Racing befitting of the legend that is George Begg
Action-packed racing, star drivers, special classic cars, parades, demonstrations, and plenty of family activities - the inaugural George Begg Festival.
Action packed racing, star drivers, special classic cars, parades, demonstrations and plenty of family activities brought down the curtain on the 2023 George Begg Festival at Teretonga Park in Invercargill on Sunday as the legacy of legendary Drummond race car constructor, the late George Begg, was celebrated.
The big names were to the fore in Sunday morning’s Historic Touring Car races with two-time NZV8 Champion Kayne Scott of Hamilton and Australian star John Bowe battling for the lead in their Ford Sierra’s.
Despite not having driven competitively for thirteen years, Scott won by .960 of a second from Bowe with two-time World Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich third in his Ford Mondeo with four -time Bathurst winner Greg Murphy next in his Nissan Primera.
Scott was an early retirement in the second race which was won by Murphy from Bowe with Nigel Arkell of Wanaka in a Honda Accord third.
The return Grudge Match between the 1990’s Supertourers and the current technology of the TCR cars saw the TCR cars start with a handicap after
their victory the day before.
The Supertourers managed to square the ledger however, as Rowan Shepherd of Lincoln in a BMW 318i crossed the line .004 of a second ahead of Scott O’Donnell in his TCR car with Greg Murphy third.
Albany driver Angus Fogg showed his class in the first HVRA race of the day coming through the field to seize the lead by the end of the first lap.
The race was interrupted by a red flag stoppage and upon resumption Leon Hallett of Mosgiel in his Mustang was able to reel in Fogg’s Morris Cooper S and lead him across the line with another Cooper S, that of Invercargill driver Howard Kingsford- Smith, third. Hallett then received a penalty elevating Fogg and Kingsford-Smith to first and second and Dennis McConnell of Feilding in a Ford Escort to third.
The second race was a handicap contest and Kingsford-Smith capped off a successful day with a victory over Luke Richardson of Christchurch in an MGB GT and Steve Pauling of Nelson in his Ford Escort.
Rodger Cunninghame of Te Anau won the first Pre 78 Saloon race in his Ford Mustang from first day winner Harrison O’Donnell of Invercargill in a Capri. Bruce Farley of Nelson in his Vauxhall Viva GT was third. The afternoon race was a handicap event and the big cars couldn’t make up the deficit. Steve Pauling just pipped Howard Kingsford-Smith on the line for the win with Matthew McLeary of Mosgiel third in his Triumph 2.5 PI.
Young kiwi Ryan Wood, now based in Melbourne driving for Walkinshaw Andretti United in Super 2, won both Pre 2012 GT races. In the first he ran away to a 24 second win in his Porsche 997 GT3 R over Brian Scott of Dunedin in his Porsche 997.2 with Jonny Reid of Auckland third in a Porsche GT3 RSR. In the second, a 20-minute race, Wood paced himself but eventually crossed the line ahead of Ross Graham of New Plymouth in a Lamborghini Callardo GT3 and Scott.
Brad Rule of Queenstown made a clean sweep of the Allcomers Saloons/Post 2000 Touring Car races in his Holden Commodore SuperTourer, winning both from Brayden Phillips of Christchurch in a Falcon with Jason Scott of Queenstown in a Commodore SuperTourer and Steve Ross of Dunedin in the PDL Mustang taking a third place apiece.
Paul Coghill and Mark Barrett shared the wins in the Vintage Racing Car races, just as they had done the previous day. Coghill, of Dunedin, in his Jaguar Special, won the first after passing early leader Barrett who finished second with Northland driver Grant Clearwater third in his New Zealand built Special. Barrett, of Christchurch, in a Lotus 23B Replica took the second from Clearwater with Coghill third.
A wonderful array of 19 Ford’s lined up for the Ford Invitational race with the Sierra’s of Scott and Bowe at the back of the grid. Scott, driving at his favourite New Zealand circuit, nearly made it to the front but finished second to one of New Zealand’s iconic saloons, the PDL Mustang, in the hands of Angus Fogg while local driver, Kevin Underwood, drove his Falcon to third.
Scott O’Donnell In his 997 GT3 R won the Porsche Invitational race in a close finish from Allan Dippie of Dunedin in a 991 GT3 R with Brian Scott third in his 997.2.
