus FOGG Ford Telstar 6:06.701 8 43.799 8
 10 Jody VINCENT Nissan Sentra SSS 6:43.964 8 46.333 6
 56 Kent ROBERTSON Alfa Romeo 6:45.961 8 48.813 4
 5 Geoff SHORT Ford Telstar DNF 1 54.499 1
 100 Geoff BRABHAM BMW 320i DNS      

Circuit Length: 1.4 km

Race Two - NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup

 

 

Simon Wills Testing the Holden Commodores Rally Cross Performance!

 

It was an Anxious Wait for the Touring Car Crews, with Strategies Changing with Weather and Track Conditions

 

Geoff Short Sniffs Brian Friend's Exhaust Fumes as He Climbs Back Up the Field After an Early Race Incident with Dean Mildenhall

 

NZGP Winner & Current Australian Formula Holden Points Leader Simon Wills Negotiates the Tyres into the Pits

 

Fogg Rounds the Hairpin for the Last Time on his way to a Chequered Flag & the NZRDC Dunlop Winter Cup

Results - Race 2 (30 Laps)

 No.
Driver
Car
Elapsed Time
Laps
Best Lap Time
On Lap
 4 Angus FOGG Ford Telstar 23:19.758 30 44.168 24
 1 Jason RICHARDS BMW 320i 23:28.430 30 44.422 19
 27 Chris BUTLER Holden Commodore 23:53.519 30 44.489 26
 2 Simon WILLS Holden Commodore 24:03.536 30 45.072 25
 15 Paul MANUELL Holden Commodore 23:29.875 29 44.774 29
 59 Bruce KENNEDY Holden Commodore 23:48.835 29 45.831 29
 5 Geoff SHORT Ford Telstar 23:56.208 29 45.917 29
 53 Brian FRIEND Holden Commodore 24:03.353 28 47.511 28
 10 Jody VINCENT Nissan Sentra SSS 24:06.478 28 48.704 4
 65 Dean MILDENHALL Holden Commodore 23:34.628 27 47.090 27
 23 Alan REA Holden Commodore 23:35.678 27 45.783 26
 56 Kent ROBERTSON Alfa Romeo 23:23.789 26 49.333 21
 75 Glenn COLLINS Holden Commodore DNF 21 47.518 21
 100 Geoff BRABHAM BMW 320i DNS      

Circuit Length: 1.4 km