The Heart of Racing-backed Aston Martin Vantage GT3 driven by Spaniard Alex Riberas and two-time D1NZ Drift champion Darren Kelly from Auckland took an enthralling victory over the winners of the race for the past two years, Neil Foster and Jonny Reid (Audi R8 LMS), at the opening round of this year’s South Island 3 Hour Endurance Series at Teretonga Park, Invercargill on Saturday Sept 12.

The final margin at the end was just .574 of a second after the Aston Martin took the lead at the final pit stop and the Foster/Reid Audi came charging back over the last few laps.

Incredibly, it was Kelly’s first competitive motor race and just his second time in the car while it was the usually US-based Covid-19 ‘refugee’ Riberas’ first outing in New Zealand.

Third was local driver Brendon Leitch and Christina Orr-West of Whakatane in another Audi.

The Foster/Reid Audi had started from pole with the Riberas/Kelly Aston Martin alongside then Leitch/Orr-West and Anthony Leighs/Paul Kelly of Christchurch in their Porsche Cup Car and the Gilbertson/McIntyre Chevrolet Camero next after copping a grid place penalty.

The gap between Foster and Kelly at the front was fluctuating at around one to two seconds depending on traffic but just before the one-hour mark Foster increased the margin as he used the backmarkers well.

Just eight minutes later the Safety Car was deployed when a car went off at the Esses, prompting the top three cars to head for the pits. 

The Aston Martin emerged first with Riberas at the wheel, but Reid in the Audi retook the lead soon after and at the halfway point it was Reid 6.3 seconds ahead of Riberas with McIntyre in the Camaro a couple of seconds further back. 

At the two-hour mark Reid led by almost ten seconds from Riberas with a further 8 seconds back to McIntyre then Leitch in the Audi, and the Porsches of Leighs/Kelly and  O’Donnell/Dippie.

Riberas then pitted for tyres with just over half an hour remaining with Reid in the Audi following suit. However, an issue with the Audi’s pitstop meant Reid rejoined around five seconds behind.

With ten minutes to go the margin was just over three seconds and it continued to come down and at the end of 186 laps was just 0.574 of a second. 

2020 SIERDC 3 HOUR SERIES – RESULTS

Round 1, Teretonga Park Invercargill,
Sat Sept 12 2020

1. Alex Riberas/Darren Kelly (Aston Martin Vantage GT3).

2. Neil Foster/Jonny Reid Audi R8 LMS).