Orr setting the scene for 2010-11

Rookie BNTV8s Championship driver Christina Orr heads to the final round of the season this weekend at Taupo Motorsport Park planning to show how far they have come since entering the series in November last year and go out with a show of strength.

"We want Taupo to be a good result for us so we can add it to our resume and know we are looking good for when we start the new season." said the 22 year old driver from Whakatane.

Last month at Manfeild Autocourse, Orr and the team showed they really meant business when fighting for 14th position against past V8 champion Paul Manuell and close rival David Hopper.

Unfortunately Hopper unintentionally turned down on her as she maneuvered past resulting in both drivers leaving the circuit and Orr colliding with the tyre wall.

The placing was to be the highest yet other than in the reverse grid race at Teretonga where Orr led for several laps before dropping to fifth then eventually crossing the line in a creditable 12th in just her third round of her rookie season in the country's toughest series.

"At Manfeild we showed we could do really well but luck just wasn't on our side there. I had a funny feeling before going there and when I went into the tyre wall I just sat back and thought 'oh well someone pull me out and I'll keep going', I know I can't change what happens and just have to get on with it." said the ever philosophical Orr.

But notwithstanding the excursion into the wall, Orr and the team were able to demonstrate they had the speed and determination to move up the field and mix it with the rest rather than sit back and simply circulate at the back.

There was a fair amount of damage sustained at the round however which kept the team busy as they prepared the car for the all important final this weekend.

"I want to just give a big thanks to all my guys for all the hard work they have had to put in to get the car patched up and back together so we can get back to racing this weekend." she says.

Although on-track there have been some uninhibited shunts from veteran V8s drivers resulting in lost placings for Orr throughout the season, she has received plenty of support from behind the scenes.

"I have had a lot of the regulars in the series come to me and say I have done really well. I certainly haven't made a complete fool of myself and I haven't been lapped and have never come last."

Orr's lap times have been improving all the way through the season and in qualifying at Manfeild she was just 0.334 off where she needed to be for a top 10 starting position, a top effort on such a tight and technical circuit.

"We have got the car quick and reliable now so will also be looking for a fulltime sponsor for next season where we hope to go very well."

But after this final round at Taupo at the weekend is done and dusted, Orr will be looking at not only the new season of the BNTV8s Championship 2010-11 but the upcoming ITM 400 at Hamilton next month.

There she hopes to once more show that she and the team are not there to simply make up the numbers.

"We would like to do the V8 Supercars round at Hamilton next month and are looking for a one-off sponsor for the event which is not part of the BNTV8s season." she says.

The ITM 400 in Hamilton is a non-championship round for the BNTV8s where they will battle it out again in support for the fifth round of the Australian V8 Supercars over the weekend of 16-18th April 2010.