Come Race #1 that afternoon, Manuell stormed ahead of the pack. By lap 2, Manuell was stretching his lead, but nothing could separate positions 2 to 5 as the Dias/Rudd/Ward/Gibson show hit the road. Lap after lap, they traded blows but not places.
The reverse-grid Race #2 on Sunday morning, a strong contingent of RYCO 24•7 staff and customers looked on at such intensity and rivalry between the drivers.
With Manuell now holding an unassailable championship lead, Race #3 late in the afternoon would decide the remaining places. The intensity showed right from the start as Manuell, Rudd, and Dias ran three-wide around turn 1, Manuell eventually getting his nose in front.
Come to the final lap, he carried a huge lead through to the chequered flag; such was the dominance of Manuell, to become a second-time winner of the RYCO 24•7 New Zealand V8 Utes championship. As the curtain came down on his V8 utes career, RYCO 24•7 Operations Supervisor, New Zealand – Caroline Thompson presented Manuell with his trophy at the evening’s prize giving.
Manuell leaves the V8 Utes category in a strong position, clearing the way for a new champion to emerge as the new season begins in late 2021.
The RYCO 24•7 New Zealand V8 Utes Championship leader board:
| 1st | Paul Manuell | HOLDEN | 408 points |
| 2nd | Peter Ward | HOLDEN | 316 points |
| 3rd | Shane Dias | HOLDEN | 315 points |
| 4th | Simon Ussher F | FORD | 249 points |
| 5TH | Stuart Monteith | HOLDEN | 204 points |
| 6th | Greg Kroef | FORD | 203 points |
| 7th | Paul Fougere | HOLDEN | 198 points |
| 8th | Phil Ross | HOLDEN | 192 points |
| 9th | Brett Rudd | FORD | 165 points |
| 10th | Brad Kroef | FORD | 102 points |
| 11th | Matt Spratt | FORD | 101 points |
| 12th | Jake Stoneman | FORD | 84 points |
| 13th | Jeff Kernohan | FORD | 67 points |
| 14th | Matt Gibson | HOLDEN | 57 points |
| 15th | Shaggy Lowe | FORD | 51 points |
| 16th | Dave Kernohan | FORD | 34 points |
| 17th | Liam Porter | FORD | 30 points |
RYCO 24•7 has had a long and successful history in motorsport and will continue to do so moving forward.
Credit: LIVE Advertising
Photography: Chris Dillon
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