Team Bond claimed an impressive overall victory in the first of the weekend’s two 8-hour Lemon Squeeze novelty endurance races held at the Hampton Downs motor racing complex in the northern Waikato today.
The team’s 007 car (one of four virtually identical Toyota Celicas entered by Team Bond in this weekend’s event) was a picture of both pace and reliability throughout the race- which – bar some steady rain falling for an hour or so just after the start this morning, was run in warm and generally dry weather and track conditions.
By the time the chequered flag came out after 8 hours of racing just after 5.00 o’clock this afternoon, Team Bond’s #007 Celica had completed a total of 304 laps, 12 more than second -placed Team Band Aid who covered 292 laps, and 15 more than the Cowan Cavaletti and Undertakers teams who finished third and fourth respectively after covering the same number of laps (289)
Despite the daily infection rate of the more infectious Omicron strain of the COVID-19 Coronavirus reaching over 1900 today, event organiser Dr Jacob Simonsen said this evening that he had ‘absolutely no regrets’ going ahead and running the two-day meeting under the most restrictive (red) of the NZ Government’s latest COVD Response Framework.
“I’ve always believed,” he said,” that motor racing has got to be one of – if not THE only – major sport able to legitimately run regular competitive events under the Government’s COVID Protection Framework (Traffic Light System) – particularly the red one we are in right now.
“Today was my chance to put theory into practise.”
The race today was the first of two 8-hour races being run under the Lemon Squeeze tag at Hampton Down this weekend.
The second 8 Hour race has attracted 25 unique entries plus 15-or-so extras who successfully completed today’s 8 Hour race and who – as Dr. Simonsen says – are keen to “do it all again tomorrow!”
RESULTS
1/ Team Bond 007 304 laps 5:59:19.150
2/ Band Aid 292 laps + 12 laps
3/ Cowan Cavaletti 289 laps + 15
4/ The Undertakers 289 laps +15
5/ Kiwi Motorsports 287 laps +17
6/ Team Bond 005 280 laps +24
7/ Team Comrades 280 laps +24
8/ Team Get in Behind 278 laps +26
9/ Team D.A.D.B 277 laps +27
10/Team GetS**tDone 276 laps + 28
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