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www.conceptmotorsport.co.nz
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Media
release
8th November 2011
BNT V8s Championship 2011-12
Nick Ross and Concept Motorsport
Round One
Pukekohe Park Raceway
4-6 November 2011 |
| Wet Weather Creates
Havoc as Ross Holds Steady |
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BNT V8s
driver Nick Ross displays his skill in wet weather at Pukekohe over the
weekend
Images:
LittleDevilMotorsportMedia
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Nick
Ross once again displayed why he is known by some as the rain master
keeping a calm head in trying conditions as the skies opened up at
Pukekohe Park Raceway over the weekend.
Round one of the BNT V8s 2011-12 season got underway with all the
action and controversy punters have come to expect from Motorsport New
Zealand's premier category when rain and a slippery circuit created a
weekend of exciting races and crashes.
With other drivers becoming involved in wholesale carnage, especially
in the second race of the weekend, Ross escaped unscathed showing again
his impressive skill witnessed at the wet and wild Hamilton street race
in April earlier this year finishing the previous race season on a high.
For the start of the new season the Cambridge driver was deprived of a
certain entry into Saturday's Top 10 qualification shootout this
weekend when a technical malfunction hindered his flying lap shortly
before the finish line leaving him with the just 11th fastest time
which was set in his opening attempt.
"After the first run we brought the car in to make some changes and I
was on a real flyer when the cam broke coming up over the hill. Looking
at the data we were two and a half tenths up before the problem hit
which would have seen us at least seventh fastest in the session." said
Ross.
A change of engine for the first race of the season meant that Ross was
able to try out the team's new power plant in the Total Lubricants
Commodore but a little earlier than the Concept Motorsport crew had
planned.
"The engine was good but we didn't get the chance to get the tuning
quite right so I was down a little on power in the first race." he said.
Starting in 11th Ross was unable to get around newcomer to the series
Michael Bristow preventing him a top 10 finish in the opening race for
the season.
In the second race of the weekend Ross used his exceptional wet weather
skills making up positions as conditions became progressively worse.
Leading driver Angus Fogg went off the circuit shortly before the
finish of the race bouncing off the armco sparking off a series of
related collisions.
With Ross avoiding all carnage he crossed the line entering the final
lap in third place.
"We slowed down as we went past (the incident) and unfortunately that
meant we were just 30 metres off crossing the finish line before they
red flagged the race and in time to place third. They decided we had
finished the race a lap down and that put us back down to 10th place."
said Ross.
The final race of the weekend for the BNT V8s brought a new challenge
for the teams where a new format required a pitstop with a compulsory
wheel change.
The Concept Motorsport crew were all over the new format with Dale
Harvey on the wheel gun and Mike Lucas on the jack. The stop was
faultless and Ross was on his way to record his first top five result
of the new season.
"We were lucky that we came in when we did on lap 14 because then there
was a safety car deployed. There were a few nerves with the guys over
the stop but I didn't notice anything and it went very well, it was
good to have a change and I was also glad of the speed limiter on the
car which helped me relax as I came through the pitlane." he said.
With the opening round of the season done and dusted Nick Ross will
enter the second round at Christchurch's Ruapuna circuit holding 7th
place equal along with Haydn McKenzie.
Round two of the BNT V8s 2011-12 season takes place at over the weekend
of 9-11th December before a break over Christmas and a return to racing
at Invercargill's Teretonga Park 13-15th January 2012. |
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 2011-12
Calendar |
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Rd 1
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4-6 Nov 2011
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Pukekohe Park Raceway |
Rd 2
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9-11 Dec 2011
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Powerbuilt Raceway Ruapuna
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Rd 3
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13-15 Jan 2012
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Teretonga Park Raceway |
Rd 4
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20-22 Jan 2012
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Timaru Motor Raceway |
Rd 5
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10-12 Feb 2012
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Manfeild Circuit |
Rd 6
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9-11 Mar 2012
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Taupo Motorsport Park |
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