Damon Leitch of Invercargill struggled with engine problems throughout Round 5 of the Zoagn NZ Formula Ford Championship at Manfeild in Feilding this weekend.

The cause of a down on power engine proved elusive for the team and the young Southlander soldiered on to three 5th placings over the course of the three races.

Leitch qualified 4th fastest in the extremely competitive field, just .357 of a second off pole position on the 3.03 kilometre circuit, a fine effort under the circumstances.

The first race of the round took place on Saturday afternoon and Leitch got the Zero Fees Stealth off the line in fifth place and tagged onto the train of cars in front. However as the race went on he gradually dropped away, an engine miss having developed. Leitch perservered with the car, eventually bringing it across the line in 5th place. "The car was handling well but we struggled with the misfire," Leitch said after the race.

It was a similar situation on Sunday morning. The Zero Fees Stealth was again handling well but the engine was down on power and once again after initially tagging onto the lead bunch the 17-year-old began dropping away to run a lonely race to fifth place at the chequered flag.

The finale produced another frustrating run. Again power was lacking and Damon raced to another fifth place.

The sixth and final round of the championship takes place at the Taupo Motorsport Park over the weekend of 20/21 March.

Damon's campaign in the 2009/2010 Zoagn Formula Ford Championship is supported by Zero Fees, Allied Petroleum, Mobil 1, Toll Tranzlink, EH Ball ITM Building Supplies, Ray White Real Estate, BNT Motorsport, Kingsford-Smith Motor Painting Ltd, Advantage Signs, Caltex Invercargill Oil Shop, Turntru Machining, Discount Tyres, PPG, Total Trade Tools, Teng Tools, Collingwood Foodcentre, Macaulay Ford, Office Shop, Steve Rhodes Feature Cars, McIntyre Dick & Partners, Highway Services, Knight Of New Zealand, Clive Wilson Ltd, Wurth, i-cue, Newfield Autos, Arrow International, Southern Paints, Yunca Heating & Gas and Leitch Motorsport.

Media: Lindsay Beer  Photo: SportProMedia