Munro Heads For Winner Take All Battle

Media Release
5 March 2013

Munro Heads For Winner Take All Battle

Christchurch driver James Munro heads to the Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend seeking to win the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship at his first attempt.

Munro goes to Taupo just three points behind championship leader Brendon Leitch of Invercargill. The championship is on the line and whichever of the duo has the best weekend should walk away with the title.

Munro has been a revelation in his Mygale this season. In his first season of motor racing the recently turned 16-year-old has won two of the four championship rounds, eight of the twelve races and has been the fastest qualifier at all but one round. The championship will now come down to the final three races of the season at Taupo.

"It has all boiled down to this," the Year 12 Christs College student said on Monday evening. "It will be a close one. I'm hoping everything comes together as it has in the last few races and we get a good result. We have had a bit of a break since the last round and I am sure that Brendon (Leitch) will have found some improvements in his car. I know we have found some interesting things with ours. However you never know what will happen."

Munro is also contesting the South Island Formula Ford title this season and raced at Timaru this past weekend. "That has definitely helped. It was the perfect opportunity to shake the rust off and make sure any issues are sorted out."

Munro admits to a few nerves prior to the final round. "It's all down to this one. There are three points between us but that is so close we may as well be dead equal. This weekend we will both be racing very hard."

As they approach the final round Leitch has 778 points and Munro 775, while Christchurch drivers Michael Collins and Tom Alexander have 696 and 645 respectively. Qualifying for the final round takes place on the 3.5 kilometre Taupo Motorsport Park on Saturday morning. The first race of the final round takes place over 10 laps that afternoon. On Sunday morning James will contest another 10 lap race with the final race over 12 laps late on Sunday afternoon.

Photograph - Christchurch driver James Munro in his Mygale leads Tom Alexander (Christchurch) during Round 4 of the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship at Manfeild Park - please credit Euan Cameron

CALENDAR -- 2013 NZ FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 1: 12-13 January 2013 - Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 2: 19-20 January 2013 - Timaru International Motor Raceway, Levels, Timaru
Round 3: 2-3 February 2013 - Hampton Downs, Waikato
Round 4: 9-10 February 2013 - Manfeild Park, Feilding
Round 5: 9-10 March 2013 - Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo

ENDS

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