Although they had the 2008 New Zealand Offshore Power Boat Championship in the bag after winning the penultimate round sponsored series in Napier of the Cougar Marine / Inex Metels, Peter Turner and Craig Archer driving Sleepyhead again stamped their dominance on the Superboat Class with an emphatic win at Auckland.
Right from the start there was an early challenge from Wayne Carson and Tony Coleman in Cure Kids, Fairview Windows and Doors, Scott Lewis and Chris Hanley, and Profloors driven by Wayne Valder and Ross Christensen, midday through the 100 mile event they had a comfortable lead which they never relinquished. Cure Kids held on for a well deserved second place from Fairview Windows and Doors who had earlier been the front runner for a number of the early laps, but dropped back to take a final third place.
The Superboat Light class ended up being a two boat race with Grant Smith and Dave Aldridge driving addictive and Kelly Smith/Travis Thompson in Rayglass. The had a transom to bow race for the entire 15 laps and it wasn't until the final lap that Rayglass managed to pull ahead and take the win. This also gave them the overall Superboat Light championship for 2008.
In 60 mile race noone had an answer for Mark Diggleman and Craig Parson in Finance Point, who lead from the first lap and never looked like being beaten. Mike Cameron once again showed his domination of Classic Class with another win in MarineWorkz.
However the race of the day was in the Formula Honda class with the 2008 championship riding on the last race. Michael Knight driving Building Solutions and Mike Smith driving Cougar Marine had to beat each other to win. While Michael and Debbie Urquhart took the class win, it was the battle for second place that was of special interest.
Building Solutions took the early advantage and looked like holding out Cougar marine, until a spin-out halfway through the race, saw his chance of the championship go in a flash. Cougar Marine shot past and Building Solutions was never able to make up the distance. Mike Smith and Matt Hopkins not only won the championship with their second overall class finish but also a trip for two to the UK to compete in a Formula Honda race.
2008 Cougar Marine and Inex Metals Drivers Championship
Official Race Results
Auckland – 10 May 2008
100-Mile – Overall placings
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Sleepyhead, Peter Turner|Craig Archer, Auckland
2. Cure Kids, Tony Coleman|Wayne Carson, Auckland
3. Fairview Windows, Scott Lewis|Chris Hanley, Auckland
4. ProFloors, Wayne Valder|Ross Christensen, Auckland
5. Rayglass, Kelly Smith|Travis Thompson, Wellington
6. Addictive, Dave Aldridge|Grant Smith, Wellington
7. Doosan, Sam Fillmore|Cary Gleeson, Auckland
8. Family Boat, Bob Smith|Mark Taitini, Auckland
Superboat Class
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Sleepyhead, Peter Turner|Craig Archer, Auckland
2. Cure Kids, Tony Coleman|Wayne Carson, Auckland
3. Fairview Windows, Scott Lewis|Chris Hanley, Auckland
4. ProFloors, Wayne Valder|Ross Christensen, Auckland
Superboat Light
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Rayglass, Kelly Smith|Travis Thompson, Wellington
2. Addictive, Dave Aldridge|Grant Smith, Wellington
3. Doosan, Sam Fillmore|Cary Gleeson, Auckland
4. Family Boat, Bob Smith|Mark Taitini, Auckland
60-Mile – Overall Placings (Sports Boats)
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Finance Point, Mark Diggleman|Craig Parsons, Napier
2. Top Line Builders, Tony Beetham|Jonathan Hack, Auckland
3. Cykotic, Mike Gerbic|Haydn Means, Auckland
1. Konica Minolta, Greg Brink|Eldon Archer, Auckland
2. Stealth Powerboats, Tim Fellows|Mark Coburn, Otaki
DNS. ProFloors Concrete, Brett Flexman|Sarina Flexman, Auckland
1. 1amily Boat YMF, Steve Lockhart|Shane Mitchell, Auckland
2. Eliminator, John Purchase|Lee Mason, Auckland
Super 60 (over 225hp)
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Finance Point, Mark Diggleman|Craig Parsons, Napier
2. Marine Workz, Mike Cameron|Andrew Hilliar, Auckland
3. Top Line Builders, Tony Beetham|Jonathan Hack, Auckland
4. Exception to the Rules, Jeff Weake|Jon Hewson, Hamilton
5. Konica Minolta, Greg Brink|Eldon Archer, Auckland
6. Stealth Powerboats, Tim Fellows|Mark Coburn, Otaki
7. Scarab, Tony Carson|Max Carson, Napier
8. Family Boat YMF, Steve Lockhart|Shane Mitchell, Auckland
9. Eliminator, John Purchase|Lee Mason, Auckland
10. Outlaw, Derek Walden|Tracy Waldon, Auckland
11. Cykotic, Mike Gerbic|Haydn Means, Auckland
DIS. Midnight Express, Tony Marsh|Ian MacDonald, Auckland
DIS. 7, Peter Escher|Igor Efremer, Auckland
DNF. Spirit of Cheyenne, Chris Neyle|Dan Bridge, Auckland
DNF. Diligaf, Lance Dawson|Paul Porky, Auckland
DNS. ProFloors Concrete, Brett Flexman|Sarina Flexman, Auckland
Sports 60
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Konica Minolta, Greg Brink|Eldon Archer, Auckland
2. Stealth Powerboats, Tim Fellows|Mark Coburn, Otaki
DNS. ProFloors Concrete, Brett Flexman|Sarina Flexman, Auckland
Sports 60 Restricted
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Family Boat YMF, Steve Lockhart|Shane Mitchell, Auckland
2. Eliminator, John Purchase|Lee Mason, Auckland
Sports Classic Class
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Marine Workz, Mike Cameron|Andrew Hilliar, Auckland
2. Exception to the Rules, Jeff Weake|Jon Hewson, Hamilton
3. Scarab, Tony Carson|Max Carson, Napier
4. Outlaw, Derek Walden|Tracy Waldon, Auckland
DIS. Midnight Express, Tony Marsh|Ian MacDonald, Auckland
DIS. 7, Peter Escher|Igor Efremer, Auckland
DNF. Spirit of Cheyenne, Chris Neyle|Dan Bridge, Auckland
DNF. Diligaf, Lance Dawson|Paul Porky, Auckland
Formula Honda Class
Place. Boat Name, Driver Name|Co Driver Name, From
1. Light Industry, Mike Urquhart|Debbie Urquhart, Napier
2. Cougar Marine, Michael Smith|Matt Hopkins, Wellington
3. Building Solutions, Mike Knight |Shannon Thickpenny, Auckland
4. Honda Marine, Carl Thompson|Rob Glen, Auckland
5. Miss Electropar, Mark Helms|Bryce Helms, Auckland
6. Back to Bay6, Glen Powell|Chris Powell, Hamilton
8. Team Altitude (Team '4 Sale'), Tony Todd|Cooney, Raglin
9. Morrell Motors, Mark Morrell|Logan Morrell, Taupo
10. The Gambler, Simon Guard|John Linkhorn, Palm North
DNF. Auckland District Collections, Simon Freeman|Sean Bryant, Auckland
DNF. CRD Automotive, Colin Dunn|Zane Dunn, Laingholm
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