Invercargill driver Damon Leitch has taken the lead in the Zoagn NZ Formula Ford Championship after the second round of the series at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna in Christchurch this weekend.
Leitch took his Zero Fees Stealth to three good results to finish second overall for the round. The highlight was a superb drive to second place in the final race of the weekend. After getting off the line in sixth place the 16-year-old Southlander made passing at the end of the back straight an art form as he used both the inside line and the outside line at the corner to make up places regularly throughout the race.
It was an outside pass that gained him his first position when he went around the outside of Aucklander Andre Heimgartner. Soon after he ducked under Nick Cassidy at the same spot, the two making contact on the exit of the corner with Cassidy unable to continue. Next it was Matt Williams turn to be passed at the tight corner and then on the final lap Damon relieved local driver Matthew Penrose of second place to claim the runner-up spot as he flashed across the line.
Prior to that race Leitch had struggled with brake problems on the Zero Fees Stealth. In wet conditions on Saturday he qualified fifth fastest with no rear brakes in the slippery conditions.
Later that afternoon the first race was held on a drying track and after being slow off the line Damon settled into eighth place. However in typical style Leitch picked off several competitors to end the race in third place.
The second race of the round was held over 8 laps on Sunday morning and Leitch finished third after a brief off track excursion as he continued to struggle with the brakes. However by the final race the brakes were good and the gritty southerner showed his talent by carving his way through the field in a stunning performance.
"The brakes were excellent that time," he said after the finale. "I found everyone went wide at the corner at the end of the straight and I was able to get my car to fit in there. The brakes were working really well, I could go into the corner really deep. I got a bit too much wheelspin at the start but the handling was great as the race went on."
The next round of the championship takes place at Damon's home circuit, Teretonga Park in Invercargill from 15-17 January.
Damon's campaign in the 2009/2010 Zoagn Formula Ford Championship is supported by Zero Fees, Allied Petroleum, Mobil 1, Toll Tranzlink, EH Ball ITM Building Supplies, Ray White Real Estate, BNT Motorsport, Kingsford-Smith Motor Painting Ltd, Advantage Signs, Caltex Invercargill Oil Shop, Turntru Machining, Discount Tyres, PPG, Total Trade Tools, Teng Tools, Collingwood Foodcentre, Macaulay Ford, Office Shop, Steve Rhodes Feature Cars, McIntyre Dick & Partners, Highway Services, Knight Of New Zealand, Clive Wilson Ltd, Wurth, i-cue, Newfield Autos, Arrow International, Southern Paints, Yunca Heating & Gas and Leitch Motorsport.
* The views and information in this press release are solely from the driver or team listed in the release. If you have any questions please contact the driver or team directly.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
