This Saturday just past, on the cold and unforgiving asphalt of Taupo Motorsport Park, Toyota Levin driver Barry Manon pulled off what many thought was impossible – winning a Wynn’s Racing Super Lap round in a front wheel drive vehicle. Piloting his turbocharged 1800cc street-legal Levin on the cold, grip-less surface, Barry managed to cut a blisteringly quick 1.16.93 lap time, which not only put him in first place for the street car class, but also edged out every competitor in the theoretically faster Street Pro class, which allows for street legal, caged race cars. This class was won by experienced Super-Lapper Ian Campbell and his well set up Street-Pro Mitsubishi Evolution VI, with a 1.17.10.

For the first time in Super Lap history, the day also included an “Unlimited” class, which made room for all-out, non-street legal race cars. This class could only compete amongst themselves, as the Super Lap time attack days are first and foremost, a street car competition. 3SGTE-powered Toyota AE85 driver Grant Hohaia took out this class with the fastest time of the day – a 1.15.45. Noticeably absent from the list of front runners is previously undefeated Super Lap champion, Scott Kreyl. Scott and co-driver Jono Lester only managed one practice session in the early morning before technical problems forced them to retire. Before the mishap, the pair looked set to once again clean up, running a second quicker, according to their transponder, than any else managed all day long. Used to competing in the Porsche Cup, experienced driver Jono was determined to carry on, and managed to get himself a drive in a high powered Toyota Supra with which he then proceeded to cut the second fastest time of the day. Congratulations to everybody involved — Another successful Wynn’s Racing Super Lap for 2008.