Motorsport: V8 drivers expect reverse-grid carnage

Steven Richards in his Commodore.

"The field for the third race could end up looking like Waikaraka Park," says V8 Supercar driver Steven Richards in assessing the impact of a reverse-grid race on Sunday at Pukekohe.

The stockcar analogy was an apt reflection of the views of New Zealand's leading drivers on the eve of the PlaceMakers round of the V8 Supercar championship this weekend.

The round features three races: a conventional 35-lap race on Saturday for which the grid will be decided on qualifying times and the top-10 shootout; a 50-lap second race on Sunday with the grid the reverse of the finishing order in the first race, and a conventional 50-lap third race with the grid decided by points earned in the first two.

Points for the reverse-grid race will be half those in the conventional races and anyone failing to finish the first race will start at the back of the field for the second.

Jason Richards, the Nelson-born lead driver for Team Tasman, reckons anyone failing to finish the first race might as well pack up and go home.

"You're going to start the second race with no points at the back of the grid with the likelihood you'll still be at the back for the third," he said.

Old hands Paul Radisich and Greg Murphy are not fans of reverse-grid races, but accept that they are a fact of racing life.

"We've got to feel our way into it slowly. But none of us do anything slowly."

Radisich, who drives a Holden for Team Kiwi and has had vast experience of racing in all sorts of cars around the world, spares a thought for those who have to repair the damage done to the cars.

"We'll do anything once. We'll go out there and do our best. But it's very tough for the guys out the back who put the cars together."

The problem is greater at Pukekohe this time because the cars were flown here instead of travelling by sea and teams have limited replacement parts.

There is only a three-hour gap between the end of the reverse-grid race on Sunday and the start of the third.

Murphy, Radisich and Jason Richards all commented on the extra buzz they get from competing in front of their home crowds.

Steven Richards, who grew up in Auckland but has lived in Australia during his competitive career, is also happy to be a Kiwi when at Pukekohe.