Mackenzie back

Photo: SPORTPROMEDIA

RACE RETURN: Haydn Mackenzie of Stillwater going hard at Pukekohe.

Albany Toyota co-director and sponsored NZV8 driver, Haydn Mackenzie, 25, of Stillwater, made a steady return to the BNT NZV8 championship at the opening round of the 2009-10 championship at Pukekohe.

After taking a year off the competitive championship to build up his resources, Mackenzie was reasonably happy with his car's performance at the fast Pukekohe circuit.

"I wasn't expecting too much - I just wanted to get some mileage under my belt and get used to driving one of these cars again," he says. "My team had spent quite some time rebuilding my car to the latest specs and so I was pleased when my testing and qualifying times were faster than I had ever recorded - 1.01.979."

That give him the 13th-fastest qualifying time.

For this year's championship, all the NZV8 races are held on Sunday, with testing and qualifying on Saturday.

In the first race Mackenzie finished 14th, thus holding his starting position with only some minor issues with braking. It was much the same story in the second race, Mackenzie finishing 13th. But in the third reverse grid start, Mackenzie was involved in one of the race's many wheel-banging incidents, damaging the left rear guard and affecting the car's handling. He still managed 14th, but was disappointed at having to struggle to control the car in a race where he had a chance of a strong finish.

"The car went and handled well, so I am sure that with what we have learned we will be more competitive at the next round at Ruapuna at the end of this month," he says.

Mackenzie is also competing in the North Island MX endurance series, lying in the top 10 in his class.

- © Fairfax NZ News