Canterbury MotorSports Clubs InterClub Competition 2008

February Report

INTERCLUB 2008 – Round 1

AutoSport Club – Sefton Autocross

Admittedly I had slept in after a late night but I was only out the gate when John C is ringing me asking if he was in the right place in Toppings Rd having beaten the organisers to the venue. Like the great Kiwi crooner, John Rowles – “If only I had time” and John did, so he nipped into Amberley for a paper.

By the time I arrived, after collecting Steve Hall’s New Zealand Club Sport National Championship entry form, there were 9 competitors frantically filling out their entry forms. Geoff Galbraith was most magnanimous in letting me borrow the Celica GT4 for a run so I joined the queue followed by another 8 from 3 of the four Clubs in the Interclub series.

Accumulated times over 3 courses including a double lapper to finish had a minor effect on the paddock kindly loaned to us by Judy the generous owner who also opened her home to us for the after race function which I had to miss due to a early afternoon appointment.

In accordance with tradition I let Geoff beat me on the first run but everyone miscalculated as did I as he was faster than the rest of the field by 6 seconds and me by an embarrassment. Shane was next with Nic in the same car in 3^rd. Matt and Drew kept the AutoSport’s end up and Dwight was keeping Ratec in there as Ashburton unfortunately chose to stay at home.

Run 2 saw a dramatic change of places as John Weir dropped from 8^th to 18^th and Dwight 7^th to 16^th with cone connections. On the improve Karl Celeste leapt from 14^th to 4^th (a giant leap for a Mini) and Jeremy was breathing dust jumping from 18^th to 9^th. Geoff held top spot with Luke Smeats nipping into 2^nd in the Starlet and I snuck into 3^rd.

This lit Shane’s fuse as he snatched back 2^nd with a blinder in the double lapper and pushed Luke and I down to 3^rd and 4^th. Geoff increased his lead to just under 11 seconds to take a grand win. Matt took 5^th for AutoSport and Karl held on to beat Doug (3^rd fastest in the final run) by just .02 giving Ratec a best place of 7th. Just 4 seconds covered the 8 from Nic in 8^th back to Jeremy in 16^th.

Excellent day with just one minor incident, which has not been filmed, and a big thanks Michael and Judith for their magnificent paddock plus their home and to the AutoSport team of Stacey - results, Lynn - Secretary, Chris – Clerk of Course, Drew - Organiser, John - Scrutineer and Les – General Dogs Body. Let’s do it again next year.

Allan the tight-lipped and amazed 4^th place-getter (thanks Geoff).

NOTE: the next event has been postponed till June 29^th.

RESULTS: Car Club Class Time

1^st Geoff Galbraith Toyota Celica GT4 CCC 3400cc 288.36

2^nd Shane Williams Honda Civic CCC 1598cc 299.20

3^rd Luke Smeats Toyota Starlet NM 301.07

4^th Allan Coker Toyota Celica GT4 CCC 3400cc 304.17

5^th Matt Summerfield Subaru WRX Autosport 3400cc 305.49

6^th Karl Celeste Morris Mini CCC 1298cc 307.60

7^th Doug Good Honda CRX Ratec 1598cc 307.62

8^th Nic Jones Honda Civic CCC 1598cc 308.22

9^th Drew Jeffrey Honda CRX Autosport 1598cc 309.54

10^th Rene Spijkerman Ford Escort Autosport 1998cc 318.15

11^th Cameron MacIntosh Datsun Sunny NM 321.98

12^th Dwight Parlane Honda CRX Ratec 1600+cc 322.05

13^th Corey Shaw Toyota Levin Autosport 1598cc 323.20

14^th John Weir Honda CRX Autosport 1598cc 325.96

15^th Jeff Wunsch Subaru WRX NM 328.14

16^th Jeremy Lush MazdaMX5 V8 CCC 3200cc 343.10

17^th Stephen Heise Ford Falcon CCC 4100cc 360.04

18^th John Cottier Toyota Starlet CCC 1290cc DNF

POINTS: RATEC – 26, Ashburton – 00, AutoSport – 61, Canterbury – 87.

2008 Points position:

Club	Points
Canterbury Car Club	83
AutoSport	61
RATEC	26
Ashburton Car Club	00

After Round 1: 24.02.08. (max points available 1^st – 5^th = 90)

The 2008 INTERCLUB calendar has some changes:

1. Sun 24^th Feb 2008 Autocross – Sefton Autosport

2. Sat 14^th June 2008 Sealed Sprints – Levels Ashburton

3. Sun 29^th Jun 2008 Autocross - ??? Ratec

4. Sun 13^th Jul 2008 Pursuit Sprints Ruapuna Canterbury

5. Sat 23^rd Aug 2008 Twilight Speed event Ruapuna Canterbury

6. Sun 28^th Sep 2008 Little River Hillclimb Ratec

7. Sun 26^th Oct 2008 Autocross - Okuku Autosport

8. Sat TBA Nov 2008 Shingle Sprint Rutherfords Road Ashburton

MISSION STATEMENT:

Club Captains, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to marshal the troops and bring your members to the great events each club runs for the entertainment of you and your members and help keep the points more even than last year. Should you fail in your mission the Liaison Officer will disavow any knowledge of your Club’s demise.

SO, BRING IT ON!

Until next time…

Allan Coker – Interclub Liaison.

allan.coker@telecom.co.nz or PO Box 174, Christchurch Mail Centre, Christchurch.