Now in his third season competing in the South Island Formula 1600 Championship, Cameron Freeman is poised to mount a challenge for the overall title.
Sitting in second place after two of the seven rounds, the Dunedin single-seater racer is exactly where he wants to be.
‘‘I’d like to win the series, but the guy who is leading is fast at the moment. I’ll keep finishing races and racking up points,’’ Freeman said.
Christchurch’s Bailey Paterson (237 points) extended his lead during the second round in Timaru last Saturday and now holds a 43-point lead over Freeman (194 points) who, after two seconds and a fourth, has a 19-point advantage over rookie Zac Christensen (Van Diemen RF92).
Driving a 1992 Van Diemen RF92, powered by a Ford Crossflow engine, Freeman (32) has a close-knit team looking after set-up. His dad Tony, partner Brooke and brother Mitchell all pitch in and, combined with Freeman’s day job as a mechanic, they have all the bases covered. The engine was built and tuned by Christchurch company Motorsport Solutions, so it doesn’t need attention but in the field of identically-powered cars, there are gains to be found in other areas. Adjustments to the sway bar, springs, tyre pressure and ride height to suit the different tracks, all add up to incremental advantages.
Freeman favours Christchurch’s Mike Pero Motorsport Park at Ruapuna where the third round gets under way next weekend, with a large field expected to compete for the Wigram Cup. Freeman also enjoys racing at Highlands Motorsport Park’s circuit, where the championship heads for its fifth round and part of the Summer Series from January 17 to 19. The fourth and sixth rounds will be at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park on December 7 to 8 and January 24 to 26 respectively. The final meeting is at Timaru International Raceway on March 7.
Freeman’s cousin Dyson Freeman (Van Diemen RF92) showed promise in the opening race last weekend ti finish third but then ran into electrical problems which meant the Mosgiel-based driver had to retire before the final two races.
- Catherine Pattison
PHOTO: EUAN CAMERON PHOTOGRAPHY
