Canterbury’s James Penrose has won the Wigram Cup 12-lap feature race at the third round of the South Island Formula 1600 Championship. One of the largest F1600 fields for many years saw 32-cars qualifying for the three-race Wigram Revival meeting held at the Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch.
Penrose led every lap of the feature race increasing his margin over second across the line, two-time Wigram Cup winner Auckland’s Josh Bethune. A post-race penalty for exceeding track limits saw Bethune dropped back to fourth, handing second to Christchurch’s Jack Noble-Adams and third to current South Island Championship points leader Bailey Paterson.
“Absolutely thrilled to have won the Wigram Cup,” commented Penrose (Van Diemen Stealth). “My brother won it in 2010 and I really wanted to win it as well. I got a great start and a jump on the field. While the others were fighting over second, I was able to get a breather and let the car come up to speed. From there it was a matter of putting in some consistent laps and then conserving and bringing it home.”
Bethune (Ray GR17) was making a one-off appearance in the South Island series hoping for a third consecutive win of the prestigious trophy. His weekend started well with pole position in qualifying.
In the first of three races, Penrose got the jump on Bethune at the start, but Bethune took over the lead on the second lap. It looked like his race after gapping the field, but Penrose came back to attack with three laps to go, moving into first position and holding the lead until the end.
With grid positions for races two and three determined by the fastest time in the preceding races, it was Bailey Paterson (Van Diemen Stealth) who started from pole enabling him to control the race to finish, first across the line ahead of Penrose with Bethune and Noble-Adams (Stealth) third and fourth. However, a protest was lodged regarding the first two cars for exceeding track limits resulting in each receiving a five-second penalty added to their finishing time. This handed the win to Bethune with Noble-Adams second.
The event attracted six North Island cars to make the trip down south plus the return of Kiwi drivers Tim Miles and Andy McElrea from Australia. Auckland driver Kim Crocker had his first outing in a Ray GR14 and finished second to Bethune in Class 1 (post 2000).
Former NZ Formula Ford champion Andy McElrea was united again with his 1990/91 title winning Van Diemen RF88 and won the Historic Class 3 (pre 1990) for the round.
“It’s been a fantastic weekend,” commented McElrea. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting back in the car and racing with the next crop of young drivers coming through the category.”
Penrose won Class 2 (1990 to 1999) ahead of Paterson and Cameron Freeman (Van Diemen Stealth) who continues to gather points and holds second overall in the South Island Championship, 60-points behind Paterson.
“I seemed to have dropped a valve halfway through the final race,” said Paterson. I’m happy with third as we are in it for the long haul and it is a matter of collecting points so I conserved in order to stay ahead of my rivals.”
Rookie Zac Christensen (Van Diemen RF92) continues to hold third overall ahead of Noble-Adams. Also consistent in finishing well sees Steve Donaldson (Van Diemen RF90) in fifth and Anna Collins (Van Diemen Stealth) in sixth. Rookie Ryan Low continued to show improvement in his older Class 3 Van Diemen RF88 and now leads the class from Noel Atley (Crossle 55F) and Andy Downs (Lola 642E).
The next round of the series takes place in a fortnight at Teretonga Park in Invercargill. Penrose, who currently leads the 2019/20 New Zealand Formula Ford Championship is expected again to take to the grid at the South Island Championship meeting.
