The 1999 New Zealand Grand Prix event for open wheel racing cars was held at Ruapana Park near Christchurch on 6 December 1999. It was the forty-fifth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Formula Holden cars.
The event was won by Simon Wills for the second consecutive time. Likewise, Scott Dixon claimed second place, as he did in the previous years event. Matt Halliday rounded out the podium driving for Challenge Racing.[1]
Race report
Heading into the weekend, Wills and Dixon were regarded as the favourites, although the added presence of Craig Lowndes added intrigue to the marquee event. However, the three-time V8 Supercar champion encountered engine problems throughout practice. It wouldn't be until the latter stages of practice where these issues were at least partially rectified. Other drivers encountering engine issues were Andy Booth and Ian Peters.
Dixon qualified on pole position for the preliminary race, with he and Wills being the only drivers to set times in the 1:16 bracket. Pole position for the Grand Prix went to Wills after Dixon encountered a CV joint failure and was forced to start from fourth on the grid. Halliday was forced to abandon a late push lap after running off the road on a slow-down lap, damaging the radiators and forcing him into the pitlane. Wills' teammate, Brenton Ramsay, would take second in the session to make it an all-Birrana Racing front row for the Grand Prix.
Disaster struck early for Kevin Bell as the local driver was forced to withdraw after writing off his Reynard 91D in a self-inflicted crash in the warmup. In the preliminary race, Dixon led away at the start from Wills. On the next tour around, Wills attempted an overtake on his fellow Aucklander down into turn one. The pair collided and Dixon was sent into a spin. Dixon retreated to the pits and would eventually finish the race eleventh and two laps down. From that point on, Wills remained unchallenged to the flag and took the preliminary race win. A safety car was brought out midway through the race as Booth's stranded car was recovered. Down the pack, Lowndes squabbled with Halliday over the podium positions until the former was caught out by a backmarker and sent down the order. Ramsay held station to take second place despite an enormous amount of pressure put on by Halliday and Jason Liefting.
Along with Bell, Dean Cockerton and Mark Ellis withdrew from the event preceding the Grand Prix. Wills led the field away from the line and an incident caused by Christian Murchison at the hairpin allowed the likes of Wills, Halliday and Dixon to breakaway from the field immediately. Murchison received a drive-through penalty for his misdemeanor. Dixon passed Halliday for second place on lap two and set off for Wills in hot pursuit. Immediately however, it was apparent that the Birrana racer was in a class of one that day. The gap never dipping under the three second bracket and the pair left to negotiate a lonely, processional race. Unbeknownst to the watching public, an array of cars were experiencing issues. Dixon's car suffered an intermittent misfire with faulty electrics. Although he conceded that Wills would have been nigh on impossible to catch and overtake regardless. Halliday's front wing had worked its way loose at some point during the race, drastically reducing the downforce on his car. Nevertheless, the youngster was able to bring his Challenge Racing car home in third. Liefting's car meanwhile was experiencing overheating issues and drastically reduced its power down the straights. Crowd favourite Lowndes came home a disappointing eighth while 17-year old prospect Paul Dumbrell finished an admirable sixth.
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