KEY POINTS:
One of the biggest crashes seen at Pukekohe marred yesterday's round of the New Zealand V8s.
The spectacular seven-car pile up immediately after the start of race two for the V8s occurred at the entrance to turn one, with the field jockeying for position after the rolling start. A quarter of the field ended up either on the wrong side of the barrier, or parked up hard against it. Angus Fogg did a great impression of a skateboard trick, sliding along the top of the railing before slumping back on to the track.
It's almost impossible to say who started it, but the domino effect took out - Nick Ross, Fogg, Cam Hardy, Alan McCarrison, Boyd Norwood, Tim Edgell and Chris Adams.
Craig Baird, who's competing in V8s and GT3s, saw it all unfold. "After the start I could see dust up front and when you see dust it normally means there's drama happening. I backed off and just watched everyone else go ploughing in," he said.
It was definitely a weekend to forget for championship contender Fogg.
During race one on Saturday, Fogg left the circuit just before the esses and rejoined in time to t-bone Edgell, punting him off the track. Fogg was hit with a penalty putting him at the back of the grid for yesterday's race two where he was involved in the big pile-up. He also picked up a puncture in race three that put paid to his weekend.
When the dust had settled yesterday after the reverse grid third race, won by Kayne Scott, who was followed home by Baird and Andrew Porter. The round win went to John McIntyre with Paul Manuell in second and Scott third.
"We came into the round 19 points behind and we're leaving 19 points ahead so it's been a good weekend," said McIntyre. "It's good to claw back points after Taupo where we felt we should have done a lot better. This championship is pretty tough and now Paul's [Manuell] popped up it's good for the series."
Long-time V8 campaigner Manuell put his car on pole for race one and despite two safety car incidents, the former champion held on to score his first race win in over a year from defending V8 champion McIntyre and Dean Perkins. "It's been a long time between drinks," said Manuell. "I had a big crash during the Targa Rally and it must have knocked some sense into me."
When race two eventually restarted, albeit with five cars looking slightly worse for wear, Manuell held off the hard charging McIntyre for most of the race but eventually succumbed to the defending champion McIntyre.
Perkins again drove a steady race to finish third.
Defending Porsche GT3 champion Baird continued his inevitable march towards another title with two wins and a second. Former Aussie Carrera Cup winner David Reynolds pushed Baird hard at times but was never quite able to get by. Baird took the weekend from Lester and Daniel Gaunt.
In the Formula Fords 14-year-old Mitchell Evans showed the most pace but he was unable to convert his speed into race wins, crashing out in the first two races and making an error in race three while leading to finish sixth. Richie Stanaway won the round from Stefan Webling and Damon Leitch.
