McLaughlin Back on Top, Bargwanna Maintains Lead over Ross

9th March 2014

McLaughlin Back on Top and Bargwanna Maintains Lead over Ross

Another weekend of tough V8 powered racing ended with an exciting 20 lapper this afternoon at Taupo Motorsport Park where NZV8 Touring Car TLX driver Jason Bargwanna edged a little further ahead of main rival Nick Ross and James McLaughlin reclaimed his lead in the NZV8 TL Championship.

The competition was once again close in both categories with Ross taking the first win on Saturdayafter contact from Bargwanna saw the Australian slapped with a drive through penalty leaving Ross an unchallenged run to the flag.

It was Bargwanna's turn today however where he won the first race of the day repairing the damage done by Ross to his championship lead yesterday.

In the third race Ross bolted away from the standing start while Bargwanna did not get a good getaway. While trying to make up ground there was contact between himself and Shaun Varney which saw the two cars off the circuit and a safety car called when Varney's Ford was unable to drive away.

After the safety car was called in Bargwanna cut his way through the field of TL cars and stayed out as long as possible before entering for his compulsory pitstop.

With Ross pitting earlier and then encountering traffic Bargwanna was able to get in front of the Cambridge driver and go on to take the win and extend his lead in the championship by another eight points to 69 over Ross.

In the TL class it was Bronson Porter who drew first blood yesterday with his first win of the season. A fourth place this morning was later contrasted with a puncture in the afternoon race forcing him to reitre in the closing laps of the race but he was still able to pick up third overall for the weekend.

A third place for Barry Holden yesterday was not good enough for the Hamilton driver so he went out this morning to claim second place and then followed that up with yet another second in the afternoon to claim second overall for the weekend.

Lower Hutt's James McLaughlin had been strong all weekend and after losing the lead and eventually the race to Porter yesterday he came back strong this morning with a third place topping that with a clear race win in the afternoon and his first since Timaru in January.

The strong weekend gave McLaughlin the round win and enabled him to slide in front of his main rival Ian Booth who is now back in second place on the point's table with 798 to McLaughlins 809.

With just one round remaining at Pukekohe Park Raceway next month the tension is heating up.

But with four races at the meeting the drivers can take full advantage of the extra race having a potential 300 points up for grabs there.

NZV8 Touring Cars Results

Race One (unofficial)

NZV8TC-TLX
1st: Nick Ross - Holden, Cambridge
2nd: Jason Bargwanaa - Toyota, Australia
3rd: Lance Hughes - Holden, Hamilton
4th: Shaun Varney - Ford, Auckland

NZV8TC-TL
1st: Bronson Porter - Holden, Hamilton
2nd: James McLaughlin - Holden, Lower Hutt
3rd: Barry Holden - Ford, Hamilton
4th: Ian Booth - Holden, Hamilton
5th: Brad Lauder - Ford, Turua
6th: Matthew Booth - Holden, Hamilton
7th: Grant Molloy - Ford, Invercargill
8th: Brook Cooley - Ford, Wellington

Race Two (unofficial)

NZV8TC-TLX
1st: Jason Bargwanaa - Toyota, Australia
2nd: Nick Ross - Holden, Cambridge
3rd: Lance Hughes - Holden, Hamilton
DNF: Shaun Varney - Ford, Auckland

NZV8TC-TL
1st: Brad Lauder - Ford, Turua
2nd: Barry Holden - Ford, Hamilton
3rd: James McLaughlin - Holden, Lower Hutt
4th: Bronson Porter - Holden, Hamilton
5th: Ian Booth - Holden, Hamilton
6th: Matthew Booth - Holden, Hamilton
7th: Grant Molloy - Ford, Invercargill
DNF: Brook Cooley - Ford, Wellington

Race Three (unofficial)

NZV8TC-TLX
1st: Jason Bargwanaa - Toyota, Australia
2nd: Nick Ross - Holden, Cambridge
3rd: Lance Hughes - Holden, Hamilton
DNF: Shaun Varney - Ford, Auckland

NZV8TC-TL
1st: James McLaughlin - Holden, Lower Hutt
2nd: Barry Holden - Ford, Hamilton
3rd: Ian Booth - Holden, Hamilton
4th: Matthew Booth - Holden, Hamilton
5th: Brook Cooley - Ford, Wellington
6th: Grant Molloy - Ford, Invercargill
7th: Bronson Porter - Holden, Hamilton
DNF: Brad Lauder - Ford, Turua

NZV8 Touring Cars TLX and TL Championship Standings

Category TL (Top four unofficial)

Category TLX (unofficial)

Results, championship standings and more information is available on www.nzv8touringcars.co.nz

NZV8 Touring Cars supports the “KID IN CARS CHARITY TRUST”

ENDS

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