Poulter scores Nissan Dealer Team's first victory of the season
Leeroy Poulter gave the Nissan Dealer Team its first win of the season in race one when the 2006 SA production car champion and his GP Windscreens Ferodo Nissan 350Z led from the first corner to the chequered flag in round two of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship at Kyalami on Saturday.
The 2006 national production car champion and reigning European and World Rotax Max DD2 karting champion signalled his intentions with a great qualifying lap on Saturday morning that was just 0,025s off the pole time of reigning champion Johan Fourie (Audi). Team-mate Marco da Cunha (Tubular Nissan 350Z) qualified sixth, 0,90s off the pole.
Taking full advantage of the inside line on the rolling start, Poulter headed the field into turn one with Fourie losing three places before the end of lap one. He was not under threat from second-placed Anthony Taylor (BMW 330i) throughout the eight-lap race.
Da Cunha, a former Formula GTi and SA drivers’ champion, finished eighth after running in a secure sixth place from sixth on the grid for the first three laps until a fuel pump circuit breaker switch came loose and dropped him back to eighth at the finish.
With the top four positions from race one inverted for the 10-lap race two grid, Poulter started from fourth place and was challenging Johan Fourie for third place in the opening laps. He was pressuring the defending champion, who was getting ragged in the corners, putting wheels on the dirt on occasion, until the two cars went into the first of the Esses together and made contact on lap four. The Nissan suffered a broken tie-rod and Poulter was unable to turn into the second part of the Esses, with the two cars again making contact and Poulter ended up in the sand trap. Fourie was able to continue and went on to finish a distant fifth.
“I closed right up on Johan in Sunset corner (turn 5) and he got a bit out of shape defending his line in Clubhouse (turn 6),” explained Poulter. “I got a good run on him on the short straight to the Esses and took the normal wide line ahead of him into the first left-hand turn. He hit me hard, which damaged the steering and I was unable to turn into the second part of the Esses.
“We again made contact and I ended up in the sand trap. It was very disappointing. I was quicker than Johan and felt I had a good chance of catching up with Taylor and Priest at the front. My car was strong today.”
Da Cunha started from eighth on the grid and was up to fifth and pressuring Dawie Olivier (Subaru Impreza STi) by half distance when electrical problems forced him out of the race on lap six.
Provisional results - race 1 (8 laps, 34,1 km):
- Leeroy Poulter (Nissan) 1h 56,94s
- Anthony Taylor (BMW) +1,18s
- Johan Fourie (Audi) +9,71s
- Melvill Priest (Audi) +9,80s
- Shaun Watson-Smith (Audi) +10,40s
- Robert Wolk (BMW) +11,89s
- Dawie Olivier (Subaru) +12,65s
- Marco da Cunha (Nissan) +17,1s
- Michael Stephen (Audi) 4 laps
Fastest lap: Taylor, 1m 56,92s on lap 2.
Race 2 (10 laps, 42,6 km):
- Taylor (BMW) 19m 50,70s
- Priest (Audi) +0,68s
- Watson-Smith (Audi) +9,87s
- Olivier (Subaru) +11,61s
- Fourie (Audi) +16,11s
- Wolk (BMW) +35,56s
- Stephen (Audi) +50,73s
- DNF Da Cunha (Nissan) 5 laps
- DNF Poulter (Nissan) 3 laps
Fastest lap: Priest, 1m 57,40s on lap 2.
SAM Racing acknowledges and thanks its sponsors for their continued support: Tubular Technical Construction, Exa Motor Group, Ferodo, GP Windscreens, Exa Platinum Rentals, Signs For You, Top Car Paint & Panel, Tri Dent Middelburg, Hi Tech Mag Repairs, Sax Shocks and Fish & Meat City.