McIntyre to start from fourth for BNT V8s at Manfeild
Heavy rain meant the top ten shootout for John McIntyre and other top NZ V8 competitors was cancelled this afternoon at the Manfeild racing circuit in Fielding. The starting positions for Sunday’s first 12-lap race were decided by the lap times set in the second qualifying segment when McIntyre and the Prime Explosives-backed Ford set the fourth-fastest time of 1:13.548.
“We’re very happy with how our weekend is going so far,” says McIntyre whose team has worked furiously for the past three weeks to repair the John McIntyre Racing Ford after an uncontrollable slide on a slick Timaru circuit at the end of January caused major damage.
“This morning we were out for testing – the first time we’d driven the car after its big repair job – and were happy to post the second fastest time of the first session. In the next round of practice, we were third fastest – again, we were happy with the car.
“The first segment of qualifying was run in the dry and everyone was pushing hard; we were sixth quickest. Initially the second segment was dry as well, but spits of rain started partway through, and then the rain came down. Officials decided it would not be fair to run the top ten shootout in such changeable conditions – some drivers might get a fully wet track, some a track covered in puddles – so you can’t run a shootout in those conditions.”
McIntyre says, as always, he loves being at Manfeild – it’s one of his favourite circuits.
“From fourth, we’re on the outside which isn’t necessarily a bad place to be going into the first right-hander – that’s always a tight battle at Manfeild.
“We’re very happy with the car and very happy to be up the front, so now we’re looking forward to Sunday’s races!”
On pole for the 9:55 am race will be Tim Edgell, then Craig Baird, Kayne Scott, McIntyre and Angus Fogg rounds out the top five. Sunday also sees a second 12-lap race at 12:55pm followed by the reverse grid 22-lapper at 4pm.
McIntyre is currently third on the championship points-table with 553 points, just two away from second-placed Eddie Bell and 115 points away from Baird, the current series leader. The Manfeild round is the penultimate round of the 2009-10 NZ V8 touring car series, so just six races remain with a maximum of 75 points for the winner of each race up for grabs.
McIntyre and his team at John McIntyre Racing extends their thanks to sponsors Talley's, Castrol Edge, Protector Safety, Prime Explosives, Ford NZ, The Rock FM, Ideal Electrical, Websters Hydrated Lime, Avon City Ford, BP Ultimate, Dynamic Fluid Systems, Speedshow, Cookes Wirerope, Colorfast Signs, City Collision Repairs Napier, and others for their ongoing support.
