Win gives McIntyre lead in V8 SuperTourers Series; Richards leaps into top ten for the weekend

Labelling it as his best win ever at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, John McIntyre now leads the V8 SuperTourers Series after victory in the 25 lap feature race at the second round in Christchurch over the weekend. John McIntyre Racing team mate Steven Richards showed plenty of pace in his #556 CRC FG Falcon after solving his under-steering issue from Saturday. He finished eighth overall for the weekend and is now ninth on the points table.

Filling in for Greg Murphy, super-sub Fabian Coulthard seemed to have the measure of the field going into the third and final race after two race victories and three pole positions. McIntyre knew that the key to winning was the rolling start and he made the best of the situation emerging in front of the field in his Blackwoods Protector Falcon, after the ferocious sprint to turn one.

"At the start we got down the inside of everyone and passed Fabian (Coulthard) before the first corner. Reid and Baird went off allowing Fabian and I to get through ahead." Then for the remaining 25 laps they both captivated the huge crowd as it looked certain that it would only be a matter of time before Coulthard got ahead. But this was not to be as McIntyre held out the ever-charging Coulthard.

"We were always good under brakes," commented McIntyre. "This was especially evident at the hairpin and that bought us a lot of time"

Team mate Richards came through the first corner in tenth and went on the hunt for higher positions, eventually finishing seventh.

"I'm happy with today's results," said Richards. "We were able to solve the under-steer from yesterday and move forward"

He also had a new problem to contend with, "The in-car camera dropped onto my lap halfway through the race and then floated around on the floor for the remainder of the race."

Earlier in the day McIntyre finished fourth in race two while Richards got into the top ten finishing ninth.

"The car was a lot better this morning," said Richards. "We are now where we should have been at the beginning of yesterday as we are now able to race to pass."

The next V8SuperTourer round takes place in three weeks time when John McIntyre Racing heads to Fielding, just outside Palmerston North for three races over three days at Manfeild Park Raceway.