John McIntyre. Photo / Supplied
Nelson racing driver John McIntyre collected his third New Zealand V8 title after winning the final race in Hamilton this afternoon.
Auckland's Angus Fogg finished runner-up in the seven-round championship after claiming third in the final race with Hamilton home town hero Craig Baird completing the championship podium after a
sixth placing.
Baird's chances of retaining the title disappeared in race two when he finished 18th after a heavy contact with another car put him off the track.
Fogg, who led the standings after yesterday's first race of the weekend, saw his chances of taking out the title go up in smoke when his car suffered a gearbox problem in this morning's second race.
Fogg returned to the circuit on the eighth lap to salvage 20th and gather 12 points but now trailed McIntyre, who won race two, by 11 points overall ahead of the season finale in the afternoon.
Fogg started from sixth spot on the grid in the final race and thrilled the crowd when he made a great start to be in third after three laps but then spun attempting to outbrake Andy Booth.
As he recovered and made further attempts to pass, he slid wide on two occasions dropping two more places behind Andrew Anderson and David Hopper.
He eventually finished third when Anderson's car lost a wheel hopping over the chicane and Hopper dropped out after striking a wall.
McIntyre, who started from pole was untroubled as he crossed the finish line followed by Booth.
"It hasn't really sunken in yet as we came from behind having never led the series all season," McIntyre said.
"Before the race I was worried about things breaking but the team told me it was fine and it was - so we just went out and nailed it."
Leading results:
Race 2: John McIntyre (Nelson) 1, Eddie Bell (Christchurch) 2, Andy Booth (Auckland) 3, Wade Henshaw (Christchurch) 4, Andrew Anderson (Auckland) 5.
Race 3: McIntyre 1, Booth 2, Angus Fogg (Auckland) 3, Henshaw 4, Scott McLaughlin (Gold Coast) 5.
Leading standings after the seventh and final round at Hamilton: McIntyre 1148 points 1, Fogg 1122 2, Baird 1064 3, Booth 996 4, Knight 890 5.
- NZPA
