MSC
New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
Event Report
NZ
Festival of Motor Racing celebrating BMW Motor Sport
28
January 2012, Hampton Downs. Report submitted by Ross McKay of Fast
Company for the NZ Formula 5000 Association - Rd 4
MURPHY
IMPRESSES IN IMPROMPTU F5000 TEST AT HAMPTON DOWN
Above: V8
Supercar driver Greg Murphy at speed in Chris Lambden's McRae GM1
at Hampton Downs
Top
New Zealand-born V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy impressed in an impromptu
test in fellow expat Chris Lambden's McRae GM1 Formula 5000 single-seater
racing car at the fourth round of the 2011/12 MSC F5000 Tasman Cup
Revival Series at the Hampton Downs circuit south of Auckland this
afternoon.
As the MSC packed up for the day after their first 8-lap race of the
weekend - won by fastest qualifier Michael Lyons (Lola T400) from
series points leader Steve Ross (McRae GM1) and visiting Canadian
driver Jay Esterer (McRae GM1) - Murphy and fellow former New Zealand
Grand Prix winner Andy Booth were given the opportunity to try the
MSC series cars of Lambden (Murphy) and David Abbott (Booth).
Both were quickly into the swing of things but Murphy really went
to town, his best lap - a 1.01.250 - good enough for fifth place on
the grid had he been qualifying for the afternoon's race.
"That was outrageous," he said as he was surrounded with
well-wishers afterwards."Better than sex!
Above:
Class A winner David Arrowsmith.
(Lotus 70)
Booth, wasn't quite as quick but was just as excited as he related
his first-time experiences behind the wheel of a Formula 5000 single-seater
"That was ballsy stuff," he said, "My old man was racing
5000s the year I was born, and I'm always telling him I'm a better
driver than he is. Let's just say I've got a lot more respect for
the old man now!"
With qualifying postponed from Friday afternoon because of damp track
conditions the first of two projected MSC F5000 series races today
was cancelled, and when Clark Proctor (March 73A) blew an engine on
the second lap of this afternoon's race all but one of the remaining
laps were run behind the Safety Car, leaving young gun Lyons (who
celebrated his 21st birthday on Wednesday) to stroke to his fourth
win in as many races since he arrived in New Zealand.
Having just been pipped for the outright circuit lap record by fellow
series front runner Steve Ross last weekend the young British driver
was keen to try and take it back in today's race. But though he proved
he could better the one minute mark in qualifying - his pole lap a
59.869 - he only managed one flying lap in the race before the Safety
Car came out with a best time of 1.00.614.
Behind him Steve Ross (McRae GM1) slotted into second place with Ken
Smith (Lola T430) close behind in third then a gap back to Mark Dwyer
(Lola T400), Jay Esterer - enjoying his first run in the country in
the McRae GM1 he flew in to replace the car he damaged at the second
MSC round at Manfeild late last year - Clark Proctor (before his car's
engine blew), Roger Williams (Lola T332), Michael Lyon's father Frank
(Gurney-Eagle), Brett Willis (Lola T330) and Stu Lush (McRae GM1).
Above:
Andy Booth also enjoyed a run
in an F50000 car.
Proctor's prone car brought out the yellow flags then the Safety Car,
however, and the order remained static until Ken Smith dived into
the pits to have a loose right-hand-side muffler re-moved. Smith re-joined
the race but had to remain line astern at the back of the field until
the track went green again on the last lap. When it did he didn't
waste any time, making it back up to 11th place by the time the chequered
flag came out.
With Lyon's fellow young gun Alan Dunkley under strict instructions
to nurse home his giant-killing high-wing 1968 Lola T140 after a crack
was discovered in its gearbox bell-housing after qualifying - in which
he lapped just four seconds a lap slower than pole man Lyons - first
Class A car home was the Lotus 70 of Christchurch driver David Arrowsmith.
The MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organised and run with
the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney's Specialized
Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Pacifica, Smith & Davies, Avon
Tyres and Exide.
For more information on this weekend's NZ Festival of Motor Racing
- celebrating BMW Motorsport meetings go to www.nzfmr.co.nz.
