Richard ‘Danger’ Moore retained his PORTERGROUP V8 Ute Championship title with a fifth place in the final race of the season at Pukekohe Park, pipping race and round winner Paul ‘Auto’ Manuell to the title.
Chris ‘Hammertime’ Hanley started from pole position but it was Manuell who made the getaway and built up a decent lead over the chasing pack in the early stages of the race. Peter ‘Kaos’ Ward settled into an impressive second while Hanley had gearbox problems which were gradually getting worse and became embroiled in a battle with Andrew ‘Hireman’ Porter, Moore and a charging Matthew ‘Stinger’ Spratt, who started from eighth after being disqualified from the morning race.
The scrap between Hanley, Moore and Porter turned out to be the deciding factor in the race when the three went side by side through the hairpin. Moore was bundled out of the chase and as Porter and Hanley raced to the Mountain, something in the front left suspension of the Porter Group Holden let go pitching its driver into heavy contact with the left hand wall. No hit there is a light one and Andrew’s race was run then and there, but it also brought out the red flag and a simultaneous chequered flag as the cars came across the line after eight laps.
That left Manuell as the race and round winner on his home track, and winner of the Peter Robb memorial Trophy for the last round winner of the championship, but the former champion was full of praise for Moore’s efforts over the four round season. “Richard has driven a fantastic championship and has done everything he needed to do when he needed to do it, including race wins and passes and some great defensive work. Hats off to him and the team.”
Moore himself was delighted to have secured and retained his title, even if he had driven a little conservatively in the final round. “We knew what we had to do coming into the round and there really wasn’t any point or purpose in taking risks.
Kerry Holland and the crew did a great job in preparing the Mitre 10 Trade Holden, as they have done all season and we went about our work as usual. It’ll sink in soon I am sure, and a second New Zealand championship title is just great.”
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