Motorsport at Highlands: Day 1

Kiwi motor racing legend Greg Murphy discusses the finer points of the Highlands circuit with...
Kiwi motor racing legend Greg Murphy discusses the finer points of the Highlands circuit with track owner Tony Quinn.
Pit lane.
Pit lane.
Graeme Taylor (76) from Temuka and Murray Frew (61), from Ashburton, man the marshall's post on...
Graeme Taylor (76) from Temuka and Murray Frew (61), from Ashburton, man the marshall's post on corner no 8.
A Ferrari GT car during practice at corner no. 8.
A Ferrari GT car during practice at corner no. 8.
It may be a glitzy high octane event, but the dishes still need to be done, from left; Maddy...
It may be a glitzy high octane event, but the dishes still need to be done, from left; Maddy Harker (22) and Alice Stip (28), both from Wanaka and happy to be part of the team working behind the scenes at the Highlands Motorsport Park.
A McLaren Gt car driven by Greg Murphy, tackles the high speed bend amongst the pines.
A McLaren Gt car driven by Greg Murphy, tackles the high speed bend amongst the pines.
One hundred thousand dollars of damage and a trip back to Australia for repair, this Lamborghini...
One hundred thousand dollars of damage and a trip back to Australia for repair, this Lamborghini Gallardo won't be running after coming off the track during practice.
One of Formula One's greats sat here: Michael Shumacher's Benneton F1 car on display in the pit...
One of Formula One's greats sat here: Michael Shumacher's Benneton F1 car on display in the pit area.
A Corvette from the Australian GT series passes pit lane during practice.
A Corvette from the Australian GT series passes pit lane during practice.
Crew work on an Aston Marton Australian GT series car.
Crew work on an Aston Marton Australian GT series car.
Tessa Taft, from Colorado but now living in Queenstown, flies the flag.
Tessa Taft, from Colorado but now living in Queenstown, flies the flag.
Brother and sister first responders for St John, Mark Chaney, of Dunedin, and Nicola Hansen, from...
Brother and sister first responders for St John, Mark Chaney, of Dunedin, and Nicola Hansen, from Cromwell, keep a weather eye out for those in need.
StuntNZ founder Nic 'Kruzah' Kroeze performs for the crowd during the lunch break.
StuntNZ founder Nic 'Kruzah' Kroeze performs for the crowd during the lunch break.
Motorcycle stunt riders entertain the crowd with their two wheeled antics during the lunch break.
Motorcycle stunt riders entertain the crowd with their two wheeled antics during the lunch break.
Italian Formula 1 star Ivan Capelli with the Corvette he is campaigning in the Australian GT series.
Italian Formula 1 star Ivan Capelli with the Corvette he is campaigning in the Australian GT series.
The Highlands Motorsport Park McLaren GT, with Australian racer and motoring commentator Neil...
The Highlands Motorsport Park McLaren GT, with Australian racer and motoring commentator Neil Crompton at the wheel, exits the pits during qualifiying for the Australian GT races.
Australian GT series cars, a Lamborghini, followed closely by a Ferrari, corner hard during...
Australian GT series cars, a Lamborghini, followed closely by a Ferrari, corner hard during qualifying.
The action around the control tower.
The action around the control tower.
Father and son, from left, Klark and Tony Quinn, were happy enough with the way the first race in...
Father and son, from left, Klark and Tony Quinn, were happy enough with the way the first race in the Australian GT series event went.
Australian GT series driver Rod Salmon from Sydney was thrilled to win the first race of the event.
Australian GT series driver Rod Salmon from Sydney was thrilled to win the first race of the event.
Salmon crosses the line to win the first race.
Salmon crosses the line to win the first race.

The first major race at Highlands Motorsport Park resulted in an upset in the first race of the final round of the Australian GT series yesterday.

Rod Salmon and co-driver Liam Talbot, who were in fifth position, finished first - four places ahead of favourite Klark Quinn who had been leading the series and, with co-driver Craig Baird, had won the qualifying race.

It was Salmon and Talbot's first win in 18 months and was made extra special because it was the first major win on the new track, Salmon said.

''I think a new track evens a lot of things out and everybody has their favourite track but nobody could say Highlands was their favourite [because it had not been raced on] but it's now my favourite track.

''We haven't beaten the Quinns [park owner Tony and son Klark] all season and to beat them on their own race track is extra special and I'll certainly be reminding them of that.''

Though he did not get the position he may have hoped for, Tony Quinn described the race as ''perfect'' despite his car and Klark's car getting punctures. Four cars, those of Michael Hovey, Steve McLaughlan and Greg Crick, Clark Proctor and Steve Ross, and Brendon Cook and David Russell, did not finish due to mechanical failures.

At least one of them will be back on track today. The upset did not knock the Quinns from their perch. Klark is still in first place on the championship leaderboard with 580 points, Tony is in second with 473 points, Salmon is in third with 317 points, Dean Koutsoumidis in fourth with 300 points and John Bowe is fifth with 294 points.

The top teams covered 22 laps of the 4.1km circuit in the 40-minute race. Motorsport park manager Mike Sentch described the first day of racing like a dream come true.

''Watching the first race, with those fantastic Australian GT cars, we've seen our dream in full-speed action. Throughout the day, which saw all categories race virtually without incident, the MyLaps timing system and high tech control lighting system around the circuit has worked faultlessly.''

The second and final race of this last round of the GTs takes place from 12.20pm today. Other events today include the one and three-hour races of the South Island Endurance Series. On-track entertainment at lunchtime will include rally cars and stunt bikes.

The title event, the Highlands 101 will take place tomorrow as well as a Formula One demonstration and the podium presentation. About 5000 people caught some of the action in the park yesterday but double that are expected today and even more tomorrow.

- sarah.marquet@odt.co.nz

 

- Photos by Gregor Richardson; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.

 

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