It’s back to the future for the South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club (SIERDC) as series entries open for their 2014 ASKO Endurance Series. The Club is reverting back to its traditional 3 round series for 2014, whilst opening the doors for more futuristic cars to compete within the Series.

“For reasons that we were unable to influence, we were unable to secure the 4th round at Highlands Park. As a result the dates have been set for a 3 round Series which will enjoy the partnership of Teretonga, Ruapuna and Levels who have all strongly supported the ASKO Series in the past” said Club president Angus McFarlane.

An exciting edition to the 2014 ASKO 3hr Series will be the inclusion of spaceframed cars for the first time in over 20 years. This allows for the future with the new generation of V8 race cars in New Zealand as well as opening the door for a few more exotic GT cars to grace the 3hr races. This will add to the names that have become worldwide endurance stalwarts like Porsche, Ferrari & BMW, as they take on the Japanese manufacturers & the breathtaking garage-built hybrids. “We are not going crazy & still have some criteria that spaceframed & semi-spaceframed cars need to meet” said series secretary Chris Dunn, “But it’s a notable step that was voted on by the drivers, as we look to future-proof our series.”

With Series entries only opening days ago, there has already been significant interest from existing as well as new competitors and again the series will offer a huge prize & prize money package for its competitors. SIERDC is thrilled to again have ASKO Appliances as its naming rights sponsor for the 7th consecutive year. “It shows the quality and integrity of our Series and its amazing sponsors” said Dunn “the fact that every sponsor has come back on board for 2014 is fantastic.” The only sponsorship tweak is that the Southern Finance brand will be replaced by its subsidiary company Pacific Invoice Finance who, along with Allied Petroleum – Mobil 1, Hagley Aluminium & Paul Kelly Motor Company, all return for another year. With the fantastic support of these great local companies SIERDC have again managed to secure a significant pool of prize money to pay out to competitors. “We have $30,000 in cash that we will pay as prize money” said Dunn. “Plus we will have a magnificent Norm Sinclair original painting valued at around $10,000, a full set of new Michelin race tyres plus brake equipment from new supporter Prosport Auto – ENDLESS Advanced Brake technologies that we will give away as a prizes, so it’s once again NZ’s biggest prizemoney & prize package!”

The series retains its strong reliance on its class structure 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 includes a ‘GT class’ for the Porsche GT3’s & V8 Supercars and other exotic’s, including any semi or fully spaceframed vehicles, in the Series. “We value the competitor competing in a Peugeot as much as a Porsche, and we want to continue with the SIERDC principal of making all our races accessible to as many competitors as possible” said Dunn “We have always treated the little guys the same as the big guys, and pride ourselves on the amazing variety of man & machinery we have competing.”

So the 2014 ASKO Endurance Series will be run over 3 rounds, again with separate races for the 3 Hour & 1 Hour Series. The Series kicks off at Teretonga Park, Invercargill on 20th September with Round 2 at Mike Pero Ruapuna, Christchurch on 4th October with the grand final at Levels Raceway, Timaru on 18th October.

Series entries are available by contacting the Series Secretary via e-mail at sierdc@nullxtra.co.nz or phone 021-107-9293, and with the most open eligibility of any Motorsport NZ Sanctioned Series there is a race and a class for everyone. 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 address, or via the Clubs facebook page at facebook.com/sierdcnz