The V8 Utes championship is on a knife edge heading into the conclusion of the season as a full field of V8 Utes do battle at the season decider tomorrow and Sunday at Hampton Downs.
The V8 Utes finale at Hampton Downs promises another weekend of close racing
Within striking distance of the title is Phill Ross who’s thrashed the C & R Construction Holden ute to one race win, one round win and three podiums. Phill comes from a proud motor racing dynasty and is a pivotal cog in Cambridge-based civil and mining earthmoving contractors C & R Developments. Electrical issues hampered Phil’s success early in the season. But now with these gremlins now behind him and a new engine, we’re expecting a big showing from Phill in the final round.
The driver to beat is Brad Kroef – the reigning champion and the most consistent performer all season. Brad has pushed his P & I Pascoe-backed Ford Falcon FG ute to one pole, three wins and seven podiums putting him on top of the driver standings. Brad’s cool, relaxed demeanour off-track is at odds with his killer instinct on-track that sees him clinically and relentlessly overtake his way to the front, outpacing even the more-experienced drivers.
The last round at Hampton Downs was a bruising encounter for some
Just a few championship points behind in a similar Ford FG is his father Greg Kroef – a standout performer who’s notched up one race win and five podiums. Clearly crew-chief Vince Gee – who has an uncanny ability to read the conditions and make the right calls – has been a contributing factor in the Kroefs’ success.
Enjoying his first full-time season and currently third in the championship, Alex Fougere is driving the Ward Demolition championship-winning Holden VF ute. Alex has managed two wins, 5 podiums with only minor electrical issues preventing him from amassing even more points.
In a season where qualifying times have often been separated by a mere two seconds from first to tenth, we can expect to see more super-close racing as the V8 Utes race alongside the Super V8s.
Qualifying is scheduled for tomorrow morning 18th May with Race One that afternoon. Sunday morning’s Race Two will be a reverse grid affair – a format that sees rampant overtaking, while Race Three and potentially the championship decider will be mid-afternoon. There’ll be no live television coverage – but of course nothing comes close to the adrenalin rush of watching the V8 Utes trackside at Hampton Downs.
Phill Ross enroute to another race win in the V8 Utes racing championship
