Woods for War of Wings series
Australian Allan Woods is a late entry for the Hydraulink War of the Wings Sprintcar Series that returns to Ruapuna Speedway this Saturday night.
Woods won on his appearance at Ruapuna last March and recently finished 19th at the Australian Championship that attracted 108 entries.
Points leader Luke Keegan is winless so far this season but solid performances at each of the four rounds held see him with a slender four point lead over Jamie Duff, with defending champion Matt Honeywell (Ashburton) a further two points adrift. Twenty six entries have been received for the event which culminates at Easter after races in Dunedin (February 25) and Cromwell (Good Friday). Lawson youngest winner Pukekohe’s Liam Lawson is the youngest driver to have won the NZ F1600 Championship title after winning 14 of 15 races over the summer.
Having just turned 15 this month he is younger than previous winners including IndyCar driver Scott Dixon who was 16, V8 Supercar drivers’ Andre Heimgartner (151⁄2 years) and Shane van Gisbergen (17 years), World Endurance Championship driver Richie Stanaway (18 years) and former TRS driver James Munro (16 years). Motorsport historians cannot recall any driver being quite as dominant as Lawson. He also set fastest time in qualifying at all five rounds. Christchurch’s Michael Collins finished runner-up with Southland’s Jordan Michels third. Kiwi drivers in Supercars It’s business as usual for Shane van Gisbergen and Fabian Coulthard this season in the Australian Supercars Championship. Both will continue driving for their teams from last season, Red Bull Holden Racing and DJR Team Penske. Joining Coulthard will be Christchurch’s Scott McLaughlin who has moved from Garry Rogers Motorsport after Volvo withdrew from the series at the end of last season. The change for McLaughlin is seen as a good career move, with future options for racing in the US with Team Penske. After running as a single car team for its first two seasons, the expansion to a two-car team will add pressure on the Kiwi drivers as the team is winless heading into its third year.
Without a team this season is Chris Pither who drove for Super Black Racing last season which has since folded and had its contract taken over by Tim Blanchard. Also struggling for a drive is Andre Heimgartner who raced for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport in 2016 and is still in the frame for their vacant second seat for 2017.