Motorsport: Fogg takes over lead in Premier Race series

Angus Fogg. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Angus Fogg had a weekend to savour at the fourth round of the New Zealand Premier Race series at Levels Raceway near Timaru over the weekend. He piloted his LG Ford to two wins and a ninth in the crowd favourite, driver apprehensive, reverse grid race.

Drivers had every right to be on edge before the third race, which even by previous standards, was complete chaos and carnage. Craig Baird's diff let go around the back of the circuit covering it in oil.

There were cars flying off in all directions, among them championship contenders Kayne Scott and Fogg. When normal transmission was restored, Aussie V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna won from Nick Ross and John McIntyre. Fogg has now regained the lead in the race for the title from Baird and John McIntyre.

"It's a strong old car, that thing, and it's taken a few knocks over the years," said Fogg. "At the end of the day you can bash some panels out but it's much harder to get points and to extend our lead in the championship is great."

Fogg snatched the lead from pole-sitter Paul Manuell in race one after the opening lap and was never headed, taking a comfortable win from Scott and Baird. Race order at the chequered flag in race two was the same.

"To keep the other behind you've got to get all your ducks in row and when that happens you're away," said Fogg.

Doing double duty for the second season, the defending champion in NZV8s and the Porsche GT3s, Baird is proving his early season form in the GT3s was just a hiccup. Last weekend at Teretonga things came good with Baird wining two races. His good form continued at Timaru with comfortable wins in the first two races.

In the reverse top six grid in race three, Baird ran out of luck when a spectacular first corner incident with Shane McKillen ended his race.

"I had two good wins because I got two good starts and being on pole helps," said Baird.

"I've had a good car all year but didn't utilise it early on in the season."

Mitch Evans was half a second faster than the rest of the Toyota Racing Series field during qualifying and raced away in the opening gambit leading Brit Alex Lynn and Aussie Scott Pye across the white line.

Proving his comfortable race one win was no fluke, Evans again scorched off the line and ran away with race two.

The reverse grid top six final TRS race of the weekend was a bit of a fizzer when the safety car came out on lap seven and it was procession to the end with Jamie McNee leading Russian Ivan Lukashevic and Evans home.