The starters flag drops on round 1 of the inaugural South Island Mazda Racing Series on Saturday 7 Nov at Timaru International Raceway, Timaru, with a sold entry list and growing interest in the class.
Lindsay Dodd, Series Coordinator says he and Russel Burgess, who are organising the series‘, have been extremely pleased with the response from current and potential entrants.
The starters flag, on Saturday, will see a grid of six RX 8’s including two North Island drivers heading south for the event.
Simon Baker and Matt Horne will do a lot of milage over the next few weeks, traveling from their base in Paraparaumu to Hampton Downs for the first North Island Round this weekend, then head south to Timaru for the South Island round, then return to Manfield for round two of the NI series the following weekend. Simon has said he and Matt are very excited about coming south to race on a track neither has driven on let alone seen.
“Friday testing is all about finding out the best and fastest way around the challenging Levels track” Baker recently said.
To add to their commitment, on the way south, they pick up a third car from their Paraparaumu base that will be run by Shannon Booth. Shannon has run a Series 1 RX 7 in the past and is looking forward to stepping up to the newer and faster car. This car has pedigree, having been a front running car in the NI and National series over recent years.
Russel Burgess from Dunedin will front with his RX8 that he has run in recent times. He confesses that he is more comfortable with a slightly slippery track, having spent many years in a rally car.
Ray Quninnliven has had his RX 8 for the last couple for years and has quietly developed it. Ray recently tested at Ruapuna and said he improved his times throughout the day and is quietly confident.
It will be right down to the wire for Matt Dodd, whose RX 8 will only be ready for testing the day before round 1. New to motorsport, but having previously driven the Levels track in a Tommi Makinen Evo 6.5, it will be a full days testing and shake down on Friday. It really is being thrown in the deep end, but he will take it all in his stride.
Ben Tiplady has also entered and at this stage it is not confirmed if he will run his Series 1 RX 7 or his recently purchased Series 6 Batman RX 7. If the latter is the final entry, then he will run along side the RX8’s in the main class.
Hamish or Bones Collins will front with their RX 7 Series 6. Either of the two will be fast and at the pointy end of the field. Unfortunately, Shane Paget is bitterly disappointed at not being able to compete in his RX 7 Series 6, but a prior family commitment means he will miss round one, but has said he is a definite starter for the remainder of the season.
The Mazda Racing Series also includes a class for MX 5’s and Benny Yan and Poon Suttisanyapan line up in their Garage 5 backed MX 5’s. It will be interesting to see MX 5’s on track, a class of car that has not been seen in the SI before but runs alongside the NI series.
At this time of the year it is busy and Round 1 clash with several other motorsport events which has seen 2 or 3 other key competitors, who committed to the series early on, unable to enter.
However, the exciting thing is that we know of at least six other past competitors from various classes that are either building or planning to build RX 8’s in preparation to join the series either later this season or next year. We know the series will be a success, says Burgess and Dodd, this is just the start. We are still working with a couple of other entries this week who have compliant cars that may make the grid, they have said.
Follow the weekend on Facebook, South Island Mazda Racing Series for updates throughout the weekend
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