Heartbreak for the hometown hero and triumph for Christchurch’s Anna Collins defined the penultimate round of the 2025/26 NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon.
Feilding’s Kevin Ingram looked untouchable early on. His 1m04.153 qualifying effort in the Lola T332 HU48R ― narrowly outside his 2024 best of 1m04.04 ― was enough to secure pole ahead of Anna Collins’ 1m04.497. With just two corners remaining in the opening race, he appeared set for victory before mechanical misfortune cruelly intervened.
A broken throttle cable saw Ingram slow dramatically as the field charged toward the chequered flag. Collins, running second in her McRae GM1 #004, swept past on the run home to claim the first of what would become a clean sweep of race wins.
Sunday morning delivered cruel déjà vu.
After overnight modifications to the throttle assembly, Ingram again led from pole in the second 10-lap race. But midway through lap two, the throttle stuck open, forcing immediate retirement. Once more, Collins capitalised ― taking control of the race and securing her second victory of the weekend.
With Ingram sidelined for the final race, Collins launched cleanly from the start and confidently managed the chasing Glenn Richards (Lola T332). Controlling the pace, she completed a hat-trick of wins.
“It is a special weekend for us and a shame for others, but we are happy to get the car back in one piece,” said a composed Collins afterwards.
“Once I got in front, I was just working to manage the gap while not putting any additional strain on the engine more than I had to.”
The result vaults Collins into the series lead with a commanding 38-point advantage. She now sits on 209 points, ahead of Ingram (171), while Grant Martin drops to third on 162 following his non-finish.
“It sets us up well for the final round at Hampton Downs,” Collins added, while also acknowledging the team effort behind the success.
“A massive thank you to Dad and Alister Hey for the drive of the Lola and now the McRae. It is an opportunity I don’t take for granted, and I drive the car with the utmost respect. The goal at the end of the day is to get it back in one piece and drive within my limits, which they trust me to do.
“Also, a big thank you to everyone who has helped us out, particularly at SKOPE when Dad was away, and we had another crew helping us. And then, in this round, when we had the engine issue after qualifying, we had help from other teams when it was all hands on deck to turn things around, ready for that first race. My success this weekend is just as much their success.”
Clevedon’s Glenn Richards enjoyed a consistent weekend, finishing second in all three races and setting the fastest lap in the final encounter.
“Anna drove really well,” said Richards.
“To hang off the back of that car and see how she handled it was great fun. We were close all meeting and I’m looking forward to Hampton Downs ― I’ve probably got a bit more experience there.”
Te Kauwhata’s Tony Galbraith completed the podium in all three races in his Lola T332 HU38A.
“We’re here for the enjoyment, but that’s a real driver,” Galbraith said of Collins.
In the A category, sole entry Toby Annabell (Hāwera) endured a rollercoaster weekend in his McLaren M10B. After setting a personal best 1:08 in qualifying, he spun at the final corner late in Saturday’s race while chasing a 1:07 lap and became beached.
“I got a bit cheeky,” Annabell admitted. “I was trying to better my time and just overcooked it.”
He rebounded strongly on Sunday with two trouble-free finishes.
“I’ve had a really good weekend. The car’s going well thanks to my engine builder Richard Wagstaff.”
The field was significantly depleted before racing began. The Trojan 101 of Lee Dwyer developed terminal engine issues during Friday testing, while Grant Martin’s Talon MR1 suffered engine failure. With a spare engine available, Martin is expected to return for the season finale.
In the A category, regular front-runner Tony Roberts (McLaren M10A) was absent due to family duties, while the McLaren M10B of Roger Williams is being repaired following an electrical fault at the previous round.
Feilding local Tim Rush continues rebuilding the McLaren M22B engine that failed in pre-event testing at Manfeild, while Dunedin’s Steve Ross is awaiting completion of his McRae GM1 rebuild. James Watson’s Gardos OR2 also suffered early-season engine failure.
The recent passing of long-time stalwart Bruce Kett has sidelined his Lola T332, with discussions underway regarding the car’s future.
The series now heads to its final round at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, 20?22 March. With the field rallying for the 2025-26 title decider, it will also include Blenheim’s Michael Hey, likely in the family-owned Lola T332.
The NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is proudly in its 23rd season, supported by SAS Autoparts, MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney’s Specialised Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Avon Motorsport Tyres, Dold Industries, Webdesign, Exide Batteries and Pacifica Shipping.
For updates, entry lists and imagery, visit www.f5000.co.nz and follow F5000 New Zealand on Facebook.
Results after round three (of four) for the NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series:
| Open Class | Car No/Driver/Car | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 |
| 1 | #996 Anna Collins – McRae GM1 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 0 | 209 |
| 2 | #30 Kevin Ingram – Lola T332 | 58 | 76 | 37 | 0 | 171 |
| 3 | #2 Grant Martin – Talon MR1A | 70 | 72 | 20 | 0 | 162 |
| 4 | #88 Tony Galbraith – Lola T332 | 0 | 70 | 64 | 0 | 134 |
| 5 | #63 Glen Richards – Lola T332 | 51 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 104 |
| 6 | #99 Blake Knowles – McRae GM1 | 0 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
| 7 | #99 Michael Hey – McRae GM1 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 |
| 8 | #5 Steve Ross – McRae GM1 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 |
| 9 | #17 James Watson – Gardos OR2 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 10 | #20 Tim Rush – McLaren M22 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 11 | Lee Dwyer – Trojan 101 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 12 | #48 Bruce Kett – Lola T332 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Class A | ||||||
| 1 | #9 Toby Annabell McLaren M10B | 78 | 78 | 70 | 0 | 226 |
| 2 | #7 Tony Roberts – McLaren M10A | 79 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 156 |
| 3 | #12 Roger Williams – McLaren M10B | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
Header Image: Jarod Carruthers