It was a day of racing befitting of the legend that is George Begg.
Racing results - Sunday 2 April
(All races 6 laps unless otherwise stated)
RACE 1: StabiCraft HVRA
1: Angus Fogg – Albany (Morris Cooper S)
2: Howard Kingsford-Smith – Invercargill (Morris Cooper S)
3: Dennis McConnell – Feilding (Ford Escort)
RACE 2: Professionals Vintage Racing Cars
1: Paul Coghill – Dunedin (Jaguar Special)
2: Mark Barrett – Christchurch (Lotus 23B Replica)
3: Grant Clearwater – Northland (NZ Built Special)
RACE 3: Henderson Construction Ltd Historic Touring Cars 1982-2000
1: Kayne Scott – Hamilton (Ford Sierra)
2: John Bowe – Australia (Ford Sierra)
3: Paul Radisich – Turua (Ford Mondeo)
RACE 4: Transport Repairs Ltd Pre 78 Classic Saloons
1: Rodger Cunninghame – Te Anau (Ford Mustang)
2: Harrison O’Donnell – Invercargill (Ford Capri)
3: Bruce Farley – Nelson (Vauxhall Viva GT)
RACE 5: Giltrap Group Pre 2012 GT Cars
1: Ryan Wood – Melbourne (Porsche 997 GT3 R)
2: Brian Scott – Dunedin (Porsche 997.2)
3: Jonny Reid – Auckland (Porsche GT3 RSR)
RACE 6: Transport Engineering Services Ltd Allcomers Saloons & Post 2000 Touring Cars
1: Brad Rule – Queenstown (Holden Commodore SuperTourer)
2: Brayden Phillips - Christchurch (Ford Falcon)
3: Jason Scott – Queenstown (Holden Commodore SuperTourer)
RACE 7: Ford NZ Ford Saloons Invitational
1: Angus Fogg – Albany (PDL Mustang)
2: Kayne Scott – Hamilton (Ford Sierra)
3: Kevin Underwood – Invercargill (Ford Falcon)
RACE 8: Giltrap Group Pre 2012 GT Cars – (20 minute duration)
1: Ryan Wood – Melbourne (Porsche 997 GT3 R)
2: Ross Graham - New Plymouth (Lamborghini Callardo GT3)
3: Brian Scott – Dunedin (Porsche 997.2)
RACE 9: Professionals Vintage Racing Cars
1: Mark Barrett – Christchurch (Lotus 23B Replica)
2: Grant Clearwater – Northland (NZ Built Special)
3: Paul Coghill – Dunedin (Jaguar Special)
RACE 10: Nind Electrical Services TCR v SuperTourer Challenge
1: Rowan Shepherd – Lincoln (BMW 318i)
2: Scott O’Donnell – Invercargill (Hyundai i30N TCR)
3: Greg Murphy – Havelock North (Nissan Primera)
RACE 11: Transport Repairs Ltd Pre 78 Classic Saloons
1: Steve Pauling – Nelson (Ford Escort RS2000)
2: Howard Kingsford-Smith – Invercargill (Morris Cooper S)
3: Matthew McLeary – Mosgiel (Triumph 2.5 PI)
RACE 12: Porsche NZ Porsche Invitational
1: Scott O’Donnell – Invercargill (Porsche 997 GT3 R)
2: Allan Dippie – Dunedin (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
3: Brian Scott – Dunedin (Porsche 997.2)
RACE 13: Transport Engineering Services Ltd Allcomers Saloons & Post 2000 Touring Cars
1: Brad Rule – Queenstown (Holden Commodore)
2: Brayden Phillips - Christchurch (Ford Falcon)
3: Steve Ross – Dunedin (PDL Mustang)
RACE 14: Henderson Construction Ltd Historic Touring Cars 1982 - 2000
1: Greg Murphy – Havelock North (Nissan Primera)
2: John Bowe – Australia (Ford Sierra)
3: Nigel Arkell – Wanaka (Honda Accord ST)
RACE 15: StabiCraft HVRA
1: Howard Kingsford-Smith – Invercargill (Morris Cooper S)
2: Luke Richardson – Christchurch (MGB GT)
3: Steve Pauling – Nelson (Ford Escort RS2000)