2007/2008 Toyota Racing Series Champion, Andy Knight of Christchurch, concluded his very successful season at the new Hamilton Street circuit this weekend with a third and fourth placing in the non-championship Trophy Event. The results placed him third overall for the weekend.

The new circuit was an unknown quantity when the teams arrived but most drivers enjoyed it with Andy among them, describing it as “pretty cool. It’s new and different,” he said. While the circuit was not as smooth as a dedicated race track Knight said the bumps were “not too bad.”

Andy’s drive on a wet track in the opening race over sixteen laps on Saturday afternoon was the standout effort of the race. The Milwaukee Power Tools Toyota started from sixth spot on the grid after only completing three laps in the qualifying session when a rear suspension pushrod bent. Knight dropped even further down the field when he overshot the first corner of the second lap after missing a gear. That put the Canterbury driver near the back of the field. However he was not to stay there for long. He was in tenth place when the

safety car made an appearance soon after and when racing resumed he put in a storming drive on wet tyres on a drying track. Within two laps of the restart he was up to sixth and that became fifth a lap later. He stalked Nic Jordan for several laps, getting past with a decisive pass at the chicane on the back straight. With just a few laps left he began closing on third placed man Daynom Templeman. Knight applied massive pressure to Templeman over the course of the last lap and as the two cars blasted through the corner onto the final straight Knight ended a brilliant drive that showed the qualities that won him the championship by snatching third place.
From the front row of the grid in Sunday morning’s race Knight got underway in second place before being passed by Australian A1GP driver Nathan Antunes. However he quickly repassed the Australian and set out in pursuit of early leader Earl Bamber. While he maintained second place throughout the race there were two safety car periods and at the

second restart the front wing on the Milwaukee Power Tools Toyota was damaged. Andy lost several places into the first corner but hung on well to bring the car home in fourth place despite the problem.

The race ended an extremely successful season for the twenty-one year old in which he won the Toyota Racing Series, the New Zealand Grand Prix and the New Zealand Motor Cup.

Support for Knight throughout the 2007/2008 season came from Milwaukee Power Tools, one of the world’s premium power tool brands, Mitre 10 Mega, Structex, Silencer Batts, Radio Sport and Latimer Hotel in Christchurch.