Andy roars for the Red Lion at Taupo

Andy Booth put Holden back into the winner’s circle when he drove the Tasman Motorsport Commodore to a narrow victory in the second NZ V8s race at Taupo today.

Booth and John McIntyre (BP Ultimate Ford Falcon) fought a race-long battle after Booth made a storming start and dived inside pole-starter McIntyre on the run to Turn 1.

Booth forced his way through, and opened a lead. McIntyre came back at him, then eased back a little mid-race before storming back in the closing laps.

Booth, troubled a little by his Commodore’s instability under hard braking, thought he had enough of a gap as they went into the corner off the ain straight on the final lap.

But McIntyre pulled out one final effort, and poked the Ford’s nose under the Commodore as they turned into the final left-hander.

But Booth held on to win.

Ford racers Angus Fogg and Paul Radisich finished third and fourth, ahead of Paul Manuell (Commodore) and Paul Pedersen (Falcon) who had battled for the entire 18-lap distance.

Kayne Scott was eighth in the Fujitsu Ford after running third in the opening laps. He had been troubled by gear selection problems which kept him from mounting an attack on McIntyre.

Later the Falcon got locked out of first and second gears and he fell down the order.

The Mark Petch Motorsport crew was changing the gearbox for this evening’s final race.