In what is believed to be one of the longest term agreements ever signed by MotorSport New Zealand, the future of the New Zealand Endurance Championship has been cemented for the next 10 years. In a combined agreement the South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club (SIERDC), the North Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club (NIERDC) and MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ) have inked a deal that will see the NIERDC and SIERDC Clubs become the caretakers of the New Zealand Endurance Championship until 2025.
With the NIERDC recently adopting the SIERDC rules, this has really strengthened endurance racing in New Zealand, and the Clubs’ commitment to work together provides a stable environment for competitors, which has already has resulted in increased fields for the Series and many exciting new cars being built and bought specifically for Endurance racing.
“The Series is all about the drivers” said NIERDC President Kel McBeath. “We aim to keep the politics low & the fun high and this has resulted in bumper fields of happy teams, drivers and organisers”
The format for the New Zealand Endurance Championship (NZEC) event will be to invite the top 20 cars from the NI Series plus the top 20 cars from the SI Series to a one off, winner takes all NZEC event.
“There was a bit of discussion about a single event format” said SIERDC Secretary Chris Dunn. “However this year’s NI Series pretty much came down to a winner takes all final anyway, and the SI Series has been the same in the past, and we feel one trip to the opposite Island every 2 years makes it affordable for our smaller budget teams” he said “Qualifying via either Island Series also eliminates the potential for a ‘trophy hunter’ to come along & scoop up a NZ title, as you must have performed well in either Series to qualify for an invite to the prestigious NZEC event.”
The Series introduced the format in March 2016 when NIERDC hosted the inaugural Championship event at Hampton Downs and the success of this event prompted the clubs to seek a long term commitment from MSNZ.
Brian Budd, CEO of MSNZ, said “MSNZ has worked closely with both the North Island and South Island Endurance Series to develop Endurance Racing to the point where that part of the sport is really forging ahead and its growth is positive for motorsport in New Zealand. As a result MSNZ is happy to entrust both series with the custody of the NZ Endurance Championship title.”
Next year the NZEC will be hosted by SIERDC, with the event set for March 18 2017 at Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Christchurch. “Both Series have great fields, long term sponsors and this just gives competitors the stability required to commit to the Series” said McBeath.
The Championship rules will mimic each Islands’ Sanctioned Series articles meaning there will be separate 1 hour and 3 hour races, and both have 4 separate racing classes with cars divided into capacity based classes being, Class 3&4: 0-2000cc, Class 2: 2001-3500cc and class 1: 3501cc and over, and also include a GT class for the FIA GT cars, the new generation V8’s that are becoming specialist endurance vehicles, and other exotic cars in the field. “I think it’s awesome that we will have a 0-2000cc New Zealand Champion” said Dunn. “We have always valued the little competitors as much as the big guys”.
Any potential competitors, crews and supporters are welcome to be added to the clubs e-mailing list by simply sending an e-mail to the above addresses; [email protected] or [email protected] or by following the Series’ via their respective facebook pages.
