The Flying Kiwi #1

THE Flying kiwi2013 ISSUE 1: May

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THE Flying kiwi2013 ISSUE 1: MAy

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here we go again!Hi, and welcome to the first 2013 Issue of The Flying Kiwi, an e-Magazine put together to share the latest news, race reports, pics, videos and other interesting stuff from my world of motorsport.

The schedule for the year will be full on, headlined once again with a return to the Japanese Super Taikyu Endurance Series in the PETRONAS Syntium Team #28 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 “Gullwing”.

After finishing second overall last year, the challenge is to go one better in a year where the championship expands into Korea, and the race lengths vary from the Sprints right through to the 7 Hours of Fuji. Although the season didn’t begin the way we though, as the magazine cover and following stories will show!

Here in New Zealand, I’ll re-join the Fastway Racing team in their Porsche 997 GT3. In fact, we’ve already been hard at it, winning the 2013 NZ Endurance Championship which we wrapped up with a clean sweep.

So, a great start to the year with a record I hope to maintain. Hopefully, the V8 SuperTourers Endurance races will once again be on the cards, as well as continuing the #Project86 tuning challenge with Speedtech Motorsport, and having my first crack at drifting in the D1NZ Drifting Championship.

Join me for the ride and I hope you enjoy the read!

Jono Lester


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Super Taikyu 5-Time Champions 2008-2012Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race 2009, 2011 & 2012 Champions


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HEAVY SNOW SEES CANCELLATION OF SUPER TAIKYU OPENERKiwi Jono Lester will have to wait for his first Super Taikyu Endurance Series race after the season opener at Sportsland Sugo was abandoned due to heavy snow.

23-year old Lester, who is based on Auckland’s North Shore, had begun the weekend by topping practice and qualifying in third position in the #28 PETRONAS Syntium Team Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, alongside former Super GT Champion Tatsuya Kataoka and experienced Malaysian driver Fariqe Hairuman.

The GTNET ADVAN and Kondo Racing Nissan GT-Rs shared the front row, with the #1 PETRONAS Syntium Team car alongside Lester in 4th.

Lester felt a front row start and perhaps even pole position were possible if not for being hampered by slow traffic on his qualifying lap.

“Our track positioning was 99% on the money, but that missing 1% saw me catch a slower car on the all-important last corner, which is very fast and high speed and requires maximum commitment,” Lester explained.

Despite this, he was confident in the prospect of challenging for victory in the scheduled 3-hour race.

“The Nissans have certainly come to the party, but over our three driver line up and based on the 28 cars pace on both new and old rubber, I genuinely think we still have an edge on our competition.”

The presence of heavy snow at the Sugo circuit on Sunday morning only worsened as the morning progressed. With the morning warm up cancelled and the race delayed and shortened, it was hoped that by mid-late afternoon a start would be possible.

Unfortunately, this was not to be the case.

VIDEORelive the 2012 season


Via Cheryl Tay


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“We can only look ahead to round two now knowing that we have a good car, and continue our momentum there.”

PETRONAS Syntium Team Principal Dato David Wong:

“This season is an exciting and competitive one for us. Both our cars #1 and #28 have equal chances to win the Super Taikyu series and we will do all we can to try and secure our sixth consecutive title. Jono showed great potential in his rookie season with the team last year, especially towards the end of the season and we are glad to have him back. I believe he will work well with Kataoka and Fariqe to bring out the best of car #28.”

Round Two of the Super Taikyu Endurance Series is scheduled for the new Inje Autopia circuit in South Korea on May 25-26.

Lester is supported throughout the 2013 season by key partners including Vortex Racewear, Purechoice New Zealand, R Redpath Limited, Opti-Flex, Fastway Couriers, Robbie Bird Wines, CRC MotorNews.co.nz, Mako Networks, iSign it, Sony New Zealand, Sony Xplod, ThrillPledge and Webdesign.

