Everything is on the line as the ASKO Endurance Series readies itself for this weekends Grand Finale at the first ever race meeting at the multi-million dollar Highlands Motorsport Park, near Cromwell. Will horsepower favour handling? Will it be easy or hard on tyres, or on brakes? Will the curbs become car killers or will drivers struggle on its unique undulating figure of 8 nature? With no-one having any advantage on this brand new facility it truly becomes a level playing field, but you can be assured that teams will leave nothing on the table as they fight it out for series honours, prizemoney and pride as the ASKO Endurance Series comes down to the wire.

With 75 championship points on offer, plus 20 bonus points, there are still nine cars with a chance of taking out the overall 3hr ASKO Endurance Series title, which has so far seen a true tortoise & hare battle. 2011 & 2012 Series champion, Paul Kelly (Porsche 997 GT3), is hunting an unprecedented third straight title, and will again been looking for a strong finish. Kelly will again team up with Daniel Gaunt, after V8 Supercar star David Reynolds took the co-drivers role at Levels. With one win and a 2nd places, Kelly lead the point-score going into the final race ahead of the Allan Dippie/Scott O’Donnell (Porsche 997 Cup S). Paul Rickerby/Graeme Rhodes (RX7 V8) are an outstanding 3rd overall against stiff competition, proving that reliability & consistency is always the key to Endurance racing success. However with so many unknowns at the magnificent Highlands facility anything can, and probably will, happen. A small altercation, problem or just a simple puncture can ruin a race and with it a series or class podium position.

Kelly also leads the GT class, with Dippie/O’Donnell second and a consistent Phil Hood/John DeVeth (Porsche 997 GT3) currently third in GT class. Fourth is the car that has really set the pace for 2013, taking new lap records at all 3 circuits to date, with Simon Ellingham (Porsche 997 GT3) again teaming up with John McIntyre for the Highlands finale. This team will be rueing a DNF at Ruapuna, which has cost them dearly in both the overall & class standings. But there are many other GT class cars that cannot be discounted from putting the cat amongst the pigeons at Highlands, and expect a very strong challenge from Dwayne Carter (Ford Falcon V8 Supercar) who teams up with Kiwi icon Shane Van Gisbergen for the 3 hour race. Others looking for redemption will be Angus McFarlane/Michael Bushell (Porsche 997 Cup R) who have been dogged by mechanical woes despite leading both the Levels and Teretonga races, as was the Rick Armstrong/Matt Hamilton (Porsche 997 GT3) that will be repaired after a heavy shunt at Levels and the similar Andrew Bagnall/Ant Pedersen car who missed Timaru after date conflicts.

The battle in the other classes is as equally hotly contested, and in Class 1 (3501cc & over) the Rickerby/Rhodes machine has shown a clean pair of heels and lead the class from Dave Dovey/Andrew Bowler/Shane Wenzlick (BA Falcon) who have taken three second placings to date. Third in class is the reliable BMW 135i of Carl & Steve Kirk-Burnnand, just ahead of the BMW M3 V8 of Warwick & Andre Mortimer. Highlands also sees the return of the wickedly fast Corvette C6R of Bruce Davidson/Dave Garden and also look out for Perry Scarfe/Shane Hodgson (BA Falcon) and John Wadsworth/Warren Croft (Commodore VY) should the new Highlands circuit favour the big horsepower cars. A special mention in this class is the father/daughter combination of Ian & 17 year old Alyssa Clapperton (Commodore VK V8), which is one of the things that make the ASKO Series so unique and special.

The Class 2 (2001-3500cc) has been turned on its ear for 2013. This class normally sees a great run of reliability but this season the class 2 cars have been falling by the wayside all over the place. It’s the two Blenheim based father & son Turbo Toyota AE86’s leading the way with Pat & Ryan Heagney leading Craig & Scotty McDermid. Third in class is Dean McGuigan (BMW E30 M3) who although hasn’t been the fastest of the class BMW’s has by far been the most reliable, and the BMW Mini Challenge of Warren Good/Rusbatch is the only other car with a chance of a class win. However look out for the three factory built Seat Leon Supercopa’s from Motorsport Services, although out of class contention for the Series, they will likely be the ones to beat for a class win at Highlands if they can overcome their recent reliability issues.

The 0-2000cc Class 3&4 sees the ex Team Nurburgring Honda Civic R of Paul Coghill/David Hunter only needing to start the race to take enough bonus points to win the class, being the only car in this class to finish all 3 races to date. The speedsters in this class are likely to be the Arron Black/Stu Black x-WTCC BMW 320i and the Honda S2000 of Steve Parker/Matt Jackson if these two cars can get their engine issues sorted. However the podium placings for the Series are likely to be battled out between the x-NZ Touring car of Grant Constable/Bill Currie (Corona) and the normally reliable Peugeot 106 of Ken Sinclair/Dennis Ham, who has a very uncharacteristic DNF at Levels after a harmless spin resulted in them getting struck by another car. Also look for a strong run from the European spec Renault Megane of Craig Russell/Bruin Beasley who have also had a season fraught with mechanical woes.

With so much still to be decided, the Highlands race is set to be a real thriller with every class plus the overall title still up for grabs. The ASKO Appliances catch phrase “built to last” will ring true as the old saying goes; to finish first – first you must finish, and things can change in a split-second as a slight problem, mistake or DNF can have a drastic effect on both the race & the championship. The Overall ASKO Endurance series winner will be awarded the coveted ‘South Canterbury Toyota Cup’ plus a cheque for $10,000 thanks to Series sponsors ASKO Appliances, Mobil 1, Paul Kelly Motor Company, Hagley Aluminium and Southern Finance Ltd, with another $20,000 prizemoney being paid out as class prizemoney across both the 3hr & 1hr series’. Also up for grabs is an original watercolour painting by Dunedin artist Norman Sinclair valued at approx. $10,000-00, and a set of Michelin race tyres which will be given away as a spot prize at the SIERDC annual prize giving held at Highlands Park, along with two full Vortex race gear kits to be awarded as the Series’ “Vortex fair play award’.

For more information on the South Island Endurance Series, entries, or to be added to the South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Club’s e-mailing list, please contact Chris Dunn via e-mail at sierdc@nullxtra.co.nz ph 021-107-9293, or information and live updates can be found on their facebook page at www.facebook.com/sierdcnz Tickets for this extraordinary opening race meeting are available from Ticketdirect.co.nz and for more information on Series sponsor ASKO Appliances please visit www.asko.co.nz