Trans Tasman Challenge

[Robert Ryan]

I think Barry Jameson, Andrew Fawcett, Phil Crompton and quite a few others should be congratulated getting the inaugaral Trans Tasman Challenge going it is the best news I have heard for Sports Sedans and their associated TraNZam cousins.
I believe Kerry Bailey was the best of the three Sports Sedan drivers finishing 3rd behind Kayne Scott(In a 6 Litre car)and Shayne Drake in the 2nd of three races at Ruapuna Park. Unfortunately Tony Ricciardello could not mke it because of V8Supercar committments. John Gourley was toying about entering Darren Hossack, but did not commit. Some interesting news I picked up today, is Mark Petch is thinking of having a 5 litre Corvette permanently stationed in the US for Kayne Scott to contest the Trans Am. He will also have a 6 litre Corvette for local racing and the Trans Tasman.

[Zinger]

It was good to see the Trans Am cars run in this years sports sedans. They certainly gave the locals a hurry up.

[GTRMagic]

I read the title thinking it was about the Carrera Cup series in NZ of the same name for later in the year....

[Zinger]

I think Formula Holden had a Trans Tasman challenge and also Formula Ford ??? Trucks as well seems a common name for a bunch of Aussie racing in NZ.

[FalconEL]

I agree, the TranNZam's and Sports Sedans competing in a Trans Tasman Challenge is great for both categories.

Unfortunately, one of the difficulties with Sports Sedans is that they are one of the last "non-one-make" categories, which can make them difficult to market commercially because of the disparity in budgetary levels of competitors and therefore performance levels of the vehicles.

If Sports Sedans can continue to provide large fields of relatively comparable equipment consisting of quality Australian cars and combine with the New Zealand Trans Am cars then the future looks bright.

We are very fortunate to have a category such as Sports Sedans in this country as it is quite unique in the world of motor sport.

[bondy_racing]

i'd love to see the sport sedans head to head with the best trans am in NZ,

i know a while ago they use to have a similar thing that had some yanks? i know it wasnt trans tasman but it was similar

[Zinger]

Once upon a time ago the top sports sedans (big budget guys) got together and formed the Thndersports and that was some great racing. Those cars must be still around somewhere.

[Robert Ryan]

Interesting item from the Tasmanian Mercury about the future of Sports Sedans



TASMANIAN racing driver Kerry Baily won the Australian Sports Sedan
Championship for a record fifth time after the final round at Melbourne's
Sandown Raceway at the weekend.

Baily started the two-race round in a strong position, needing only
to finish the first race on Saturday to secure the championship.

Despite threatening weather and minor brake problems, Baily qualified
his Nissan 300ZX fourth fastest and maintained his position to
lock up the title before the start of yesterday's second heat of
the final round.

The now five-times champion said he was thrilled to win the title
and break the deadlock between himself and defending four-times champion
Tony Ricardello, of Western Australia.

``Nobody's won the title five times before,'' said Baily.

However, the category is destined for changes next season and Baily
could well be the last Australian Sports Sedan champion.

The New Zealand-based Tranz-Am cars similar to Australia's sports
sedan class may emerge as the new class.

``I'm really looking forward to this if it goes ahead -- it will provide
bigger fields and better racing for competitors and spectators
alike,'' he said

[Robert Ryan]

Results of the Trans Tasman Challenge, the Sports Sedans did not have a good day.


Three from three and series lead for Scott as Kiwis show the way.

New Zealand Tranzam cars continued to head home the Australian Sports
Sedans in the Trans Tasman Challenge. It was round four, the first on New
Zealand soil and Kayne Scott ran rampant, taking all three races and now
heads the series with one round remaining.

To rub salt into the Aussie wounds, the locals filled the top two podium
positions in each race with and scored third on two occasions as well.
The three visitors could muster two fifths (for Saab/Chev V8 driver Dean
Randle) and one-third spot for Kerry Baily in his Nissan 300ZX/Chev V8.

Race One (8 laps)

Scott began with a victory in the day's first race, an eight lapper
in his Tranzam-spec Chev Corvette. Craig Gilbert's Chev Camaro
slipped past second qualifier Shane Drake in the PJ Knight-owned Corvette
and held it off for the duration.

Bernie Gillon finished fourth in his Ford Mustang, which was hounded for
much of the race by Randle. Unfortunately for the latter, the Ford proved
a little too wide and impossible to pass.