2013 Super Taikyu CalendarRound 1: 20-21 April, Sportsland Sugo, Sendai, Japan (3hrs)Round 2: 25-26 May, Autopia Circuit, Inje, South Korea (Sprint Round)Round 3: 20-21 July, Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan (5hrs)Round 4: 10-11 August, Fuji Speedway, Tokyo, Japan (7hrs)Round 6: 21-22 September, Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka-shi, Japan (Sprint Round)Round 7: 9-10 November, Autopolis Circuit, Fukuoka, Japan (3hrs)

VIDEOsugo qualifying lap


Via Cheryl Tay

WIN A 1:43 SCALE MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG GT3 WITH JONO LESTER!

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VORTEX RACEWEARBRANDING DOCUMENT

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building a race circuit: A look at korea’s ‘inje auto theme park’

Photo Credits: IATP



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nz endurance championship wrapThe 2013 season kicked off with the two-round New Zealand Endurance Champs, held in February and March at tManfeild and Taupo; my two ‘home’ circuits.

The revived concept was strong in the 80s and 90s and with long distance racing regaining popularity a passionate group have begun building up the National series once again.

It was the perfect platform for myself and Fastway Racing to shake off the cobwebs after Christmas, so we entered both the Porsche (with Simon Ellingham) and the Mitsubishi Evo driven by Simon’s brother Hamish.

It was clear from the outset at Manfeild that we were in a strong position to challenge for wins and we pushed ahead taking pole position and a big win in the 3hr race around the banked 3.03km circuit where I spent much of my youth with my family’s heavy involvement there.

With a larger grid for Taupo, we needed to have our wits about us. The Taupo circuit is super abrasive on cars and tyres and the hot, dry summer meant ambient and track temps were up pretty high also.

Another pole position allowed us to lead from the front, and the tyres held up well until the hour mark where they were well and truly past it! A slick pit stop before a lengthy safety car took Simon through to the finish, and we had claimed our first national title as a team!

A big thank you and congratulations to Fastway Couriers and the entire team for a faultless job!

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lester and fastway racing win nz endurance champsKiwi endurance racing driver Jono Lester and the Fastway Racing Team have won the 2013 New Zealand Endurance Championship in the Fastway Couriers Porsche 997 GT3. Contested over two rounds at Manfeild and Taupo, the series was formed to cater to the growing interest in long-distance racing ‘down under’ in a series of 1 Hour and 3 Hour races across a variety of classes. Entering the championship as firm favourites, Fastway Racing delivered with a clean sweep of results taking both pole positions, both race wins and both fastest laps with Lester and 21-year old Hawkes Bay driver Simon Ellingham. “It’s been a terrific start to the year to share in the successes of Fastway Racing’s first National Championship title,” Lester said. “Fastway Couriers have quickly grown into a company with a passion for motorsport in New Zealand. Their support of Fastway Racing, the JMR V8 SuperTourer team and myself personally in International exploits is a real boost for New Zealand motorsport.” In the 1 Hour Championship, Hamish Ellingham, the 19-year old younger brother of Simon, continued a strong initiation into motorsport with second overall, scoring two second place finishes in the Fastway Couriers Mitsubishi Evo 9. “At Fastway Couriers, we work hard to go the extra mile and deliver. The effort put in by Jono, Simon, Hamish and the Fastway Racing team has been extraordinary and couldn’t fit better with what we do as a business. Winning the NZ Endurance Championship is a great end to a great year” says Fastway Couriers NZ CEO Jason Windhager For Lester, the New Zealand Endurance Championship provided valuable seat time ahead of a full local and international calendar for 2013, expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The Auckland-based driver will join Fastway Racing once again for selected North Island and South Island Endurance events during the year.


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nz endurance championship gallery

Photo Credits: Euan Cameron


NEW ZEALAND’S LEADINGMOTORSPORT NEWS WEBSITE


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nz endurance championship results

Round 1: Manfeild, 9th FebruaryQualifying: 1stRace: 1st

Round Two: Taupo, 9th MarchQualifying: 1stRace: 1st

Championship Points (Final)1 Simon Ellingham / Jono Lester Porsche GT3 997 1502 Dovey / Bowler / Wenzlick Ford Falcon 1023 Brent Melhop / Martin Hunt BMW MINI Cooper S 85



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hitting vtec in the honda cup enduroThe new-look Pukekohe was the venue for the Honda Cup One Hour Endurance race, where 22 screaming V-TECs would tackle the altered layout as part of their final Championship round.

