Southern drivers on track
DRIVERS from Dunedin and Central Otago were prominent on the top step of the podium at last weekend’s Mobil 1 Classic SpeedFest at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park.
Paul Coghill, of Dunedin, in a Jaguar Special, led the way in the Vintage Racing Car class, taking four wins from as many starts.
The spoils were spread much more evenly in the Classic Saloons, but it was an allOtago affair at the front, with Steve Ross, of Dunedin, winning twice in his PDL Mustang 1 and Allan Dippie, of Wanaka, in his MGB GT V8 and Stuart Black, also of Dunedin, in a Porsche 944T, taking one win each.
There was a further Otago clean sweep in the Historic and Classic Pre78 class, with Roy MacDonald, of Dunedin, winning the first two races, Wayne Perkins, of Queenstown, taking the third in his Vauxhall Viva GT, and Leon Hallett, of Dunedin, victorious in the last race in his Ford Galaxie.
Aaron Black, of Dunedin, was in the mix in the feature Historic Touring Car class, but the wins went elsewhere, with Southlander Scott O’Donnell winning two of the four races in his Ford Mondeo ST. Former twotime World Cup Touring Car champion Paul Radisich, of Auckland, claimed one race in his 1994 World Cupwinning Mondeo and Nigel Arkell, of Waimauku, (Honda Accord) claimed the other class win.