Mechanical failures, a stewards’ penalty and a thrilling handicap finish provided plenty of talking points as the 24 Red Racing Sport Saloons Cup contested Round 2 of its 2026/27 season at Levels Raceway.
Warm, dry conditions greeted the field at the South Canterbury circuit over 31 October and 1 November, with four races delivering four fiercely contested encounters, three different winners and plenty of drama throughout the field.
With championship points on the line, the weekend also gave returning competitors and newcomers a chance to make their mark.
Qualifying: Walker sets the pace
Warren Walker claimed pole position in his Honda Civic EG with a 1:09.268, narrowly edging James Swaney’s Toyota Altezza by just 0.115 seconds.
Josh Mitchell was third fastest in his Subaru Impreza with a 1:09.649, putting the leading three within four tenths of a second. Chris MacLeod qualified fourth ahead of Donovan Isted, Brad Rae and Ross Jones, while newcomer Kyle Barringer impressed with eighth-fastest in his Toyota AE86.
With no qualifying penalties or breakouts, the stage was set for a closely fought opening race.
Race 1: Mechanical heartbreak opens the door
The opening eight-lap scratch race began with Josh Mitchell and James Swaney using their horsepower advantage to get the jump on polesitter Walker into the first corner.
The pair looked set to fight for victory until mechanical problems dramatically changed the race’s complexion.
Mitchell’s Subaru suffered an engine failure at the end of the back straight with three laps remaining, ending his challenge after he had recorded the fastest lap of the race, a 1:09.046.
Just one lap later, Swaney’s Toyota Altezza suffered a rear differential failure, leaving Walker to inherit the lead with two laps remaining.
Walker held on to claim the opening victory, finishing 1.987 seconds ahead of MacLeod, with Ross Jones completing the podium. Donovan Isted finished fourth ahead of Richard Simpson, while Barringer continued his promising start to the weekend with sixth place.
It was a frustrating result for Mitchell and Swaney, both demonstrating the pace to challenge for victory before mechanical reliability intervened.
Race 2: Smart makes a winning return
Saturday’s second race brought the reverse-grid-by-class format into play, with the faster competitors facing the challenge of working their way through the field.
But returning Class C competitor Dale “Smarty” Smart stole the show.
Returning to the SS Cup after two seasons away, Smart worked his way into the lead by the end of the opening lap and refused to surrender the advantage.
Despite faster cars charging through the field, Smart held on to claim a memorable victory, crossing the line 1.750 seconds ahead of fellow Class C racer Ben Van Heeswyck.
James Mitchell secured third place and was the leading Class B finisher, while Richard Simpson led the Class A contingent home in fourth, just ahead of MacLeod. Isted finished sixth, with series naming sponsor 24 Red Racing’s Chris O’Driscoll taking an impressive seventh place.
For Smart, it was the perfect way to announce his return, demonstrating that outright horsepower isn’t always the deciding factor in the SS Cup’s reverse-grid racing.
Race 3: Penalty drama delivers Walker’s second victory
Sunday’s racing began with another reverse-grid contest, this time within the classes, and it produced one of the weekend’s biggest talking points.
Chris MacLeod crossed first after a strong performance, but an incident involving Carmen Liemburg at the hairpin ultimately determined the result.
Contact between the two cars sent Liemburg spinning off the circuit, and the stewards later handed MacLeod a 30-second penalty after reviewing the incident.
The penalty dropped MacLeod to eighth in the official classification, promoting Walker, who had crossed the line just 0.802 seconds behind, to his second victory of the weekend.
Donovan Isted inherited second place, 1.902 seconds behind Walker, while Ross Jones secured another podium finish in third. Barringer continued to turn heads with an excellent fourth-place finish in his Toyota AE86, ahead of Brad Rae and Ben Gormack.
MacLeod’s pace was undeniable, having also recorded the fastest lap of the race with a 1:09.240, but the penalty proved costly. It was another reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the tightly contested SS Cup field.
Race 4: Mitchell takes the honours in thrilling finale
The final eight-lap reverse-grid handicap race provided a fitting conclusion to the weekend, with plenty of action and a closely fought battle for the podium.
James Mitchell emerged victorious, taking the chequered flag 2.092 seconds ahead of Dale Smart, who capped off an impressive return with his second podium finish of the weekend.
Donovan Isted was right on Smart’s bumper at the finish, crossing the line just 0.033 seconds behind him to claim third place. Marty Russell produced an excellent drive to finish fourth, ahead of Cory Jamieson and Barringer, who completed another strong performance with sixth place.
MacLeod finished seventh, followed by Ben Gormack, Lynden Prebble and Ross Jones.
Earlier race winner Walker was making his way through the field when a spin from Brad Rae on the penultimate lap forced him to take evasive action to avoid a collision. The incident cost Walker valuable time and effectively ended his charge towards the front, leaving him 13th at the chequered flag.
Richard Simpson was further disappointed, as his weekend ended in another retirement after his engine began smoking. Rebecca Liemburg was also disqualified following a class breakout, highlighting the importance of managing lap times within the SS Cup’s time-bracket regulations.
Meanwhile, Carmen Liemburg demonstrated her pace by setting the fastest lap of the race, a 1:10.334.
Plenty of stories as the season continues
Walker left Levels with two race victories, while James Mitchell and Dale Smart each added a win to their season’s tally.
Isted and Jones were consistent podium contenders, MacLeod showed front-running pace despite his Sunday penalty, and Barringer’s performances in the Toyota AE86 made him one of the weekend’s standout newcomers.
Mechanical failures proved costly for several competitors, particularly Josh Mitchell and James Swaney, while Simpson endured a difficult conclusion to an otherwise competitive weekend.
With two championship rounds completed, the SS Cup now turns its attention to Highlands Motorsport Park on 21 and 22 November.
Due to permitting clashes, the event will run as a non-championship round, but with the challenging Highlands circuit awaiting, plenty of racing pride will still be on the line.
For the full Round 2 class results, updated championship standings, photos and the latest news from across the paddock, visit the Sport Saloons Cup Facebook page and follow the series as the 2026/27 season continues.
Header Photo: Euan Cameron
