Wainman out of luck in New Zealand
BRISCA F1 World Final winner Frankie Wainman Jr was on course to claim a fourth World 240in championship at Palmerston North Raceway in New Zealand but was taken out by a backmarker.
Wainman, driving a Phil Ogle-prepared car, started from the back of the 26-car grid in the opening heat and powered to sixth. He claimed the victory in heat two.
He was second in the points going in to the third and final heat and was favourite for the crown as he was starting from pole. However, a mid-race spill with a lapped car ruled him out.
“I started on pole, but deliberately dropped back a few places at the start to try and keep out of the way,” Wainman Jr said. “It worked really well but William Humphries managed to find me and, although he was on the infield, he took me to the wall, costing me a lap. He then teamed up with [local] Jack Miers, taking me to the wall again in the race and out of the running.”
Wainman Jr finished sixth overall.
Former world champion Lee Fairhurst finished a promising 11th in the first heat from 25th on the grid, but a massive pile-up on the first bend in heat two resulted in the Fairhurst car with a damaged wheel and broken brake pipe.
Bobby Griffin blew a differential, while John Dowson, on his first visit to New Zealand, managed to finish every race without being
a factor.