Above:
Michael Lyons (Lola T400) on
his way to his fourth win in as many races at the two NZ Festival
of Motor Racing - celebrating BMW Motorsport meetings at Hampton Downs
this summer.
Ends
2011/12 MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series Rnd 4 NZ Festival
of Motor Racing - celebrating BMW MotorsportHampton Downs Fri-Sun
Jan 27-29 2012
Qualifying
1. Michael Lyons (Lola T400) 59.869
2. Steve Ross (McRae GM1) 1.00.500
3. Ken Smith (Lola T430) 1.00.698
4. Clark Proctor (March 73A) 1.00.822
5. Jay Esterer (McRae GM1) 1.01.887
6. Mark Dwyer (Lola T400) 1.01.991
7. Roger Williams (Lola T332) 1.02.132
8. Brett Willis (Lola T330) 1.02.571
9. Frank Lyons (Gurney Eagle) 1.03.011
10. Gregory Thornton (Chevron B24) 1.03.494
11. John MacKinlay (March 73A) 1.04.035
12. Stuart Lush (McRae GM1) 1.04.210
13. Russell Greer (Lola T332) 1.04.435
14. Shayne Windelburn (Lola T400) 1.04.594
15. Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) 1.04.893
16. David Abbott (Lola T430) 1.04.968
17. Chris Lambden (McRae GM1) 1.05.318
18. Alastair Russell (McRae GM1) 1.05.457
19. Harin de Silva (Surtees TS8) 1.05.502
20. Aaron Burson (McRae GM1) 1.05.703
21. David Arrowsmith (Lotus 70) 1.05.990
22. Scott Drnek (Lola T400) 1.06.403
23. Peter Burson (McRAe GM1) 1.06.556
24. David Banks (Talon MR1) 1.06.950
25. Tim Rush (McLaren M22) 1.08.577
26. John Bryant (Lola T140) 1.09.686
27. Seb Coppola (Lola T192) 1.10.230
28. Eric Haga (Lola T140) 1.11.633
29. Warwick Mortimer (Surtees TS5) 1.12.948
30. Judy Lyons (Lola T332) 1.31.248
Race 1 (8 laps)
1.Michael Lyons 11.46.662
2. Steve Ross +2.260
3. Jay Esterer +4.273
4. Mark Dwyer +6.200
5. Frank Lyons +8.414
6. Roger Williams +9.365
7. Brett Willis +10.639
8. Stuart Lush +11.775
9. Greg Thornton +14.018
10. Shayne Windelburn +14.780
11. Ken Smith +15.421
12. Russell Greer +15.845
13. John MacKinlay +16.128
14. Chris Lambden +16.680
15. David Abbott +18.776
16. David Arrowsmith +19.766
17. Alan Dunkley +20.424
18. Scott Drnek +20.731
19. Aaron Burson +22.205
20. David Banks +25.265
21. John Bryant +27.424
22. Warwick Mortimer +28.451
23. Tim Rush +29.673
24. Eric Haga +32.324
25. Judy Lyons +56,390
dnf Per Burson, Seb Coppola, Clark Proctor.
dns Alastair Russell, Harin de Silva, Michael Whatley
Calendar
Rnd 1: Nov 05/06 2011 Wigram Revival meeting, Powerbuilt
Tools Raceway @ Ruapuna Park Christchurch
Rnd 2: Nov 12-13 2011 MG Classic Manfeild Feilding
Rnd 3: Jan 21-22 2012 NZ Festival of Motor Racing
- BMW meeting x 1 Hampton Downs Auckland
Rnd 4: Jan 28-29 2012 NZ Festival of Motor Racing
- BMW meeting x 2 Hampton Downs Auckland
Rnd 5: Feb 04/05 2012 Skope Classic meeting Powerbuilt
Tools Raceway @ Ruapuna Park Christchurch
Rnd 6: March 09-11 2012 Phillip Island Classic meeting Phillip
Island Victoria Australia
Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of the New Zealand Formula 5000
Association. www.F5000.co.nz
For more information about the 2011/12 MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman
Cup Revival Series contact Ross MacKay via e-mail on ross@fastcompany.co.nz
