O’Donnell, Dippie hoping overall consistency pays off

• Published date: 05 November 2021
• Publication title: Sports Tab

They may have not won a race this season in the South Island endurance series but they have put themselves in both overall and class E title contention by finishing on the podium in all three races so far.

The Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch hosts the fourth and final round tomorrow, when the overall title and five separate class titles will be decided.

Second overall is the consistently quick VW Golf GTi TCR of Grant and Cole Askew, who also lead class B (2001-3500cc). They have a narrow lead over another VW Golf TCR, driven by Barry Moore and Tim Mackersy.

The previous three rounds have produced three separate winners.

Lance Hughes and Chris van der Drift (Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3) won the opening round at the Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell. Since then, the team has been stuck behind the Covid-19 cordon in the Waikato and unable to venture south.

A similar Nissan belonging to Anthony Leighs and Tom Alexander, on debut, won the second round in Timaru then missed the third round, won by Glen Smith and Damon Leitch (McLaren 650S GT3) in...