2004 SI Results

Results Index

It was great to see that the South Island Slotcar Championship is alive and well, with a good turn out of 33 drivers, from Invercargill to Auckland, turning up to contest three classes of racing at the Christchurch Slotcar Club’s track on October 16/17. 

Most of the drivers were familiar with the track, as the club had also hosted the national championship the previous season. 

It was particularly good to see such a strong turnout from Pitlane (Dunedin) 11 drivers, and two from Wellington – the club’s first representation in a championship of this kind for some time. Good also to see father and son team Rob and Kieran Dale (Henderson Club) traveling down from Auckland. 

This year’s championship also saw the return to competition of Wellington driver Chris Dillon. Chris last competed in the South Island Championship in 1969 when he was resident in Christchurch. The championship then was run by a previous regime. On that occasion Dillon won three classes and on his return to the sport he donated three trophies that had been in his possession for around 35 years. Thanks Chris. 

Pitlane were rewarded for their effort when one of their drivers Graeme Saxton took out Class One (Open) winning the Sports Car class, and finishing second in GPs and Saloons. Saxton is widely recognized as a strong competitor on most tracks, and he managed to head off Kieran Dale from Auckland. Going into the final round (Saloon) the two were equal on points, but the younger but internationally experienced Dale faltered in the Saloon class, managing only fourth, so the championship went to Saxton. 

Ryan Dougherty, a youngster from Pitlane racing in the Open class for the first time, turned in an impressive performance, improving with each outing, finally winning in Saloons and finishing third overall. 

In Class 2 (Group 12) local drivers John Hawkins and Barry Toomey driving R132 chassis were favoured to take the honours. When Toomey took out the Sports Class it appeared he may have the edge, but he was less impressive with the difficult GP cars and the pair were even on points going into the vital Saloon class. Hawkins made the most of drawing a middle lane first up and built a buffer that Toomey could not close when it came to his turn to use the middle lanes. 

Steve Wilson from Pitlane was clearly the best of the rest, but some distance behind the local pair.  

The Class 3 International 32 field saw a return to the big fields experienced in earlier days of the championship, perhaps because Hawkins, Toomey and Wilson had decided to contest Class 2. 22 runners started in this section. 

Christchurch driver Adam Brice had proven his pace to the extent that he had previously won a national class final. The combination of his track experience and a Toomey built car proved a little too fast for the other finalists led by the experienced Steve Welford. Wellington drivers Keith Cheeseman, making a welcome return, and Dillon made the A final on each occasion. 

Class 3 also contained Intermediate and Junior sub sections. Former national Junior Champion Mike Wilson used his considerable experience to good effect, heading off local racer Scott Miers who didn’t do his chances much good when his car lost a wheel in the GTP section. 

In Juniors Andrew Welford improved considerably throughout the weekend to take out the trophy from the Mike Rean who had been strongly favoured prior to the event. Alec Thomson easily won Sports but threw away his chances by not turning up on the second day. 

Andrew Welford’s cars also top scored in the Concours event. 

Most agreed that the championship had been a success, justifying the work put in by some Christchurch club members, with the only slight hiccups being the need to re-glue some lifting copper tape after a recent warm spell. 

The central Christchurch venue, between Dunedin and Nelson, is an advantage and there is talk of a Southern Series being held at the track and an endurance event. 

Many thanks to John Hawkins for this report.

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