With a month to go until the 2013 ASKO Endurance Series blasts into life, the Series has a hugely impressive range of entries from across the board and organizers can guarantee the biggest & best season to date.

The ASKO Series has been expanded and will this year be run over 4 rounds, with separate races & championships for both the 3 Hour & 1 Hour Series’, and already record entries have been received. A round is held at each of the South Island permanent race circuits and the series kicks of at Teretonga Park, Invercargill on 21 September 2013 with round 2 at Powerbuilt Ruapuna, Christchurch on 5 October 2013. Round 3 will be held at Levels Raceway Timaru on 19 October 2013 with the Series grand finale on 8/9/10 November 2013 at the first ever race meeting at the magnificent Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell and in conjunction with the eagerly awaited Australian GT Series.

The series is again elated to have ASKO Appliances as its naming rights sponsor and along with series sponsors Mobil 1, Hagley Aluminium, Paul Kelly Motor Company and Southern Finance they have managed to secure a significant prize money pool to pay out to series competitors. “We have $30,000 in cash that we will pay out across classes in both the 3hr & 1hr Series” said series secretary Chris Dunn. “Plus we have a magnificent Norm Sinclair original painting valued around $10,000 and a set of new Michelin tyres, that will both be given away as a spot prizes and Vortex Racewear have also supported us with two full race-gear kits so it’s easily NZ’s biggest prize and prizemoney package.”

Even with entries still open, the organizers are delighted with both the quality & quantity of the entries. Once again they have some electrifying new cars joining the Series, with many yet to be unveiled, plus some household names in NZ Motorsport are set to line up for 2013, including Daniel Gaunt, Jono Lester, John McIntyre, Ant Pedersen and Supercar Superstar Shane Van Gisbergen. “We have every ASKO 3hr Series champion since 2006, except one, returning for 2013 and whilst in past years there have been some obvious series favorites, not even a seasoned gambler would be brave enough to wager on who will be our 2013 Series champion.” said Dunn. “I am also thrilled that we have really good numbers across all the classes and again have enough of the smaller cars to make a sizeable class, as the 0-2000cc class competitors are just as important as the faster guys.”

The ASKO 1 Hour Race Series is run alongside the 3 Hour Series and its popularity has really taken off over the past couple of years. This year sees over half the entrants as rookies into the Series, and with that, organizers guarantee fans that they are unlikely to have seen such a large & diverse mix of machinery on the South Island circuits for many many years.

Although there are already over 90 cars registered for the 2013 Series, with entries yet to close there are still a few spots on the grid available. “We still have space for a handful more 3hr entries” said Dunn “and just a couple of spots left in the 1hr Series, but the way our series entries work, its imperative that entries are received before 1st September” he stressed.

Competitors can still register their interest by contacting Series Secretary, Chris Dunn, via e-mail at sierdc@nullxtra.co.nz or phone 021-107-9293. Any potential competitors and crews are welcome to be added to the clubs e-mailing list by simply sending an e-mail to the above address, or fans and supporters via the Clubs facebook page at facebook.com/sierdc where the Club will be giving away tickets to its 2013 rounds and some hotlaps in its top cars.