KEY POINTS:
After having the New Zealand Grand Prix taken from him two years ago, Andy Knight yesterday left Manfeild safe in the knowledge his name will join an illustrious list of winners on the trophy.
Disqualified for a technicality at Teretonga, Knight took control of the 53rd running of
the 35-lap event yesterday to lead from start to finish.
"The last three laps were the hardest," said Knight. "Matt [Halliday] was close-as to me the whole time. To finally win the Grand Prix is great."
Halliday has finished third and second in his two previous outings in the NZGP and was a bridesmaid again, finishing second.
A momentary lack of concentration on the penultimate lap by Earl Bamber let Ben Harford through into third.
New Zealand had the privilege of holding the first Grand Prix on the international motorsport calendar at Manfeild, near Feilding, and it was also the first international motorsport event to use biofuel.
This year the running of the NZGP was incorporated as part of a three-series international contest for Toyota Racing Series cars, the first of which was the Lady Wigram Trophy at Ruapuna, won by Earl Bamber.
Showing a hint of what was to come in the two TRS races preceding the NZGP, Knight finished third in the first and fifth in the second. His main rivals for New Zealand's premier motorsport title were Bamber, who won the second TRS race, Daniel Gaunt, who won the first, and Halliday.
Knight got the drop on the others when the lights went green and established an early lead. Just before the halfway mark, Nick Jordan went straight ahead at the exit to Dunlop and buried the front of his car into the tyre wall to bring out the safety car.
Although the field closed up, Knight wasn't troubled at the restart. Re-establishing a comfortable lead, Knight seemed set until late in the race when Gaunt and Nelson Hartley, brother of Formula Three driver Brendon, spun each other out, again bringing out the safety car.
Knight again protected his lead on the restart and although the last three laps saw Halliday all over the back of Knight's car, no passing opportunities presented themselves and Knight went on to take the title.
Forty years ago, Kiwi and former Ferrari driver Chris Amon won the NZGP at Pukekohe and he was at Manfeild to watch the new talent.
"The wonderful thing about this Toyota series is that it's giving these young guys a chance to show what they can do in current-generation type cars with wings and slicks."