Craig Allan, of Invercargill, continued his recent good form when he won the Southland Sports Car Club’s (SSCC) opening event of the 2021-22 season, the bent sprint at Teretonga Park, near Invercargill on Saturday.
Allan won the club’s triathlon event last month, and set the fastest time of 84.72sec in qualifying on his second run on Saturday morning.
However, Allan missed the last two runs due to mechanical issues with his Nissan 180SX.
The Nissan was repaired for the sudden-death top 10 shootout in e afternoon in which he set a time of 84.91sec to clinch the event.
Second-fastest qualifier Liam MacDonald (Nissan Pulsar) maintained second place in the shootout, setting 86.17sec, a tad slower than his qualifying time of 85.99sec.
Otago Sports Car Club member Donovan Isted was third in qualifying with 89.06sec, a time he improved to 87.46sec in the shootout to seal third place.
Southland drivers Luke Oliver and Malcolm Mitchell secured fourth and fifth respectively.
The top 10 was rounded out by Neil Allan, Dave Jenkins (Eastern Southland Car Club), Mauri Balzarini (Queenstown Car Club), Graham McRae (ESCC) and Steven Watson.
Balzarini’s daughter, 16-year-old Mauritz, proved to be very competitive, finishing 11th overall.
Sixteen competitors entered the sprint, believed to be a record number for a bent sprint.
SSCC ClubSport co-ordinator Malcolm Mitchell said it had been a great day and well received by competitors.
“I will definitely run another bent sprint next season."
- Sports Car Club publicity officer. PHOTO: Ron Vein