I was excited to join points leader Mark Walters in the Repco Honda Integra, who was locked in battle for the Championship with Shane Parsons, who had former NZV8 Champion Angus Fogg as his co-driver.

Also lining up were my mates Andrew Waite and Simon Evans from the V8 SuperTourers, and V8 racing stalwart Andy Booth among others.

The weather see-sawed between dry, damp and wet all day until the race at 4pm, which began in the wet with myself on pole and Foggy alongside. In the slippery conditions, we made contact after running side by side through turn one, sending us both off the track, into the tyre wall and out of the race.

It was a premature end to a fun day out, and soon after the rain came so hard that the majority of the field exited stage left. The ensuing carnage and significant damage to many vehicles forced the race to be abandoned with 20 minutes still to run.

Mark’s car sustained visually heavy damage, but thankfully the structural side of the Integra remained intact, and he was able to wrap up the Championship on points with both his car and that of Parsons/Fogg not finishing the race.

It’s not often a Championship is won in this manner, and we never intend to do so in this way, however a hearty congratulations to Mark nonetheless!

Here’s hoping that next years race lasts a little more than one corner, and the monsoon rain stays away.

Via Race n’ Road Photography


Via Race n’ Road Photography


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my recent highlightsPETRONAS Syntium Team, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3• Re-signing with the team to go one better in 2013!• The revised race formats, with everything from short sprints to the 7 hours of Fuji!• Hitting the ground running at Sugo with strong pace before the snow took over.

Fastway Racing, Porsche 997 GT3• Winning the New Zealand Endurance Championship!• Taking a clean sweep of results with all poles, race wins and fastest laps.

STM #Project86, Toyota GT86• A wicked unveil of the new livery at the 4&Rotary Nationals show in Auckland.• We have finalised the build programme for 2013 which concludes with a new turbo kit to really kick the

86 into gear, among a bunch of other awesome upgrades!

NZ Honda Cup Series• Lining up against 2x World Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich and a bunch of mates and V8

SuperTourer regulars!• Car owner Mark Walters securing his first NZ Honda Cup title despite my accident! Congratulations!

D1NZ Drifting Championship• I’m going drifting! More details to follow...


PROUDLY SUPPORTING

JONO LESTER


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#project86 taking the scene by stormIn January we unveiled the first stage of STM’s #Project86 Toyota GT86 tuning project.

This stage was all visual, with a full graphics wrap from my partners at iSign it, Enkei Raijin wheels wrapped in Nitto rubber, a Sony Xplod sounds install, TRD body kit and a MoTeC dash to boot.

Before we start cracking into the performance-based tuning, it was important to make a statement, and we certainly did, with colour-coded blue and purple on either side of the car, making it a ‘double take’ for everyone who had a look at it!

Stay tuned for more build updates over on the #Project86 Facebook page.


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THE LATEST FROM INSTAGRAM @JONOLESTER


For all your Signage, Poster and Display requirements.

Proudly supporting Jono Lester.


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recent print & web mediaSpeedcafe.co.nz - 18th April Racerlink Facebook - 18th April


CROWDFUNDING FOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

PLEDGE TODAY ATwww.thrillpledge.com


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recent print & web mediaScoop - 22nd April CRC motornews.co.nz - 22nd April



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closing notesNext Event:

Super Taikyu Endurance SeriesRound TwoInje Autopia, South Korea25-26 May, 2013

My next event is the Super Taikyu debut at the new Inje Autopia circuit in South Korea with the PETRONAS Syntium Team.

Follow the action #flyingkiwi

Follow the racing via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. Hashtag #flyingkiwi to show your support!



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a big thank you to my partners for the 2013 race season...


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The Flying Kiwi #1