Marco Giltrap (main photo) and Andre Simon have taken the 2022 One-Hour New Zealand Endurance Championship titles in separate races at the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell on Saturday. Giltrap won the Class 2 & 3 race while Simon took the Class 4 & 5 title.
“That was a pretty hectic race,” commented Giltrap who also claimed the Class 2 (GT type) title. “Towards the end one of the MR Porsche Cup Car’s (#910 Heremana Melmazec) was catching which we needed to manage. It’s my first weekend in the Cup Car and it went really well.”
Giltrap had set fastest time in qualifying ahead of North and South Island series champion Sam Collins (MARC Mustang) and Heremana Melmazec, and that was the order in the first few laps of the race until the latter out-braked Collins heading into Turn 12 with the two coming together on track. A safety car period took place with an unfortunate Collins, who had changed an engine overnight, heading to the pits and Melmazec dropping a lap.
A second safety-car period from contact between Jordon Michels (Ford Focus V8) and Glen Brazier (Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup) enabled Melmazec to jump back onto the lead lap, albeit at the back of the field. Also benefitting was Nigel Cromie (Mclaren 570s GT4) who unexpectedly found himself in third overall and leading Class 3 (>3500cc including GT4), a position he held until the final lap.
Melmazec was on a charge, moving through the field and, with 10 minutes to go was in second place just seven-seconds behind Giltrap. Unfortunately, a spin dropped him further behind the leader but managed to cross the line in second place.
“A great race,” said Memazec. “I’m sorry about the contact (with Sam Collins) and I dropped a lap. The (next) safety car helped me then I had a big job to come back so thrilled with the finish.
“I was trying hard to catch Marco (Giltrap) towards the end then lost grip and spun, so just needed to manage staying in second, which I’m quite happy with.”
Behind him the battle for the final podium position was between Cromie, Adam Julian (Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup), Francois Beziac (Porsche 991 Cup MR) and Steve Brooks/Bill Riding (Porsche 991 Cup Car).
Cromie didn’t quite have the tyres and power to stay ahead of the Class 2 Porsche runners with Beziac claiming third ahead of Brooks/Riding and Cromie.
“It was awesome from start to finish,” said Cromie who won the Class 3 title. “We had a lot of luck on our side with safety cars and ended up the field which we hadn’t expected. We managed to get into third with a good gap to fourth but those faster GT3s’ were too quick and caught me on the last lap. The car ran faultless so thrilled with the Class win.”
Having endured a tough season dealing with mechanical issues competing in the three South Island Endurance Series races, Andre Simon was ecstatic about winning both the overall One-Hour Class 4 & 5 race and the individual Class 4 (2001-3500cc) titles.
“Redemption is how that feels,” commented Simon (Toyota 86 Turbo). “It hasn’t been the best of seasons, so to finally have it all come together on our home track, it’s a great reward.
“It was a nervous sixty-minutes, particularly that last 20 or so. When Marco (Schelp) pulled out it was just a case of managing the car and the tyres to the chequered flag. Pretty happy, all things considered.”
Simon had set a blistering pace in qualifying, a full 2.378 seconds from Tim MacKersy who finished second overall.
“We tried to run a little less wing for more speed down the straight which meant it took a while to warm the tyres up, but pretty happy with that (result),” commented MacKersy.
Third home was Warren Black, thrilled with making the podium. An early safety car period saw most dive into the pits for their compulsory pitstop with second placed Black missing the opportunity and pitting a lap later, only to drop down the field.
“It’s my first season, so wrapped with how it went and especially finishing on the podium,”
Unfortunately for Marco Schelp (BMW E46 WTC GTR), a fuel issue saw him drop out of a potential second place with just five-minutes to go.
It’s been a stellar season for Class 5 (0-2000cc) winner Brad Rule. Having finished third overall and Class 5 title winner in the One-Hour South Island Endurance Series, adding a national title was pure icing on the cake.
“It was good,” said Rule. “With Will (Taylor) pulling out it took the pressure off. I’m wrapped with the way the season has gone.”
It had been a battle for most of the race between Rule and Taylor (Honda Type R) for Class 5 honours until the latter dropped out of the running with less than 15 minutes remaining.
Overall Results Class 2 & 3 (Position, Car #, Driver, Class, Car)
1/ 84, Marco Giltrap, 2, Porsche 991 Gen 2
2/ 910, Heremana Malmezac, 2, Porsche 991 Cup MR
3/ 909, Francois Beziac, 2, Porsche 991 Cup MR
4/ 888, Steve Brooks/Bill Riding 2, Porsche 991 Cup Car
5/ 24, Nigel Cromie, 3, Mclaren 570s GT4
6/ 23, Jordan Michels, 2, Ford Focus
7/ 97, Hamish Wilton, 3, Ford SuperTourer
8/ 148, Garry Derrick/Ben Derrick, 2, Porsche 991.2
9/ 34, Glen Brazier, 2, Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup
10/ 69, Steve Sullivan, 2, Porsche 991 GT3
11/ 185, Martin Neill, 2, Porsche 991 GT3 CUP
12/ 11, Grant Aitken, 3, Porsche GT4
13/ 84, Adam Julian, 2, Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup
14/ 66, Mike Driver, 3, Porsche Cayman GT4
15/ 83, John Buchanan, 3, Porsche GT4
16/ 666, Grant Silvester, 3, Ford Mustang
17/ 777, Sam Collins, 2, MARC Mustang
DNF 718, Oliver Saxton/Ray Williams, 3, Porsche GT4 Cayman
DNF 9, Marco Schelp, 2, Porsche GT3 Cup S
Overall Results Class 4 & 5 (Position, Car #, Driver, Class, Car)
1/ 486, Andre Simon, 4, Toyota 86 Turbo
2/ 79, Tim Mackersy, 4, VW Golf
3/ 93, Warren Black, 4, Audi RS3 TCR
4/ 505, Jacob Gjaja, 4, Lotus Exige
6/ 68, Russell McKenzie, 4, BMW M3 E46 Coupe
7/ 10, Brad Rule, 5, Honda Civic
8/ 61, Kynan Yu/David McAlpine, 4, Seat Supercopa
9/ 28, Chris Wall, 5, Honda Civc
10/ 18, Flyn Mitchell, 4, Mazda RX8
11/ 45, Mal Walters, 4, Mazda RX8
12/ 30, Saxon Sheehan, 5, Toyota TR86
13/ 102, Rianna O’Meara-Hunt, 5, Toyota 86
220/ 220, Denzil Travers, 4, Audi TCR
DNF 19, Marco Schelp, 4, BMW E46 WTC GTR
DNF 65, Grant Askew/Cole Askew, 4, VW Golf GTI TCR
DNF 99, William Taylor, 5, Honda Type R
DNF 115, Mark Meadows, 5, Lotus Exige
DNF 123, Peter Bennetts, 4, Seat Supercopa
DNF 199, Marcus Barnett, 4, Seat Supercopa
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