V8 Utes are set to light up Hampton Downs this weekend

A full field of 12 utes will line up for Round Three of the Core V8 Utes series for NZIGP’s March Madness event at Hampton Downs this weekend. The 13^th man Jeremy Hunt will sadly be unable to make the round.

Coming into the round, Daniel Ludlam leads the points race, followed closely by Brad Kroef, Glen Collinson, Greg Kroef and Phill Ross. Holden utes outnumber the Fords 7-5 on the grid, though Fords have the upper hand with more podiums during the season so far.

**Brad Kroef currently leads the Core V8 Utes series**

After some intense racing during the last round at Hampton Downs in November, several teams have been frantic, repairing panel & mechanical damage. Phill Ross, Cam Vernon, Mitch Sparrow, Tyler Ward, Daniel Ludlam & Stu Monteith all suffered body blows, such was the intensity of the racing last round. Rear quarters, suspension arms, caved –in driver’s doors; nothing was spared.

Don’t expect the pressure to let up this round, though hopefully drivers will be more composed, and it will be a less bruising encounter. Once again, the Utes will line up on the grid just ahead of the NZ Sixes comprising 6-cylinder Commodores, HQs and Falcons, making every race iconic Ford vs Holden affair.

**The Core V8 Utes return to Hampton Downs**

So far this year, the series has not been short of race winners, such is the closeness of competition. Round One at Manfeild in October, Brad Kroef top qualified and won Race One, Daniel Ludlam won Races Two & Three then won the round. At Hampton Downs, Greg Kroef was top qualifier, Phill Ross won Race One, Brad Kroef won Race Two and went on to win the round. But here’s the ‘giving back’ part. Through his company Core and its diverse timber operations, Daniel is supporting Round Three as title sponsor.

Amid a packed ‘March Madness’ program featuring 155 entries across several categories, Friday is a practice day for the Core V8 Utes, Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday morning, with Race One in the afternoon. Sunday morning’s Race Two will be a reverse grid affair based on the results of Race one. Then Race three on Sunday afternoon, reverts back to a normal grid format to decide the round winner. Buckle up, the Core V8 Utes are ready.