Overall Points after 3/7 rounds (Top 15)
1 Paterson, Bailey VD Stealth 330
2 Freeman, Cameron VD RF92 270
3 Christensen, Zac * VD RF92 249
4 Noble-Adams, Jack VD Stealth 196
5 Donaldson, Steve VD RF90 179
6 Collins, Anna VD Stealth 176
7 Low, Ryan * VD RF88 156
8 Campbell, Grant VD RF03 155
9 Spencer-Bower, Simon VD Stealth 131
10 Atley, Noel Crossle 55F 118
11 Penrose, James VD Stealth 108
12 Bethune, Josh Ray GR17 105
13 Downs, Andy Lola 642E 104
14 Freeman, Dyson VD RF92 100
15 Edwards, Steve Mygale SJ08 80
Results
Race 1 (10 laps)
Position, #, Name, Car
1 98 James Penrose Van Diemen Stealth RF 93
2 32 Josh Bethune Ray GR17
3 86 Bailey Paterson Van Diemen Stealth
4 33 Matthew Butchart Van Diemen RF94 Stealth
5 19 Cameron Freeman Van Diemen RF 92
6 21 Zac Christensen Van Diemen RF 92
7 26 Dyson Freeman Van Diemen RF92
8 79 Tim Miles Van Diemen RF 92
9 96 Anna Collins Van Diemen VD 94
10 97 Andy McElrea Van Diemen RF 88
11 6 Tony Graham Van Diemen Stealth
12 46 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF03
13 47 Ryan Low Van Diemen RF88
14 56 Andy Downs Lola 642e
15 34 Steven Donaldson Van Diemen RF90
16 5 Kim Crocker Ray GR14
17 87 Dominic Robertson Swift SC94
18 77 Steve Edwards Mygale SJ 08a
19 45 Gerald Duncan Cheetah Formula Ford 02
20 9 Tony Fitzpatrick Van Diemen Stealth
21 44 James Dicey Spectrum 07b
22 95 Greg Inwood Van Diemen RF 90/91
23 42 Keith Miller Van Diemen RF01
24 76 Oscar Noble-Adams Van Diemen RF90
25 27 Dave McKenzie Begg FM3 FF1600
DNF 14 Noel Atley Crossle 55 F
DNF 48 Simon Spencer-Bower Van Diemen Stealth RF93
DNF 51 Nigel Barclay Van Diemen RF91
DNF 53 Robert Toshach Swift FB 89
DNF 75 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen Stealth
DNS 91 Julie Greer Van Diemen RF 80c
DNS 111 Graham Dickie Lola 644E
Race 2 (10 laps)
1 32 Josh Bethune Ray GR17
2 75 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen Stealth
3 86 Bailey Paterson Van Diemen Stealth
4 98 James Penrose Van Diemen Stealth RF 93
5 21 Zac Christensen Van Diemen RF 92
6 19 Cameron Freeman Van Diemen RF 92
7 33 Matthew Butchart Van Diemen RF94 Stealth
8 34 Steven Donaldson Van Diemen RF90
9 5 Kim Crocker Ray GR14
10 97 Andy McElrea Van Diemen RF 88
11 96 Anna Collins Van Diemen VD 94
12 48 Simon Spencer-Bower Van Diemen Stealth RF93
13 6 Tony Graham Van Diemen Stealth
14 47 Ryan Low Van Diemen RF88
15 46 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF03
16 53 Robert Toshach Swift FB 89
17 14 Noel Atley Crossle 55 F
18 56 Andy Downs Lola 642e
19 87 Dominic Robertson Swift SC94
20 77 Steve Edwards Mygale SJ 08a
21 26 Dyson Freeman Van Diemen RF92
22 79 Tim Miles Van Diemen RF 92
23 45 Gerald Duncan Cheetah Formula Ford 02
24 44 James Dicey Spectrum 07b
25 9 Tony Fitzpatrick Van Diemen Stealth
26 42 Keith Miller Van Diemen RF01
27 95 Greg Inwood Van Diemen RF 90/91
28 27 Dave McKenzie Begg FM3 FF1600
29 91 Julie Greer Van Diemen RF 80c
DNF 51 Nigel Barclay Van Diemen RF91
DNF 111 Graham Dickie Lola 644E
Race 3 12-Laps
1 98 James Penrose Van Diemen Stealth RF 93
2 75 Jack Noble-Adams Van Diemen Stealth
3 86 Bailey Paterson Van Diemen Stealth
4 32 Josh Bethune Ray GR17
5 19 Cameron Freeman Van Diemen RF 92
6 21 Zac Christensen Van Diemen RF 92
7 5 Kim Crocker Ray GR14
8 34 Steven Donaldson Van Diemen RF90
9 79 Tim Miles Van Diemen RF 92
10 96 Anna Collins Van Diemen VD 94
11 47 Ryan Low Van Diemen RF88
12 6 Tony Graham Van Diemen Stealth
13 97 Andy McElrea Van Diemen RF 88
14 46 Grant Campbell Van Diemen RF03
15 26 Dyson Freeman Van Diemen RF92
16 53 Robert Toshach Swift FB 89
17 87 Dominic Robertson Swift SC94
18 56 Andy Downs Lola 642e
19 14 Noel Atley Crossle 55 F
20 77 Steve Edwards Mygale SJ 08a
21 48 Simon Spencer-Bower Van Diemen Stealth RF93
22 44 James Dicey Spectrum 07b
23 42 Keith Miller Van Diemen RF01
24 9 Tony Fitzpatrick Van Diemen Stealth
25 95 Greg Inwood Van Diemen RF 90/91
26 27 Dave McKenzie Begg FM3 FF1600
DNF 51 Nigel Barclay Van Diemen RF91
DNS 91 Julie Greer Van Diemen RF 80c
DNS 111 Graham Dickie Lola 644E
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