Open Class round honours for the GT New Zealand Championship have been taken out by Luke Manson in a Porsche 991 whilst GT4 was taken out by the McLaren 570s duo of David Cremer and Jason Liefting.
Manson worked hard for his accolade, winning his first race of the season in Sunday morning’s one hour enduro. This followed on from seventh in Saturday’s sole 30 minute race and was complimented by 10th in the weekend-concluder.
Wayne Leach finished second in Open Class for the round in his Ferrari 488 Challenge whilst Paul Pedersen rounded out the podium in a Porsche 991.2.
In GT4, Cremer opened GT4 proceedings on Saturday with 11th before Liefting took out one hour accolades, backing that up with second in the final run.
The pair got the better of Nigel Cromie’s McLaren 570s who finished second for the round and Grant Aitken’s Porsche Cayman which took third.
Double points for the 60 minute race definitely worked to the advantage of the round winners, Manson taking that race over Leach and Pedersen respectively.
Cremer and Liefting took GT4 honours, only 2.7 seconds ahead of Stephen Harrison’s Aston Martin Vantage. Just up the road was Cromie who rounded out the podium.
The race wasn’t without drama, John Buchanan’s Porsche Cayman an unlucky victim of a Hampton Downs tyre barrier, putting him out for the remainder of the weekend.
The Porsche 991.2 of Rob Steele was another forced from the one hour, contact with the Porsche 911 MR being driven by Jono Lester puncturing the front left, a disappointing result after yesterday’s great victory.
It didn’t stop there, Rick Armstrong’s Porsche 991.2 and Allan Sargeant’s Ginetta G55 also making contact on the final lap, the damage minimal on both who were able to continue.
A 30-minute race concluded the weekend, a relatively drama-free affair which saw the Lamborghini Super Trofeo of Gene Rollinson putting in an incredible debut showing off this new to NZ, Super Trofeo series car, of Rob Andersons, to get the better of Lester.
Regan Scoullar rounded out the Open Class podium in a Porsche, the youngster scoring his first podium in his championship debut.
Jono McFarlane returned to the top step in GT4 in a Mercedes AMG, with Liefting coming home in second and Cromie third.
The next round of the GT New Zealand Championship will be held at Taupo on March 17-19.
Additional reporting: Supplied
