Ding ding goes the bell and, whoah there, here comes Big Hair Nev wearing bright red budgie smugglers and holding up a big Round Two banner.

Yes, that’s right, while Cocho’s version has the Bigpond and VB grid girls, we here at the Atari V8X 2006 Virtual Championship have his royal editorship wearing a smile and little else as our young guns prepare for one of the quickest tracks on the calendar.

Despite this distraction Winterbottom, Jones, Whincup and Canto are ready for more super-realistic virtual V8 Supercar action.

Lap times under the one-minute mark times are the norm in the land of the long white cloud and while it has always been the happy hunting ground for Holden, first-round winner Winterbottom is looking to break the Ford hoodoo.

From the outset it becomes apparent that not only the Holden stranglehold, but even Steve Richards real world 2005 record qualifying time of 55.47, is under threat by the virtual young guns.

Practice

Andy Jones has a hot controller set-up after receiving some sage advice from first round winner ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom. He hits the track hard and clocks a 53:14 on his first lap.

Within two laps Jones drops the time to a 48.83 but Winterbottom again shows serious pace leaping to a 47.50. Not to be outdone, Dean Canto starts with some serious focus, carving a strong 48.36 around the short NZ track.

Canto turns back to his Terminator ways with a flash of genius, ripping on the handbrake at 280km/h "just to see what would happen".

A resulting steering problem sees him enter into a three-way mechanical carnage session with Frosty and Jones that leaves ‘The Terminator’ with no tyres, doors, rear end, front end... you get the picture.

It is quickly agreed that Canto is a menace.

Triple 8 driver Whincup, meanwhile, is struggling his find his rhythm and by practice end finishes over four seconds slower than third-fastest Jones.

Qualifying

Canto’s qualifying approach sees him taking on the job of Pukekhoe’s new lawn mower man and he finds the grass quickly on his first flyer.

So enamoured is Whincup with this approach he decides the scenic route is the best option, quickly joining Canto in having his first hot lap time disallowed.

Frosty and Jones have no such issues, with the two jumping swiftly into qualifying mode. The Ford young gun wrenches everything from the Xbox controls to tame the track and take pole with a blistering 46.90 lap.

Canto manages to eventually find the track again and against all odds posts the second quickest time of the session, a 48.30, with Jones just two tenths off with a 48.47.

Whincup is even friendlier with the grass on his second pass, managing to successfully score another penalty and missing his opportunity to post a time. As such, he is starting back in Christchurch somewhere.

Race One – eight laps,
one compulsory pitstop

It is a cracker straight off the line. Jones blasts past everybody showing off his much-improved handling skills and leaving the Ford drivers wondering if Pukekohe is just a jinxed track for the Blue Oval.

Canto ‘The Lawn Mowing Terminator’ outbreaks himself instead of Frosty and shoots off into the grass, while Jones blows his awesome start by clipping the curb at turn seven at the end of lap one and throwing the Tasman Motorsport Commodore into a wall.

All the while Whincup is wondering what the hell is going on, having his first big "off" going into turn four.

Jones’ podium hopes quickly receive another reality check when, after pitting to repair damage, cold tyres see him pitching it straight into another wall.

Atari V8X 2006 Virtual Championship Results (after two of five rounds) Driver points 1. Winterbottom 256 2. Jones 246 3. Whincup 240 4. Canto 236

Frosty and Canto are having a fair scrap when both pit on lap three for their compulsory tyre change. A race of crews sees Frosty pull out first. Canto, sensing a victory opportunity, slots in quickly behind the championship leader.

Jones manages to regroup and is a man possessed chasing down Whincup, who is still suffering his own set of horrors. Running very deep under brakes seems to be the way to go for Jones and he quickly catches Whincup’s ailing car.

But it is not enough and he finds himself in fourth as Frosty again shows himself to be the form driver with an almost unblemished run to the chequered flag. Canto fills his mirrors, while Whincup takes third despite severe damage.

Race Two – eight laps,
one compulsory pitstop

Frosty gets a blinder of a start and then... MAYHEM! Cars are flying everywhere, drivers are jumping up and down in their seats and metal, wheels, and anything else recently attached to a V8 Supercar seems to either be on the track or in the air.

Three of the drivers are scrambling to get back into their seats and onto the track in various states of disarray. Whincup is the winner in getting back into the race, making up ground quickly on Frosty, who is showing he is truly at home on the fast Puke circuit.

While Whincup manages to survive the accident, both Holden drivers are forced into the pits and it is "The Terminator" who gets the jump on Jones in the repair race.

But it is not all chocolates for Canto, who receives a caution for hitting Whincup on his out lap. This appears to be the feather that breaks the Falcon’s back as Whincup quickly finds it is all he can do to keep the car on track and creeps back to the pits.

Oh no! Canto catches Whincup’s ailing Falcon going into the hairpin and barrels him, sending the hapless Ford driver into a major spin.

There’s tension now. You can hear Whincup’s knuckles cracking as he grips his control tighter. He looks across at Canto, who has just had the smile wiped off his face with a black flag. It’s a stop/go.

Canto receives a caution for hitting whincup on his out lap

Meanwhile, Jones is battling hard to try and make up lost ground on Frosty, who is chuckling to himself as he pulls away to over a minute lead.

Coming in for his compulsory pitstop on lap four, FPR’s young gun has time for a tyre change, toilet break and even considers a wax and polish for the #5 machine.

Despite clocking a blistering 46.90, Jones’ efforts aren’t rewarded by leapfrogging the Frosty Falcon, but you can see major improvement in his controller technique since Adelaide.

Just when the race seems to be settling Whincup shows he is not all "Mr Nice Guy" – to the amazement of all, he grows a set of little horns and takes revenge on Canto.

Flying down the back straight Whincup sees Canto on the brakes early into the hairpin and rather than back off, he sticks his thumb through the ‘go faster’ button. The Triple 8 Falcon leaves a blue oval calling card imprinted on Canto’s Commodore. It’s instant disqualification for Whincup.

Frosty crosses the line first taking the race and the round, with a hard charging Jones just two corners away. Canto manages to get what little is left of his car back onto the track to finish third and Whincup is left without points but a rather large grin for his efforts.

With two round victories it’s the Chilly bin himself leading the Atari V8X 2006 Virtual Championship.

"The move to the new team has been a great thing over Christmas," said Frosty.

"We got a really good start and are happy to come away with another win and not see Murphy win at Pukekhoe. It’s fantastic for the Blue Oval and a great feeling for the team."

When asked about the incident between himself and the Terminator, Whincup declares his innocence.

"I didn’t touch anyone," Whincup said with a laugh. "But I was a bit careless so they pinged me. But I’ll get over it and look to the next round."

Canto managed a similar story, absolving himself of any wrong doing in race two.

"After a few (hundred) touches in the early parts of the race I was given a drive through," said Canto.

"But then on the way out from the pits after the drive through I must have picked up a puncture or something, because I understeered straight into the wall and then bounced back into Jamie’s path."

Next round of the Atari V8X 2006 Virtual Championship sees the drivers head to Shanghai. If the first two rounds are anything to go by, it will be action filled.

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