The SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series heads to Hampton Downs this weekend for the third round of the 2024/2025 season, with legendary driver David Oxton taking centre stage.
The NZIGP Legends of Speed event celebrates Oxton’s illustrious career, focusing on his F5000 legacy and his 1972 Gold Star Championship victory in the Begg FM4. This iconic car will be featured in demonstration runs and displays throughout the weekend, offering fans a unique glimpse into New Zealand motorsport history.
The action-packed schedule includes three races for the iconic 5-litre, V8-powered F5000 cars. As the halfway point of the six-round series approaches, the stakes are rising, with drivers in both the Open and Group A (pre-1972) categories seeing their results shape their title aspirations.
The grid has expanded to 13 cars for the weekend, with several competitors returning after mechanical issues in previous rounds.
Feilding’s Kevin Ingram (Lola T332) leads the Open category standings with 150 points, holding a slender three-point margin over Blenheim’s Michael Hey (McRae GM1). Hey’s consistent speed and improving race craft have established him as a serious title contender. His back-to-back podiums at Taupō, including two second-place finishes on Sunday, have kept him within striking distance of the series lead.
Tony Galbraith (Lola T332) remains a strong competitor, sitting third in the standings with 139 points after finishing all four Taupō races. Clevedon’s Glenn Richards (Lola T332) also impressed in Taupō, climbing to fourth overall with 114 points. Meanwhile, Dunedin’s Steve Ross (McRae GM1) made a bold statement by winning both Sunday races in dominant fashion, earning the highest points haul of the weekend. Ross now sits fifth overall with 85 points, despite missing the opening round.
In the Group A category for pre-1972 cars, Frank Karl (McLaren M10B) leads with 153 points. His closest rival, Tony Roberts (McLaren M10A), trails by just 16 points after another strong showing at Taupō. Toby Annabell (McLaren M10B) will look to rebound at Hampton Downs after mechanical issues cut his Taupō campaign short, leaving him third in the standings with 104 points.
Returning to the grid this weekend are Feilding’s Tim Rush (McLaren M22), Auckland’s Grant Martin in the race-winning 1975 Talon MR1A, and Papakura’s Aaron Burson in the 1973 McRae GM1 (#008).
Spotlight on the Begg FM4
The weekend will also feature the Begg FM4, the car Oxton drove to win the 1972 Gold Star Championship. Now housed in the Rush family museum, the FM4 will be on track for demonstration runs, showcasing its purposeful design by George Begg.
“I’m proud that Terry [Rush] is bringing it up,” said Oxton. “It wasn’t the most beautiful car, but it was functional. F5000 was where I first found success, and the Gold Star was important to George and to me.”
The FM5 car, which won the 1972-1973 Gold Star title, will also be on static display.
While the focus is on Oxton, he says it is more about remembering something he loved doing and those from the era who will be there.
“Dick Bennetts will be here, along with Ross Stone – a great mate from Formula Ford and the Formula Pacific days. Plus Joe Cavaglieri, 50 years on, provided he gets his visa, will be here too. He got me the drive in the Lotus at Sebring, that got me the credentials for George to ask me to drive (the FM4). It proved I was a driver that I could run in the 5000’s and showed I wasn’t a risk.”
Action for the weekend starts with qualifying mid-Saturday morning. During the lunch break will be a parade lap for the celebrated cars. Early afternoon is the opening six-lap race, which decides the grid for the Sunday morning handicap six-lap race. Sunday’s lunch break again includes parade laps with the afternoon race of eight laps based on Saturday’s finish order.
All races will be a rolling start with an extra lap included to warm the large tyres and normalise the engine oil and coolant systems.
