Kyalami (Mar 3, 2007)
Reigning champion Leeroy Poulter (Sasol Nissan 350Z) took his second win of the new season when he was first to the checkered flag in the opening race here this afternoon of round two of the Bridgestone SA Production Car Championship.
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| Copyright © Nissan South Africa |
Poulter, who started from pole position, held off a determined challenge from Etienne van der Linde (BMW 330i) for the first three laps and went on to win the short, 6-lap race by two seconds from Michael Stephen (Audi A4 quattro) and Reghardt Roets (Bosal Nissan Dealer Team 350Z).
Gary Formato and Tschops Sipuka in the other two Sasol Nissan 350Zs were seventh and eighth after starting the race from sixth and 10th respectively.
In Race two, Reghardt Roets (Bosal Nissan 350Z) gave the privateer Nissan Dealer Team its first win of the year with a well-deserved victory in an 18-lap thriller. In a race of attrition Sasol Nissan's Tschops Sipuka, Gary Formato and Leeroy Poulter brought their 350Zs home in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
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| Copyright © Nissan South Africa |
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A mysterious misfire that developed on the formation lap put paid to any chance of Poulter taking a second win for the day in the Sasol Nissan 350Z. Starting from second on the grid, he was swamped by the field as the Nissan's 3,5-litre V6 engine misfired intermittently. He dropped to 10th after five laps and soldiered on to finish a fortunate sixth at the finish.
Poulter was philosophical about his misfortune. "I think it was an electrical problem that started on the warm-up lap. Although I pitted to have it seen to, it persisted and I'm happy to have got away with sixth place and three valuable championship points."
Motorsport general manager Glyn Hall of Nissan South Africa: "The problem with Leeroy's car could have been very damaging to his championship chances, but as it turned out-with closest challenger Shaun Watson-Smith failing to finish the second race in his Audi-Leeroy now enjoys an extended championship lead."
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