Royalty will make an appearance at Teretonga Park this weekend as some high-powered international visitors arrive in Invercargill for the Motorsport NZ Summer Fuel Series.
The Toyota Racing Series will headline the racing at Teretonga Park this weekend, featuring drivers from Canada, Denmark, India, Ireland, Russia, USA, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Austria, Germany and Australia, plus New Zealand.
Among them is 16-year-old Ferdinand Habsburg, better known as the Imperial Prince and Archduke of Austria and Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia.
Canadian 16-year-old Lance Stroll is also expected to arrive in Invercargill today with his family to prepare for the Toyota Racing Series.
Stroll is the son of billionaire fashion magnate Lawrence Stroll, the man behind Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors. Stroll senior is expected to be in Invercargill to watch his son in action.
It is understood he has brought his $1million-plus motorhome to relax in in between sessions.
The Toyota Racing Series brings some of the world’s most promising young drivers to Southland each year.
Russian Daniil Kvyat, who raced here in 2011, now has the prized Red Bull Formula 1 seat alongside Australian Daniel Ricciardo. While Italian Raffaele Marciello, who raced at Teretonga just three years ago, is now a test driver for the Sauber Formula 1 team.
Stroll leads the Toyota Racing Series this season from Indian Arjun Maini and 16-year-old American Santinio Ferrucci.
However there are plenty of other talented internationals in the field such as Scotsman Sam McLeod, fourth in the British F3 Championship last year, and current GP2 driver Artem Markelov of Russia.
Three Southlanders, brothers Damon and Brendon Leitch plus current NZ Formula Ford Champion Jamie Conroy, will be looking forward to racing at home, and all have the ability to race at the front.
The only other New Zealander in this years field is Christchurch driver James Munro, the current Formula Masters China Series champion. The feature race for the category will be the Southland Spirit Of A Nation Trophy Race.
Former Australian V8 Supercar star Jason Bargwanna in a Toyota Camry leads the TLX Class of the NZV8 Touring Cars as they arrive in the south after three rounds. Reigning champion, Nick Ross of Cambridge, is second on points in his new Nissan Altima.
Meanwhile New Zealand Championship honours will be bestowed on the TL Class Champion this year and currently Kevin Williams of Auckland leads that class from Kiwi icon Craig Baird in the TKR Commodore. The sole South Islander contesting the entire series is Winton’s Nathan Pilcher, who sits fifth while two more Southlanders, teenage star Liam MacDonald in a Ford Falcon, fresh from a great performance last weekend and Grant Molloy in another Falcon will line up at Teretonga.
The Toyota Finance 86 Series makes it’s first visit to Teretonga with Jamie McNee, of Wellington, Tom Alexander, of Christchurch, and Ashley Blewett of Auckland staging a close battle at the top of the points.
Watch too for young Marcus Armstrong of Christchurch, a 14-year-old destined to drive for the Tony Kart team in European karting next year after success in cars and world karting.
The NZ Formula Ford Championship is led by former TRS competitior Michael Scott, of Te Puk, from Caleb Cross, another 14-year-old with a huge future having been named in the Prodrive Racing Australia Academy, and Ryan Yardley. Tayler Cockerton is another quick driver in the category. Steve Heffernan, of Invercargill, will also be in the field after an impressive performance last weekend.
The South Island Formula Ford competitiors will race alongside the national combatants with Southlanders Dave McKenzie and young Ethan Anderson of Riverton in the field while Russell Keeler of Gore will contest the NZ Six races. The Allcomers Class features many of the Southlanders seen in local club racing, including Pierre Neame, of Winton, in a Mustang.
Discounted weekend passes for the event are available from Auto Centre, Tweed Street, Invercargill and from E Hayes & Sons, Dee Street, Invercargill at a cost of $25. A weekend pass purchased at the gate costs $30 while day passes sold at the gate are $10 on Friday, $15 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday. Children 14 and under are free.
