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Battle For Top Spot In The ETEC Team Takes Shape
The weather just gets better at the Timaru International Motor Raceway and ETEC hoped for the same in the team’s performance going into Sundays racing.
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A penalty for Andrew Tang (30 seconds) for jumping the start in race 1 did not get things off to a great start as ETEC otherwise lined up in the race finishing order from Saturday’s opener.
So into the first corner, side-by-side went Mardenbrough and Tatiana, while Nandy passed 3 cars from the back row and started his charge forward.
Tatiana, who had made it clear that she was going to get aggressive from here on in got the bit between her teeth and got a run on Mardenbrough on the straight and darted past to take over 9th position from the Welshman, whilst Tanart settled into a midfield battle.
At the back Tang pushed hard but ran wide and found himself at the end of a 3 car train with Cullen and local boy Scott.
Lap 2 and Mardenbrough, unimpressed with not running as first ETEC car for the first time put pressure on Calderon and the pressure told when the Colombian lady racer spun exiting turn 2 and Jann retook 9th and set off in pursuit of 8th placed Latifi.
Tatiana rejoined and started to try to catch the pack, aided by another moment for Tang who dropped back into her target.
Attrition in the close fought field was inevitable and a coming together for Schothorst saw the Dutchman pit and the field move up.
Nandy, now 13th and charging pulled onto the tail of Spike Goddard and as before in Timaru the pressure told and Spike duly thumped it into the tyres for the third time this weekend!
Nandy finished a creditable 12th from the back of the grid with Mardenborough, despite continuing gear selection problems finishing as best rookie and leading ETEC runner in 9th. Tanart, finished 10th, Andrew Tang 16th and the recovering Calderon 17th.
Race 3, the days 20 lap feature race promised a close fight between he ETEC runners with the order shuffled with a red flag penalty of 3 grid spots given to Mardenbrough following his qualifying crash.
So Nandy lined up first of the ETEC runners for the first time in 9th spot, Mardenbrough adjacent in 10th, Tatiana was 12th, Tanart 13th and Tang 15th.
At the start, Jann made a big effort to retake Nandy and moved past into turn 2 as Nandy took a wider line, behind, Tanart made an over ambitious start will may result in a word from the stewards and Tang got a great start at last and ETEC ran 9th to 15th as they crossed the line for the first time.
Dorani, the Brazilian podium finisher from Teretonga was the spoiler in the ETEC train and he was working hard to pass Nandy who defended sternly. On lap 6 Dorani got his chance and took it bring Tatiana closer to Nandy in the process and off chasing down his next ETEC target Mardenbrough.
Jann defended hard from the charging Dorani but succumbed at T5 on lap 17 still battling his malfunctioning gearbox.
The big race battle was between the TyrePlus liveried cars of Nandy and Calderon, nose to tail for 15 laps with the Colombian pressing the Malaysian lap after lap pushing her nose ever closer up the inside at the end of the long straight but being mindful that the youngster was her team mate took no chances.
The retirement of Brazilian Bonifacio with an ape rant engine failure pulled every one up a spot with the 5 ETEC cars crossing the line 9th 13th within a second of each other.
Team Boss Trevor Shuemack reflected on the weekend “ I thought the guys (and girl) accredited themselves well, it was disappointing that Jann could not build on the practice pace he showed as it would have nicer to be further up the grid. Our rookies are running very solidly and have moved up from Teretonga and would hope they will step up again in Taupo (next round)”
The 2013 Toyota Racing Series reconvenes in 4 days time in Taupo on New Zealand’s North Island on 24/27th January for rounds 7/8/9 of the 15 race championship.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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