V8 SuperTourer’s today confirmed its race distances and qualifying procedures for the forthcoming International 500 at Pukekohe, with changes in the qualifying format from the series’ first enduro at Taupo designed to make the event even more exciting for fans.

The 20 V8 SuperTourers will have plenty of track time at the event, with practice, then qualifying and one race on Saturday, before two races on Sunday. Race distances are 53 laps on Saturday and 53 laps for the first race on Sunday then 70 laps for the feature final race.

It’s the practice and qualifying format which sees the biggest changes, however.

Each driver must take part in at least one practice session, though only one driver needs to qualify the car. Two drivers can run in qualifying if the team so chooses, but it is the fastest time achieved by the car that counts.

The starting order for Race 1 will be determined by a qualifying session that will confirm the cars starting 11th through to 20th on the grid. A subsequent Top Ten Shoot Out will then follow qualifying. The tenth fastest car from the first qualifying session will kick off the Top Ten Shoot Out, followed by the ninth placed car etc. This session will denote the top ten starting order for Race 1.

The grid for Race 2 will be determined by the finishing order in the first race, and the grid for the third race determined by the championship points scored by the car in Races 1 and 2.
Either driver can start any of the three races too – but the team must nominate the driver who will start Race 1, Race 2 and Race 3 no later than 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Top Ten Shot Out on the Saturday.

Additional changes include the addition of a simple driver indicator light in each car that will make it easier for fans – and media – to spot who is actually driving. The light will be on when the nominated lead driver of the car is on-board and off when the co-driver is on board. No refuelling is permitted during the races.

“We want the adrenalin factor for the fans to be the best possible and that’s why we have had a fresh look at the qualifying format,” said series CEO Didier Debae. “This is only our second enduro race and we want to come up with a winning formula that works in the long term, so it is a little different from Taupo and we have listened to the fans, the drivers and the teams before confirming it.”

The meeting is promising to be the biggest circuit racing event in New Zealand in 2012, with a full support cast including the V8 Challenge Cup, the new XtremeSport & GT class, and full grids of 25 plus cars from the Central Muscle Cars and the Motul Honda Cup. Racing on Saturday will also be followed by a huge concert at the track featuring Kiwi band The Feelers.

Forty drivers – including up to 18 who competed at Bathurst recently – will race in the International 500 meeting, and with the changes planned for the V8 Supercar return in 2013, this could be the last time big V8 cars race on the traditional, world famous, circuit layout.