Last year's top placed kiwi driver at the Silverstone Race To The Sky, Andrew Hawkeswood, has confirmed he will be back to tackle the 10th Anniversary edition of the prestigious international hillclimb when it takes place over Easter weekend on 7/8 April.
Hawkeswood will be at the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, the same car he drove to second place on the challenging Snow Farm access road in the Cardrona Valley last year.
Even before last year's event Hawkeswood had announced plans to build a car that would challenge the domination of seven - time winner Monster Tajima of Japan in 2007. However the new car is not ready so Hawkeswood has made do with last year's car again. "We'll run the old girl, the same as last year. We've dragged it into the shop and added a nitrous oxide kit to help spool the turbo up at low rpm for better power out of Cardrona's notorious hairpin corners. We'll be down on the Monday beforehand for some testing," he says.
Like many of the regulars at the Silverstone Race To The Sky, the Aucklander loves coming to Central Otago to compete each year. It's a great event, I really like it. It is just so laid back, it's awesome. I only wish you could have six or eight runs up the hill over the weekend."
As for the keenly awaited, new machine Hawkeswood says, "work's been getting in the way. It will happen but it will take more time and money. The design work has been done, Sam Lile of Gisborne has put together the concept. It will be a twin turbo V8 powered car. It is not a manufacturer car."
Hawkeswood would dearly love to have two cars at this year's Silverstone Race To The Sky to get the maximum number of runs up the hill but it was just not possible. "My rally car is on the way to Argentina," he explains. He also reveals another exciting car that he has in the workshop, but it too unfortunately is not complete. "It is an Audi S1. We have shortened the shell and it has Subaru Impreza C spec running gear with a 5 cylinder Audi engine. It has been a big job. Sam is working on the Audi as well - he has a lot of experience from working with rallycross teams in Sweden."
Despite the fact that Hawkeswood's ultimate Race To The Sky car is not complete he will still be very much to the fore this year. This will be his fifth time at the event and since his debut in 2003 when he finished 9th he has put together an impressive sequence of placings with a 4th, 3rd and 2nd on his subsequent visits. He has lifted the Possum Bourne Memorial Trophy for the last two years, the coveted trophy awarded to the fastest New Zealander. He also made a huge impression when he competed at the famous Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado in 2005.
There is an ominous warning for his rivals when he say's, "when it comes to that final run you get amped up and end up being too cautious. I will throw caution to the wind and see what happens!"
Entries for the 2007 Silverstone Race To The Sky are now open and entry forms are available online at www.racetothesky.com
The 2007 Silverstone Race To The Sky is scheduled for Easter weekend, April 7 & 8 at The Snow Farm in the Cardrona Valley close to Queenstown and Wanaka.
Gates open from 7.30am on both days. Gate admission $40 per adult, school children $10 and under 5 years free. Adult gold pass $125 per day, child Gold Pass $60 per day.
Courtesy of eveNZ - www.evenz.co.nz
