Brad Kroef claimed his second NZV8 Utes Championship at a drama-filled season decider at Hampton Downs over the weekend.
With the three title contenders separated by just seven points coming into the weekend, the finale was destined to be a ripper. With several new drivers joining the series this season and some much-improved performances, Brad Kroef certainly had to earn his title.
Alex Fougere, who sat third in points, began the round with a statement of intent, qualifying on the pole and holding off a race-long challenge from Brad Kroef to win the opener.
Kyan Davie stormed through the field and pressured the leaders late in the race but ran out of laps to get a move down, settling for third ahead of Greg Kroef.
The victory elevated Fougere to second in the standings, just three points off the lead, entering the season’s final day.
Sunny skies meant perfect conditions for Sunday morning’s reverse-grid race – yet it began in less than ideal fashion. After the rolling start, Davie and Brad Kroef came together in Turn 1. Next, Davie and Alex Fougere collided before the latter’s steering wheel came off.
“It’s pretty hard to put the steering wheel back on and realign it during a race,” Fougere admitted afterwards. “It was heart-stopping.”
Fortunately, it wasn’t race-stopping as Fougere soldiered on – critical championship points were at stake.
Meanwhile, Simon Ussher had found his way to the front and remained unchallenged as the contenders squabbled for the minor placings to threaten the lead. Paul Fougere & Stu Monteith came together on the sweeper right on the last lap, damaging the rim on Paul’s Napa Auto Parts Holden while Monteith slid into the kitty litter.
Ussher took the chequered flag, Phill Ross overtook his way up to second, while Brad Kroef – unable to get around Ross – settled for third, bagging more points and consolidating his championship lead.
There were no hard feelings from Forgere and Davies’ altercation. After the race, they laughed it off with a hug and a reassuring show of support, a vivid reminder that in V8 Ute racing, fierce competitors on track remain firm friends after the chequered flag.
With so much at stake for the final race on Sunday, the V8 Utes managed to get the circuit all to themselves after a season of sharing the track with the TA2s and Open V8 categories.
Reigning champion Brad Kroef was on the front row, but Ross got the jump and shot to the lead in the rolling start. Brad Kroef didn’t flinch, quickly regaining the top spot into turn one.
Also on a charge was Davie. After starting sixth, he was up to fifth by the second lap. When Greg Kroef locked up and entered the dipper, the door unlocked to fourth place, and Davie marched through.
Meanwhile, Ross also had a point to prove – and points to be won. He was throwing everything into it. But after sitting in third, rounding the sweeper alongside Greg Kroef, Ross went wide, slipped off into the kitty litter, and with it, his fourth place in the championship slipped away.
After ten incident-packed laps, Alex Fougere muscled the Ward Demolition Holden ute to the chequered flag. Davie fought a clinical race, elevating his Yale Forklift-backed Holden to second, while Brad Kroef cruised to third. Critically, he’d done enough – and the V8 Utes championship was his by just 21 points.
As Brad Kroef said after winning his second V8 Utes title in a row, “I had to work harder for it this year. It’s a relief. Very satisfying.”
As the V8 Utes head to winter hibernation, some big plans are in the pipeline for an even bigger 2024/25 season. Watch this space.
