MSC
New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
Final round preview
Phillip
Island Classic - 9-11 March 2012
ROSS
SET TO CLAIM MSC CROWN AT PHILLIP ISLAND
Dunedin
driver Steve Ross (McRae GM1) is set to claim the 2011/12 MSC F5000
Tasman Cup Revival Series crown at Australia's biggest and most prestigious
classic motor racing meeting this weekend.
Ross and 27 other F5000 drivers are amongst the 500-odd entries for
this weekend's Victorian Historic Racing Register's Phillip Island
Classic meeting at the 4.4km circuit an hour-and-a-half's drive south
of Melbourne.
After finishing second to series super-vet Ken Smith (Lola T430) for
the past two years Ross crossed the Tasman earlier this week with
an 88 point lead over fellow McRae GM1 driver Aaron Burson with Rotorua
man Brett Willis (Lola T330) third.
Though defending series champion Ken Smith will not be at the meeting
the field includes Burson, Willis, Class A (for earlier cars) standout
David Arrowsmith (Lotus 70) and former series champion Ian Clements
(Lola T332).
It also includes UK-based series regular Greg Thornton (Chevron B24)
and two of the three US drivers who contested some of the New Zealand
rounds of this season's MSC series, category original Eric Haga (Lola
T190) and top US historic single-seater racer Harin de Silva (Surtees
TS8).
The growing strength of the category across the Tasman can also be
seen in the strong domestic entry - with 15 cars led by series regulars
Chris Lambden (McRae GM1) and John Bryant (Lola T140) in local hands.
The Phillip Island Classic, billed as Australia’s biggest historic
event, features Historic Touring Cars, Formula Ford and Formula Junior,
Group A & C Touring Cars, Sportcars, plus the MSC Formula 5000s.
Historic Formula One fans will also be able to see and get up close
to one of the most famous Ferraris of all time – the Tipo 500
in which Alberto Ascari claimed Maranello’s first World Championship,
in 1952.
Fred and Christine Gibson are joint patrons of the 2012 event, while
Jim Richards and John Bowe head the list of the great names who will
be seen at the wheel of famous cars from their past.
The Formula 5000s will contest two qualifying races on Saturday, followed
by a third heat and a feature race on Sunday.
Besides the on track action, around 500 special vehicles from 43 clubs
will be on display around the circuit on the Sunday, while 300 will
also in attendance on the Saturday of the three-day meeting.
The participating clubs include those representing Alfa Romeo, Aston
Martin, BMW, Bolwell, Citroen, Cobra, Corvette, Daimler, Ferrari,
Ford, Fiat, Holden, Jaguar, Lancia, Lotus, Mazda, Mini, MG, Morgan,
Mustang, Nissan, Porsche, Renault, Singer, Torana, Vauxhall and Volvo.
Additionally there is a group of 40 Torana XU-1s celebrating Peter
Brock’s historic first Bathurst victory 40 years
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.
2011/12
MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
Points after Rnd 5 of 6
1. Steve Ross (McRae GM1) 468 points
2. Aaron Burson (McRae GM1) 380
3. Brett Willis (Lola T330) 322
4. Dave Arrowsmith (Lotus 70) 290
5. Michael Lyons (Lola T400) 261
6. Greg Thornton (Chevron B24) 260
7. Ken Smith (Lola T430) 231
8. Peter Burson (McRae GM1) 223
9. Frank Lyons (Gurney-Eagle FA1) 219
10. Russell Greer (Lola T332) 216
11. David Banks (Talon MR1A) 203
12. Mark Dwyer (Lola T400) 179
13. John Mackinlay (March 73A) 178
14. Tim Rush (McLaren M22) 171
15. Roger Williams (Lola T332) 163
16. Mike Whatley (Lola T300) 156
17. Jay Esterer (McRae GM1) 153
18. Shane Windelburn (Lola T400) 136
19. Ian Clements (Lola T332) 134
20. Sefton Gibb (Lola T332) 131
21. Stu Lush (McRae GM1) 125
22. David Abbott (Lola T430) 121
23. Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) 108
24. John Bryant (Lola T140) 106
25. Clark Proctor (March 73A) 93
26. Eric Haga (Lola T190) 90
27. Tony Richards (Lola T332) 87
28. Chris Lambden (McRae GM1) 86
29. Harin de Silva (Surtees TS8) 81
30. Seb Coppola (Lola T142) 72
31=. Lindsay O'Donnell (Begg FM5) 69
31=. Warwick Mortimer (Surtees TS5) 69
33. Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) 63
34. Stan Redmond (Lola T332) 47
35. Judy Lyons (Lola T332) 42
36. Kerry McIntosh (Begg FM2) 18
37. Alastair Russell (McRae GM1) 9
38. Phil Mauger (McLaren M23 F1) 1.
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
