KEY POINTS:
Earl Bamber made it three from three at Timaru's Levels Raceway this weekend and surged into the Toyota Racing Series points lead.
He took two wins on Sunday from a pair of pole positions traditionally the less favoured starting line at Timaru as it is not the 'racing
line' and usually offers less grip.
The weekend's races started with a win in wet conditions on Saturday, where he started from the outside position and swept ahead of pole-sitter Andy Knight in a race that was delayed by no less than three re-starts.
In cold, windy and dry conditions on Sunday Bamber was unstoppable.
He took a comfortable lead in the morning's 12 lap race and won without a strong challenge from second-placed Knight, who saw his championship points margin eroded to just three points.
The 20-lap Timaru Herald Trophy feature race sealed Bamber?s championship lead. Off the start, Bamber led into the first corner, defending a determined charge by Knight. They were followed through by Michael Burdett and Mitch Cunningham, the race order at the front of the field remaining the same for the first three laps.
Ben Harford, third on points going into the weekend, saw his championship hopes disappear in a qualifying crash on Saturday that set him off the back of the grid for all three races. In the feature race his nightmare weekend continued when he was spun around at the first corner and had to park the Brother Toyota on the grass.
At the northern end of the circuit just two laps later Mitch Cunningham, leading a flying trio of rookies, put two wheels on the grass and dropped immediately from fourth to seventh. Dominic Storey, Nathan Antunes and Sam MacNeill all pouncing on his momentary error to take track position.
Behind them Nic Jordan and Hamish Cross were locked in battle, Jordan testing for a way past the Concut Toyota on the front straight and eventually edging past in the big left had n corner that follows.
Unchallenged through the closing laps, Bamber took the win, and with it the championship lead of ten points. He smashed the track lap record set by Ben Harford in the previous race, setting a new benchmark of 59.031 seconds.
He said afterward the race was won at the start.
"I've been working on my start technique all season and it?s pretty good now. Once I had the start sorted I was able to defend from Andy and then we got a bit of a lead so I could drive my own race."
Blustery winds were a constant threat.
"The car was being pushed this way and that, I had to concentrate on not making a small mistake that could cost me the race and the points lead. It was really windy out there."
For Knight, the loss of the points lead means his focus on Teretonga and the final round next week is intensified.
"I tried to go back at Earl in the first corner, and again at the end of the back straight, but after that the cars were too evenly matched and I couldn?t close up on him. Roll on Invercargill, it's all on at the final!"
Rain no drama
Christchurch driver Andy Knight saw his Toyota Racing Series lead slashed to just five points in the rain-affected first race.
Knight had pole for the race, but was in the wet part of the track and unable to gain traction off the start. Earl Bamber swept by, with Knight slotting in behind and desperately trying to regain the lead.
The race was started as a "dry" event though light drizzle was falling as the cars left the start line.
Within a lap the standing water on the track was causing traction and grip problems for the whole field. Hamish Cross went off at the long left hand corner leading onto the back straight, rejoining the track with no damage.
When Mitch Cunningham spun out of fourth place on the fast left hand corner leading onto the start-finish straight, the race was stopped and declared wet.
Cunningham?s spin included a wild ride down the grass on the infield, grazing the wall with the rear of the car then knocking the front wing loose as the car came to a stop. He was able to regain the track and drove around to the pits for repairs as the field made a mandatory pit stop to change to wet tyres.
The single-file re-start saw Bamber sprint into the lead with Knight close behind him and Aucklander Dominic Storey quickly tagging onto the front two.
Australian Nathan Antunes then spun at the end of the start-finish straight, bringing out the red flag once more, but was quickly able to rejoin the track.
Once the field was sorted out the race was re-started in single file behind the safety car, which is the regulation start system for wet races.
Bamber and Knight once more took the lead, sending up curtains of spray. They chased each other to the chequered flag, Storey close behind Knight but likewise unable to pass.
Pointy end
Pole position was good enough to give Earl Bamber the lead in the second Toyota Racing Series race and a narrow points advantage in the series itself.
Though many say pole at Timaru is the slower line for race starts and the sprint into the first corner, Knight was unable to match Bamber as the Wanganui youngster accelerated off pole into the lead.
Bamber drove a finely-judged race, dictating pace from the front and leaving Knight no chance to take the lead.
Behind them, there was a strong performance from 2008 rookie drivers Michael Burdett, Mitch Cunningham and Dominic Storey, who had a race-long battle for third, fourth and fifth.
Sam MacNeill and Mark Munro tangled, the clash of wheels sending MacNeill slowly into pit lane to change a damaged right front wheel.
The race ended early for Hamish Cross, who parked his car minus its front wing after hitting another car.
A new lap record of 59.038 seconds was a bright point in a troubled weekend for Lower Hutt?s Ben Harford, who crashed his Brother Toyota in qualifying and has started off the back for all three of the weekend?s races.
He also spun early in the race but fought back and used the race as an opportunity to post some fast clean laps as he closed in on Christina Orr.
"The lap record is great, if a little ironic after the damage I did in qualifying. This weekend's been pretty tough but it?s great to come away with something positive."