LEITCH ENDURES TOUGH START TO CHAMPIONSHIP
Young Southlander Damon Leitch had a tough weekend as his 2008/2009 MTA Formula Ford Championship campaign got underway at Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend.
Leitch qualified eighth fastest in his Zero Fees Stealth after an engine misfire surfaced during qualifying. Then as he lined up for the first race, held over eight laps on Saturday afternoon, the car crept forward on the startline. Leitch checked it's progress but as he stopped the car the rest of the field left the line and the Invercargill driver missed the start, dropping to the rear of the field. He then had to work his way back through the pack to eventually cross the line in ninth place.
On Sunday morning the fifteen-year-old contested the second race of the round on a wet track. Unfortunately he was hit by another competitor during the race and the contact bent the steering of the Zero Fees Stealth. He later reported that the car had been quite good in the wet until the handling was compromised by the damage. Despite the damage Damon still managed to bring the car home in eleventh place.
A ninth place finish followed in Sunday afternoon's third race which took place on a dry track. "The engine was missing a bit and the handling was still out," said Damon after the race.
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 and Leitch Motorsport.
Damon Leitch in the Zero Fees Stealth at Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend
Photo: SportProMedia.com
Lindsay Beer
