Stats on Rise While Ross Looks to Future

BNT V8s Championship 2011-12
Round 6 - Taupo Motorsport Park
Final
9-11th March 2012

Stats on Rise While Ross Looks to Future

With Cambridge driver Nick Ross making an improvement on last year's championship position he looks to the future and the new generation of the NZV8s with ambition and enthusiasm.

"It wasn't quite the end of the season we had hoped for but we showed some very promising results, finished higher than last year and came in as the highest placed Holden." said Ross.

Checking out the presentation at Taupo over the weekend regarding the new generation of NZV8s chassis Ross is enthusiastic over the future of his sport in New Zealand.

“I think the new concept is great. It’s going to be really affordable for the little guy who hasn’t got a big budget. They can buy one of these cars and go racing and be competitive right out of the box.” he said.

The regulated racing chassis will be identical for both Holden and Fords but will be powered by engines unique to the relative manufacturer with body panels to match.

The Holden driver also likes the idea of opening the NZV8s to other interested manufacturers.

Motorsport New Zealand declared at the weekend of the final round in Taupo that the new generation series will accept any other brands able to meet the requirements of the NZV8s which was previously restricted to Holden and Ford.

"Like the idea but must warn we need to tread carefully and be careful with who we let into the series to retain the integrity of the NZV8s." said Ross.

Ross and the Concept Motorsport team were aiming to be inside the top five by the end of the season which throughout the year had been looking at being a cinch with them slipping outside only before the final round.

But the tough final contest at Taupo Motorsport Park last weekend brought mechanical problems for the Concept driver hindering him from regaining the ground as expected.

Eventually he completed the championship in seventh place, last year he was ninth.

"We started off pretty well qualifying fourth and then sixth in the shootout but then in the first race we missed the pit window when we changed to wets." he said.

Ross showed his style by making up the lost time finishing the race in fifth place.

In race two battling over position with Jason Bargwanna it all came to a head with a braking duel at the end of the long Taupo straight before entering the esses.

"I managed to haul the car up fine but the linkage in the gearbox broke leaving me with just third and fourth gear. Luckily I was able to hold my own a bit and finish in sixth." he said.

Ross once again made the best of an unlucky situation when he was hinderd at the start of the final race by an incident between Bargwanna and Edgell in front of him.

"Bargs got into Tim who went off spinning in the grass and I thought he was coming back at us so had to take evasive action and lost some places." he said.

Yet another blistering compulsory pit stop from the team in the final race made up time to Bargwanna and moved Ross back into contention only to be struck by the cruel fate of having the car's power steering let go.

"It's tough anytime the steering goes but when it happens in the middle of a corner it can really catch you out." said Ross.

Ross fought to hold the stricken Holden in position crossing the line in sixth place.

"Overall another promising season for us and big thanks go out to the boys, Dad and Bruce. Plus all the ladies who without their support we wouldn't be allowed to go racing at all. And of course our valuable sponsors and supporters whose contributions make it all possible." said Ross.

There remains one major event on the calendar the ITM 400 held on the streets of Hamilton in April and shared with the V8 Supercars.

This will be the first time the BNT V8s entrants will be able to compete for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy to commemorate the recent passing of the talented and popular 35 year old V8 Supercar driver from New Zealand.

"I'm really looking forward to getting onto the streets again!" said Ross.

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