MEDIA RELEASE

15 MARCH 2009

LEITCH WINS AGAIN

Invercargill driver Damon Leitch completed his stunning finish to the MTA Formula Ford Championship when he took a brilliant win at the final round held at Pukekohe Park Raceway south of Auckland this weekend.

The Formula Ford class produced three sensational races and Leitch again showed his ability to compete in the highly charged action with a second and two third placings, good enough to take overall victory in his Zero Fees Stealth.

It was the sixteen-year-old's second round win of the final three rounds and the fourth time he had made the podium in the seven round series. He finished fifth in the series, just seven points away from fourth position. 

Leitch qualified sixth in the Zero Fees Stealth on Saturday, saying the handling of the car was good but that he couldn't get a tow from the slipstream of another car - essential on the long, fast straights of the 2.841 kilometre circuit.  

In Saturday afternoon's first race the southerner ran in second place until the last lap when both Jamie McNee and Stefan Webling got past over the hill onto the front straight. That relegated Damon to fourth but, after irregularities were found in the engine of race winner Richie Stanaway, Leitch found himself promoted to third.

Leitch was fifth on the grid for the second race of the round on Sunday morning but made a bad start, falling to eighth place. However he did a fine job once again to work his way back to second place at one stage before he lost one place near the end of the race to secure another third placing.

The final race was an absolute beauty. From sixth on the grid Leitch settled into seventh early on before losing a further place to drop to eighth. From there he began to charge back through the field. The last few laps were amazing, with a six car wheel-to-wheel battle for the lead. Leitch kept picking off cars and on the final lap pulled off an amazing pass to move into second place, a position he held to the finish.

The results gave him the overall round win, his second of the series, both achieved within the last three rounds.      

The spectators gave the drivers a great ovation as they crossed the line in the final race with Leitch just .039 of a second behind Stanaway. Damon enjoyed the battle. "The car came on as the race went on. I was able to slowly pick them off and ended up at the front. I'm really pleased."

The Zero Fees Stealth had a hole in the nose cone at the end of the race, the battle scars a sign of the close competition. Of his last lap pass that took him into second place he said, "it was kind of weird. I was surprised how slow they were going." 

Looking back on the championship Damon said, "I'm very pleased. It was very challenging at times and it was pretty close. Towards the end we had plenty of pace."    

Southerners will get a chance to see Leitch in action at his home circuit, Teretonga Park, next weekend when he will race the Zero Fees Stealth in the local Clubmans class.

Damon's campaign in the 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship is supported by Zero Fees, EH Ball ITM Building Supplies, Ray White Real Estate,Toll Tranz Link, BNT,   Kingsford-Smith Motor Painting Ltd, Advantage Advertising, Caltex Invercargill Oil Shop, Turntru Machining, Discount Tyres, PPG, Trade Tools, Teng Tools, Collingwood Foodcentre, Macaulay Ford, Courtesy Ford South Auckland, Howard Anderson Upholstery, Laker House Of Travel, Print & Copy, Office Shop, the Bell Booth Group, C&G Rothbury, Steve Rhodes Feature Cars, McIntyre Dick & Partners and Leitch Motorsport.

Damon Leitch on his way to victory in the Zero Fees Stealth at the final round of the MTA Formula Ford Championship at Pukekohe Park Raceway in Auckland this weekend
Photo: SportProMedia.com

Lindsay Beer

on behalf of Damon Leitch

021 351 499

To contact Damon Leitch - phone 027 349 1266