Improvements earn a class podium for one of the two Aston Martin GT8R's in the GT New Zealand Series
With accomplished dirt track racer Joel Giddy racing what would be his first GT4 based race programme this weekend having only tested his former Shane Helms machine at the turn of the year, it was the veteran ex. pat racer Stephen Harrison who showed the early pace in Qualifying to come home on class pole ahead of Saturday’s opening thirty-minute race.
However, a breach of safety apparel protocol saw the #78 driver loose that top slot after his qualifying time was disqualified and he found himself starting from the rear of the grid. In an unprecedented audition, Giddy would come home fourth in class and just three seconds off the podium whilst Harrison would charge through the class to finish in seventh from his fourteenth (in class) starting position.
Better news would eventually come Harrison’s way as during the Sunday morning hour long feature race, he and his Race Lab team would earn themselves a P2 finish in class having pushed eventual class winner Jason Leifting all the way with just a 2.7 second gap between them. Giddy would finish ninth in class.
Sundays curtain calling climax to this second round out of four from the GT New Zealand Series saw the series race by race balance of performance take effect upon the #78 car where another mid class finishes were the best from the two Aston Martin runners to finish the day in P6 and P6 as the series now gets a six week break before their penultimate round of the season from Taupo in mid-March.
Photo credits – Teams / Series
Sunday, February 05, 2023 |
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GT New Zealand slides into a wet Hampton Downs for round two of the season as other dreams come to an end
What’s better for us this time is that we now have TWO Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT8R’s to support as dirt track racer Joel Giddy and his Mach 1 Engineering team joins that of the full season Race Lab supported Stephen Harrison entry this time around.
The #16 Giddy car is also no stranger to the series as was raced by Shane Helms in the then named Super GT NZ Series alongside Harrison out of the Race Lab garage.
With wet weather welcoming the twenty-six car GT entry, there will be ground to make up for Harrison within the GT4 class after his domineering pace of last season was left lacking at the sun blessed opening meeting of the season at Highlands Park three weeks ago which has already left the #78 car seventh in class after the three opening races.
Giddy will also have to hone his GT racing skills to the available sessions before Saturdays opening thirty-minute race after reportedly only testing out his new stead once before committing to the remaining rounds of the series.
Having been raced in last season’s North Island Endurance Series with drivers John Penny and Ronan Murphy, it appears that that relationship is now at an end and Penny is seeking to off-load his racing investment.
Full details can be found here at https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/134768/2019-aston-martin-vantage-gt3
Photo credits – GT New Zealand / RaceCar Direct
Friday, February 03, 2023 |
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