Invercargill driver Liam MacDonald has made a sensational start to the BNT NZ Touring Car Championship taking the round win at Pukekohe Park Raceway.
After problems with a front sway bar on Friday the Southlander recovered to qualify third fastest later in the day in his GT Radial NZ Ford Falcon despite battling oversteer in the car. It was later found that the sway bar was actually cracked so that was repaired for the first race of the round on Saturday.
MacDonald was involved in an incident with another car early in race one and dropped to the back of the field as he readdressed the situation. From that point on he forged his way forward and came back to finish fourth.
Sunday was the icing on the cake. Starting from second on the grid he raced to a win on Sunday morning before winning from pole position in an exciting third race later in the day.
The three results gave MacDonald the round win while he also leads the championship after one round with 204 points.
“I’m really rapt,” said MacDonald after the final race. “We had a few problems early on but we got them all fixed and after that it was pretty sweet, the car went real good.”
MacDonald is tackling the 2016/2017 BNT NZ Touring Car Championship with the support of GT Radial NZ, Classic Car Warehouse Invercargill, Advanti Racing and YHI NZ, Ideal Electrical, BNT NZ, Auto Windscreen Replacement Ltd, Southern Bolts & Fasteners, Auto Fab, NAC Insurance, Speedy Signs Invercargill, Derek Orr Auto Refinisher, Southern Probuilt Engines, DAL Photographics, Discount Tyres Invercargill and Sport Scholarships with the Community Trust of Southland and the ILT Foundation.
The next round of the championship takes place at Taupo over the weekend of 10/11 December.