Zero Fees To Support Leitch In Championship
Zero Fees To Support Leitch In Championship
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Damon Leitch in the Zero Fees Stealth he will drive in the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship - photo courtesy of Advantage Advertising.
MEDIA RELEASE
30
SEPTEMBER 2008
ZERO FEES TO SUPPORT LEITCH IN
CHAMPIONSHIP
Zero Fees, the Southern Institute Of Technology's tertiary funding scheme, will support young Invercargill motor racing star Damon Leitch in his campaign to win the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship.
The
support comes as the fifteen-year-old Southlander prepares
for his second season at national level commencing at the
Taupo Motorsport Park from 3-5 October. Leitch will compete
at Taupo, the first of seven rounds in this summer's
championship, in his new Zero Fees Stealth.
Leitch, a
Year 11 student at James Hargest College who is also
enrolled for a distance learning automotive programme at the
SIT, is excited at the prospect. "I'm very pleased to
have a great southern sponsor to help with the season
and I hope it will assist to promote the programmes at the
SIT."
Bharat Guha, Corporate Services Manager, SIT
say's, “SIT has great pleasure in providing support for
Damon Leitch, one of Southlands own and an outstanding SIT
student. In a sport in which speed and consistency play a
key part, Damon’s skill clearly matches his passion and
personality, and his performance on and off the race track
mark him as an outstanding individual. SIT are pleased to
have Damon as a distance learning automotive student and in
2009 he will come back on campus through STAR, to bring his
own
unique drive and skills to the SIT community. SIT are
proud to stand with Damon and wish Damon great success in
his career on and off track.”
Leitch finished tenth in
the championship last season, an outstanding effort at the
wheel of an elderly Class 2 Van Diemen. He frequently
defeated many of the more advanced Class 1 cars and was the
first Class 2 car home in nineteen of the twenty races. His
end of season tally made impressive reading as he scored
five top ten finishes. A highlight came on the final day of
the series when Leitch sealed his best result of the
championship, a magnificent fifth place at his home track,
Teretonga Park.
Racing legend Ken Smith has taken an
interest in the youngster's career and his advice at the
beginning of last season was to try and secure a top ten
finish in the championship before moving into Class 1 with
the aim of a top three placing the following year. A more
modern car, a Class 1 Stealth, has been procured for an
attack on the overall championship this year. The car is the
first Stealth ever built and has been raced by drivers such
as Rob Henderson and most recently James Mitchell. The goal
is to race competitively in the top three while also seeking
Rookie of the Year honours. As he raced in Class 2 last year
Leitch is still eligible for that title.
Leitch is
looking forward to the season and say's it should be easier
this year. "Dad and I learnt a lot last year and knowing the
tracks this time around will be a big advantage."
Damon's campaign in the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship is supported by Zero Fees, EH Ball ITM Building Supplies, Ray White Real Estate,Toll Tranz Link, BNT, Kingsford-Smith Motor Painting Ltd, Advantage Advertising, Caltex Invercargill Oil Shop, Turntru Machining, Discount Tyres, PPG, Trade Tools, Teng Tools, Collingwood Foodcentre, Macaulay Ford, Courtesy Ford South Auckland, Howard Anderson Upholstery, Laker House Of Travel, Print & Copy, Office Shop, the Bell Booth Group, C&G Rothbury and Leitch Motorsport.
After the opening round at Taupo, Leitch and the Zero Fees Stealth will contest further rounds of the series at Pukekohe and Powerbuilt Tools Raceway in Christchurch prior to Christmas. The championship then moves to Timaru and Invercargill's Teretonga Park in January before the final two rounds at Manfeild Park in Feilding and the new Hampton Downs track at Meremere south of Auckland.
ENDS
CALENDAR 2008/2009 MTA FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 1 - 3-5 October 2008: Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo
Round 2 - 7-9 November 2008: Pukekohe Park Raceway, Auckland
Round 3 - 28-30 November 2008:
Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway, Ruapuna,
Christchurch
Round 4 - 9-11 January 2009: Timaru International Motor Raceway, Timaru
Round 5 - 16-18 January 2009: Teretonga Park, Invercargill
Round 6 - 27 February - 1 March 2009: Manfeild Park, Feilding
Round 7 - 20-22 March 2009: Hampton Downs,
Meremere