BATHURST driver Stuart Inwood justified a lot of travelling time and effort earlier this month when he finished second overall in the New Zealand based Fielding Auto Electrical Winter Series.

Inwood competed in the four-round series over four months and narrowly lost an enthralling overall battle with Kiwi driver Kerry Halligan.

The pair were still vying for top spot on the series podium going into the last race of the final round held on September 7. 

The pair also filled the top two spots in their GT1 category.

There was a twist in the rivalry too, based purely on the vehicle Inwood was driving.

“I bought a C5 Corvette over there earlier this year and before getting it back to Australia, I decided to give it a go in New Zealand and this series was an ideal chance,” he explained.

“I actually got it off the bloke [Halligan] who beat me, he had bought a newer model of the same car and was racing it.”

The logistics of competing were tough on the Bathurst driver, but his results meant that it was worth it.

“I went back and forth, I was flying out on a Thursday night or early on a Friday morning, getting over there, get to the tracks and get set up and then race on a Saturday and Sunday,” he explained.

“By 4am on a Monday I was back on a plane and coming back to Australia.

“I was pretty strong throughout the series, I won a few races here and there and generally found that I ran better in wetter and tougher conditions.”

The battle with Halligan was close from the opening round and it wasn’t until the final event that it was settled.

“I beat him in a few races and he beat me in a few, we were generally right in front of or behind one another,” Inwood said.

“In the last race I was behind and a couple of cars got in between us, he got enough of a gap on me points-wise to wrap it up.

“The result was still pretty pleasing though, I was more than happy with the car and ran some personal best lap times at the venues, I’m looking forward to bringing it back to Australia and racing it here.”

For the time being the Corvette will stay across the Tasman and potentially be used by the Bathurst driver in a Summer Series as well as individual events at some of the best tracks in New Zealand.

“There are some race days at Hampton Downs and at Pukekohe after that I’d like to do while the car is over there,” he said.

“I really enjoy racing there, the driver standards are where we were a few years ago – very well controlled – and I think through the whole Winter Series we only had one lap under a yellow flag.

“It was just good, clean and fast racing and it was fantastic.”