Behind sixth placed Dennis Running in his Chev Camaro was Kerry Baily who
was still perplexed by thee lack of performance from his championship
winner.

The Holden Commodore/Chev V8 of Rodney Woods chased Baily for much of the
race but miscued in the latter part by running wide, allowing Brent Early
and Steve Ross to slip past.

Race One (8 laps) Top Ten
1-Kayne Scott (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
2-Craig Gilbert (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
3-Shane Drake (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
4-Bernie Gillon (NZ) Ford Mustang Tranzam,
5-Dean Randle (Aus) Saab Aero/Chev V8,
6-Dennis Running (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
7-Kerry Baily (Aus) Nissan 300ZX/Chev V8,
8-Brent Early (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
9-Steve Ross (NZ) Oldsmobile Cutlass Tranzam,
10-Rod Woods (Aus) Holden Commodore VS/Chev V8.
Fastest Lap: Kayne Scott 1:21.257

Race Two (8 laps)

Kayne Scott continued on his winning way in the second eight-lapper.
Drake broke a spur gear and could not take retribution on Gilbert who was
second. Baily was third but reported that the track had gone off and
times were off by around one and a half seconds.

On lap three Randle went out with a broken drive shaft but was confident
he would be back for race three. Just two laps later Woods was also out
as his Commodore split a wheel rim after suffering lack of rear end grip
and brake problems.

The Camaros of Dennis Running and Eddie Fairbairn were the next two
across the line ahead of the Ford Mustang of Adam Brook and Brent
Early's Corvette.

Race Two (8 laps) Top Ten
1-Kayne Scott (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
2-Craig Gilbert (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
3-Kerry Baily (Aus) Nissan 300ZX/Chev V8,
4-Dennis Running (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
5-Eddie Fairbairn (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
6-Adam Brook (NZ) Ford Mustang Tranzam,
7-Brent Early (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
8-Paul Williams (NZ) Oldsmobile Cutlass Tranzam,
9-Bernie Gillon (NZ) Ford Mustang Tranzam,
10-Steve Ross (NZ) Oldsmobile Cutlass Tranzam.
Fastest Lap: Kayne Scott 1:22.117

Race Three (12 laps)

Scott took out the longer finale where Drake was second over Gilbert.
Randle was fourth in the early part but an "off" dropped him
to sixth behind Running. In the race to the flag, Randle was able to edge
Running out.

It was a relatively quiet race for Baily who was eight, his car lacking
the pace of the front-runners and also severely tested by the
circuit's demands on brakes.

Woods became embroiled in a huge scrap with Fairbairn, Williams and
Brook. The encounter lasted for over ten laps where Woods came through
one of the toughest dices of his racing career in tenth behind Williams.

Race Three (12 laps) Top Ten
1-Kayne Scott (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
2-Shane Drake (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
3-Craig Gilbert (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
4-Bernie Gillon (NZ) Ford Mustang Tranzam,
5-Dean Randle (NZ) Ford Mustang Tranzam,
6-Dennis Running (NZ) Chev Camaro Tranzam,
7-Brent Early (NZ) Chev Corvette Tranzam,
8-Kerry Baily (Aus) Nissan 300ZX/Chev V8,
9-Paul Williams Oldsmobile Cutlass Tranzam,
10-Rod Woods (Aus) Holden Commodore VS/Chev V8.
Fastest Lap: Kayne Scott 1:22.203

TRANS TASMAN CHALLENGE POINTS (after four rounds)
Kayne Scott (NZ) 59, Darren Hossack (Aus) 57, Bernie Gillon (NZ) 42,
Shane Drake (NZ) 40, Dean Randle (Aus) 39, Kerry Baily (Aus) 37, Craig
Gilbert (NZ) 31, Tony Ricciardello (Aus) 31, Jonny McIntyre (NZ) 26,
Dennis Running (NZ) 17, Mark Stinson (Aus) 11, Mick Monterosso (Aus) 10.

-www.sportssedans.com.au-



---

[Zinger]

Aussie sports sedans don't hold up for too long maybe thats why race 3 was an all NZ affair.

[Robert Ryan]

Zinger, not really.I think Kerry Bailey had major problems, the others succumbed to Mechanical woes. The same thing happened to the TraNZam cars in Australia, they appeared to be unreliable as well.

[promax]

poor numbers, same old cars, ****ing **** tv coverage... nothing has changed

pity