Baypark Speedway welcomes international stars

A 31-car line-up of Midget Cars will battle for honours in Wednesday night’s International Super Stars meeting at Baypark Speedway.

Visiting racers are set to contest a 30-lap Baypark feature at tomorrow’s Bay International Superstars.

The speedway event features midget cars, sprint cars and saloons, and four visiting United States racers, headed by 2021 and 2022 United States Auto Club National Midget champ Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, will contest it.

Kofoid, 21, is making his Baypark debut but previously won the NZ Sprint Car Championship and Grand Prix titles on South Island tracks. He has had 13 wins from 32 starts this year.

Kofoid is hoping dirt track success propels him to a career in the Nascar Cup Series. He is already part of Toyota’s driver development programme and appearances in the Nascar Truck Series and Arca stock car series.

For his four-night Kiwi campaign, Kofoid is driving for Auckland’s Trent Way Motorsport team in a new King Chassis powered by a TRD Toyota engine.

“It was always my goal to do more international racing and Covid got in the way of plans to visit Australia and race sprint cars,” Kofoid said.

“I have enjoyed my two trips to New Zealand and I’m looking forward to seeing friends from the South Island and seeing another part of the country.”

Reigning United States Auto Club Midget Car champion Michael “Buddy” Kofoid will race at Baypark.

Kofoid is joined by newly crowned USAC Sprint Car champ – and Midget title runner-up - Justin Grant who teams with former NZ champ Brad Mosen in a two-car effort.

Taylor Reimer, 23, is also racing after a top-10 finish in the USAC standings while Ethan Mitchell is another first-time visitor to New Zealand.

The 31-strong field also includes former New Zealand champions Michael Pickens, Brad Mosen and Peter Hunnibel as well as Christchurch star Jeremy Webb.

The Wednesday night international flavour also extends to the sprint car division with supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen and California’s Jonathan Allard among the 29-car field.

And the saloon car class delivers its first preview to the 2023 NZ Championship at Baypark in mid-January with drivers from throughout the North Island taking on Baypark’s Chris Cowling in his new car and local frontrunners Jarred Fletcher and Trent Amrein.

Gates open at 4.30pm tomorrow with racing from 6.30pm. Adults $30 and children (6-14) $10.