Sunday, 24 January 2021, 7:15 pm
Copyright:
Geoff Ridder
Category young gun
Michael Collins (Leda GM1) made every move a winning one in
the feature Taupo Historic Grand Prix trophy race at the
second round of the 2020/21 SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000
Tasman Cup Revival motor racing series at the lakeside
central North Island city’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park
today (Sunday Jan 24).
Behind the wheel of the
Alistair and Vicki Hey-owned ex Graham McRae/Dexter Dunlop
1972 Tasman Cup/US L&M series-winning Leda GM1, Collins,
25, set the fastest race lap - a 1:28. 532- on his way to
his second lights-to-flag victory at the fifth annual, this
Press Release – NZ Formula 5000 Assn
Defending series title-holder Michael Collins (Leda LT27/GM1) might have qualified on pole and gone on to lead the first SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series race of the weekend at the second round at the big Taupo Historic GP meetingat Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park this afternoon from start to finish.
Current SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series title-holder Michael Collins (Leda GM1) led the first race of the weekend at Taupo today from start to finish. Photo credit: Fast Company/Geoff Ridder.
But with fellow category young Codie Banks (Lola T332) joining him on the front row of the grid for the first time after a stand-out performance in the category qualifying session earlier in the day, then stalking him relentlessly for the first half of the eight lap race Collins admitted afterwards that he had his work cut out to stay in front.
Press Release – NZ Formula 5000 Assn
In their heyday in the 1970s the 5.0 litre stock block V8-powered Formula 5000 single-seater racing cars which contest New Zealand’s annual SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series were as quick as F1 cars.
So most in the large crowd expected to descend on Taupō’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park this weekend for the
Taupō Historic Grand Prix celebrating Ford meeting will know exactly what to expect, says NZ F5000 Association organising committee member Glenn Richards.
“Speed, colour, excitement and action…..plus – of course – that unforgettable ‘rolling thunder’ sound as 15 (at last count) of these incredible cars accelerate away from the rolling start and head off down the hill to the first corner en masse.
Thursday, 21 January 2021, 7:41 am
In their heyday in the 1970s the 5.0 litre stock block
V8-powered Formula 5000 single-seater racing cars which
contest New Zealand’s annual SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000
Tasman Cup Revival Series were as quick as F1 cars.
So
most in the large crowd expected to descend on Taupō’s
Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park this weekend for the
Taupō Historic Grand Prix celebrating Ford meeting
will know exactly what to expect, says NZ F5000 Association
organising committee member Glenn Richards.
“Speed,
colour, excitement and action…..plus – of course –
that unforgettable ‘rolling thunder’ sound as 15 (at
last count) of these incredible cars accelerate away from
Press Release – New Zealand Formula 5000 Association
Rnd 1 21 SAS MSC F5000 R1 Tim Rush 20 McLaren M22 Toby Annabell 9A McLaren M10B. Photo credit: Fast Company/Matt Smith Photography.
It seems entirely fitting that at the second round of this season’s SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000
Tasman Cup Revival Series at the annual Taupō Historic GP, this time celebrating Ford, at Taupō’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in less than a fortnight’s (Sat-Sun Jan 23/24) time, there will be a record number of cars bearing the name of the NZ motor racing great lined up on the grid.
Though best known for the F1 team which still proudly bears his name, before his untimely death in 1970 Auckland-born racing driver/car constructor/team owner Bruce McLaren also had a major hand in the design and testing of a line of early production McLaren Formula 5000 single-seaters, starting with the M10A, then M10B.