The stage is set for one of the biggest Inter-Island motorsport battles ever to be staged in New Zealand, as the 2016/17 New Zealand Endurance Championship invade Christchurch’s Mike Pero Motorsport Park – Ruapuna this Saturday 18 March.
In a joint venture between the South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club (SIERDC), the North Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club (NIERDC) and Motorsport New Zealand, this one off race for the NZ Championship title will see the top cars from both the Carters Tyres South Island Endurance Series and the Mahindra North Island Endurance Series compete in a single day, winner takes all New Zealand Championship title.
This is the second running of this format for the NZ Endurance Championship after the inaugural event was hosted by NIERDC at Hampton Downs in March 2016. The two clubs have a 10 year agreement with Motorsport NZ that will see the event run in alternate islands annually. “The North Island team hosted a really great event in March 2016, so our challenge is to make the South Island event even better” said SIERDC Secretary Chris Dunn. “We are very proud that the NZ Championship event will be supported by the team from Carters Tyre Service and GiTi Truck Tyres and we are thrilled to have their support for what will be named the Carters Tyres New Zealand Endurance Championships” he added.
The NZ Endurance Championship has a very unique format being that it is a single race for the Championship titles. “With no series strategy in place, then is just a straight our duel for the silverware” said Dunn, “these teams will leave absolutely nothing on the table as they chase the NZ Championship titles”. With the top 20 cars invited from each Series’ 1 hour and 3 hour races there is an incredible array of machinery set to take to the Ruapuna circuit. “Not only are there titles at stake for the big guns, but there is a NZ championship for each of the 4 classes we have, so rest assured that the little guys are taking this just as seriously as the big boys”.
When asked about a 3 hour race favourite Dunn was very coy “Wow, super hard question” he quipped. “First of all there are the defending NZ champions Johnny McIntyre who teams up with Mark Gibson in the menacing Tulloch Motorsport SaReNi Camaro GT3. Then you have the only guys to ever win both North & South Series in the same year, Sam Fillmore & Danny Stutterd, who will drive the fabulous red Ferrari 458 GT3. Also joint NI Champions Neil Foster & Johnny Reid in the awesome Audi R8 LMS GT3 that is run by the slick International Motorsport operation and also the recently unveiled shiny Audi R8 LMS for Simon Evans and Gene Rollinson”. Other favorites include the awesome Mercedes AMG SLS GT3 piloted by Matt & Dwayne Carter who won 2 of the 3 South Island rounds in 2016, including the all-important Ruapuna round. Add into the mix 2015 SI Series champions Angus & George McFarlane in their freshly rebuilt Porsche 911 GT3R and it becomes obvious that picking a favourite is clearly impossible “And that’s just some cars from one class in the 3 hour race” added Dunn, “I guarantee you that the one hour race will be just as exciting!”.
There will be separate races for the 1 hour & 3 hour fields and New Zealand titles are awarded across all the classes including; Class 3 (0-2000cc), Class 2 (2001-3500cc) and Class 1 (3501cc+) as well as the glitzy GT class. There is also the addition of a Top Ten Shootout for the 3hr race and Carters Tyre Service have generously put $1000 on the line for so will be a thrilling addition to the event and there is also a SIERDC v NIERDC challenge trophy up for grabs to create some friendly rivalry between the two Series’.
So mark the date of Saturday 18 March on your Calendar as this will be an electrifying event with 2 separate races that are guaranteed to be filled with the action, drama, heartbreak and delight that endurance racing is renowned for. Ruapuna has some great viewing facilities & multiple grandstands available to watch the action, and gate entry is just $20-00. With everything on the line and plenty of silverware up for grabs this is an event that is not to be missed!! For those out of town or the event will be livestreamed worldwide by The Fast Files via their YouTube channel.
For more information on the Carters Tyre Service NZ Endurance Championship or the South Island Endurance Series please contact Secretary Chris Dunn via e-mail at [email protected], ph 021-107-9293 or on facebook at www.facebook.com/sierdcnz
