SUPERCARS: Super Black Racing team owner Lentino dies

The owner of the Super Black Racing team in the Australian Supercars Championship, Tony Lentino has succumbed to cancer. The entrepreneur had been fighting cancer for the last 15 months, and passed away on Monday at his home in Wellsford in New Zealand, aged 42.

A New Zealand-themed operation, Super Black Racing was formed in 2014 and made its Supercars debut in the Bathurst 1000 that year, finishing 11th with Andre Heimgartner and Ant Pedersen. Heimgartner raced its Prodrive Racing Australia-run Ford until late last year, when he was replaced by Chris Pither.

"First and foremost Tony will be remembered as an extremely passionate man who loved racing, loved giving the little guy a chance and most of all, liked taking it to the Aussies on and off the track," PRA team principal Tim Edwards said.

"While he only came to the sport relatively late, he was adamant the team represent New Zealand in everything it did and that national pride is what has seen the team attract such a strong following on both sides of the Tasman. We will keep the Super Black Racing flag flying and will race on in dedication to Tony and the team he created."

Pither claimed his maiden pole position in Supercars at Queensland Raceway on Saturday, finishing 11th and eighth in the two races.

"Tony had a dream and took us all on the journey with him," Super Black Racing operations manager Greg Hahn said. "He always wanted a pole and a top-10 finish and this weekend he got to see it. He will be deeply missed by the team."

Triple Eight's Shane van Gisbergen and Craig Lowndes split the Queensland Raceway wins. Their teammate Jamie Whincup was second in each race and now leads van Gisbergen by 110 points in the championship with 12 races remaining.

Originally on Autosport.com