Page 21 - Hampton Downs News Today

Picture Bruce Jenkins Shane van Gisbergen continued his 100% record at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting with victory in the second race of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series. It was no easy task for the V8 Supercar racer, however, as rival Chris van der Drift pressured him throughout. After starting from pole position, he made a much better getaway at the lights and beat fellow front row sitter Chris van der Drift in the drag race to the first turn. Second row sitter Ngatoa got a poor start and...

Shane Van Gisbergen delivered the greatest performance in New Zealand Grand Prix history. Picture Tayler Burke In extraordinary times, an extraordinary driver produced an extraordinary drive to win the 66th New Zealand Grand Prix and put his name alongside the sport’s greatest drivers. Shane van Gisbergen left a sell-out crowd at Hampton Downs breathless after producing an historic performance that re-wrote the Castrol Toyota Racing Series and Grand Prix records. After setting the fire extin...

“Ill have to sort my starts out,” van Gisbergen said following his victory. “I managed to get past him and took the only chance I got and it worked out really well. Twenty-eight laps tomorrow is going to be a long way. “Weve been making a few tweaks and the car is almost there but theres a little more to come. Its going to be awesome tomorrow and qualifying in the morning is going to be really important." Van der Drift was philosophical with his second place and felt the car had los...

Shane van Gisbergen put in a sensational final effort to top Castrol Toyota Racing Series qualifying. Picture Bruce Jenkins The Giz’s superb lap of 1 minute 30.231 puts him on pole position for Sunday’s morning race on Grand Prix day. Pole position for the first race on Saturday goes to Friday pace setter Chris van der Drift who’s second fastest time was quicker than the Bathurst 1000 champion’s. A second qualifying session on Sunday morning will decide the grid order for the Grand Pri...

Press Release – NZ Formula 5000 Assn In their heyday in the 1970s the 5.0 litre stock block V8-powered Formula 5000 single-seater racing cars which contest New Zealand’s annual SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series were as quick as F1 cars. So most in the large crowd expected to descend on Taupō’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park this weekend for the Taupō Historic Grand Prix celebrating Ford meeting will know exactly what to expect, says NZ F5000 Association organising comm...

However, six years ago Damon opted to step away from top-level racing with his focus largely switching to his role as Highlands Motorsport Park’s operations manager. The 28-year-old Damon has now decided to jump into a single-seater car again and compete at Hampton Downs this weekend, a track owned by Tony Quinn who also owns Highlands. With current travel restrictions ruling out international entrants, this year’s race has turned into an all-Kiwi affair, which includes the likes of Shan...

Thursday, 21 January 2021, 1:01 pm Sixteen of New Zealand’s top racing drivers are all set to race in the 66th New Zealand Grand Prix this weekend and there’s huge interest in what is being billed as an historic Race of Champions. Igor Fraga takes the Grand Prix chequered flag in 2020. Which Kiwi will win it this weekend and add their name to an illustrious list? Picture Bruce Jenkins With the pandemic travel restrictions accounting for the usual international entrants, it’s turned into ...

Friday, 22 January 2021, 7:47 am Angus Fogg, one of New Zealand’s most experienced racing drivers, isn’t letting this weekend’s clash of dates between the Taupō Historic GP and the New Zealand Grand Prix get in the way of his passion for driving historic racing cars. With help from the Historic GP organisers and some of his friends in the burgeoning Historic Sports Sedan and Allcomers (HSS&A) Association, Fogg will be helicoptering south from the Hampton Downs circuit after the first Ce...

Profiling the next-gen New Zealanders set to rule TRS this year Photos: TGR NZ / Brunce Jenkins The lack of available quarantining space for international drivers has meant this year’s Toyota Racing Series will have a grid of home talents. Some are already established talents, but others are new to the limelight Over the past 10 years, the Toyota Racing Series has emerged as the lead winter series for junior single-seater drivers across the globe. That international appeal has led to many fut...

Thursday, 21 January 2021, 7:41 am In their heyday in the 1970s the 5.0 litre stock block V8-powered Formula 5000 single-seater racing cars which contest New Zealand’s annual SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series were as quick as F1 cars. So most in the large crowd expected to descend on Taupō’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park this weekend for the Taupō Historic Grand Prix celebrating Ford meeting will know exactly what to expect, says NZ F5000 Association organising committ...