The UDC V8 Ute series has confirmed its remaining dates for the 2015 championship and also announced a new one-off sprint championship at the beginning of 2016 that will adjust its championship to fall in line with the new Premier Motorsport Calendar.
The series will complete its 2015 championship with rounds at Taupo on October 16 – 18 where it will be on the bill with the New Zealand Touring Cars and all other major categories and the championship final which will be fought out at the V8 Festival at Hampton Downs on November 27 – 29. Both of these events form part of the new unified Premier Motorsport Calendar.
The category will run a three round sprint series in the early part of 2016, with events confirmed at the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild on February 12-14 and the finale at Pukekohe on April 15-17. Both of these events feature on the Premier Motorsport Calendar.
The first round of the sprint series will be at either the Mike Pero Motorsport Park Ruapuna on January 16-17 or at Hampton Downs at the New Zealand Motor Cup Toyota Race Series meeting on January 29-31.
“The national calendar is adjusting to the more traditional format of a summer series and the UDC V8 Ute’s own calendar will re-align with that,” explained series Managing Director Paul Isaac.
“Whilst it is unfortunate that we have not been included on the V8 Supercar bill, UDC V8 Utes is looking forward to being one of the major performers at some hugely improved motor racing fixtures over the 2015-2016 racing seasons. The 2016-2017 season will be a five or six round championship and will run at only premier racing events. It will be business as usual for the series at all rounds and we hope to continue the growth in the class we have seen over the last couple of seasons where we have secured several new shareholders.”
Sam ‘Bazza’ Barry currently leads the standings after three rounds in his Bel Group Ford, with Brett ‘The Scud’ Rudd in second in the Pallet Supplies Racing Holden and Matt ‘Stinger’ Spratt holding an impressive third in his first full season in the Primogrow Holden. After the closest fought three rounds in the history of the series, it remains wide open with the final two rounds of the current championship remaining.
The series will return at Taupo on October 16-18.
