Kroef claims V8 Utes race one glory despite Collinson’s pole

Brad Kroef escaped some late-race carnage to win the V8 Utes Race One at NZIGP’s ‘March Madness’ event at Hampton Downs, with Greg Kroef second and Daniel Ludlam third. Along the way, the utes turned on quite a show.

It had been four months since the V8 utes last raced at Hampton Downs, and they quickly set the circuit alight with some scintillating times on a warm, dry track. Glen Collinson made up for missing Round Two, setting the fastest time in qualifying. Greg Kroef was barely a tenth of a second behind him in 2nd, with rising star Mitch Sparrow in third.

For Race One early Saturday afternoon, grid positions had been set not by qualifying times but by a novel ‘marble draw’. Phill Ross drew the lucky number one on the grid, and Brad Kroef lined up alongside him in second.

Fastest qualifiers Glen Collision and Greg Kroef were buried deep in the field at fourth and seventh^, respectively, setting the scene for some rampant overtaking. The race welcomed back David ‘Shaggy’ Lowe again, racing his #82 Ford BF after a season racing in the NZ Sixes, which lined up a few seconds behind the utes in Race One.

When the lights went out, Phill Ross held his nerve and the lead. Late in the first lap, Glen Collinson improved on his fourth starting position to overtake Brad Kroef on the hairpin for 2^nd. Next in his sights was Phill Ross, a scalp he claimed late in Lap Two. Glen consolidated his lead to almost a second, but Phill wasn’t relenting.

Lap by lap, Phill whittled away at Glen’s lead. Then, coming into the hairpin too hot on the ninth lap, Phill braked late, locked up, and tapped a cornering Collinson, sending him into a 180⁰ spin. Parts flew, tempers flared, and Glen moved aside to let the following traffic pass. That allowed Brad Kroef to slip through for the lead ahead of Phill, but not before copping a side impact in the crossfire.

Behind the lead pack, the action was just as intense. Greg Kroef, who’d started seventh on the grid, threaded his way through the field to eventually finish second ahead of a fast-finishing Daniel Ludlam.

Mitch Sparrow, who had started 10th, overtook his way to a hard-fought fourth. Blair Gribble-Bowring started a lowly twelfth and finished a creditable fifth. Results weren’t so good for Tyler Ward, whose race ended at the beginning, breaking an axle on the start line.

After the race, it was decided that Phill Ross had made unnecessary contact with two competitors, and a 35-second penalty was imposed. The clerk of the course then approved this decision.

Now that the dust has settled, it’s time for the reverse-grid Race Two for theMitch Sparrow V8 Utes tomorrow morning to calm the nerves. We’re all hoping for another keen but cleanly fought contest.

Header Image: Dillon Photography