KEY POINTS:
The 10th round of the A1GP in Shanghai on April 15 will see Daniel Gaunt get his first drive in Black Beauty. Gaunt will have two 25-minute sessions before Jonny Reid takes over for the rest of the weekend. A1 Team NZL spokesman Bob McMurray said Gaunt deserved a chance to "step up after a great Toyota Racing Series campaign". Team owner Colin Giltrap believes in promoting young New Zealand drivers. Gaunt joins Wade Cunningham and Chris van der Drift in having had a rookie drive.
Rally Route Approved
This year's Rally of New Zealand route has been approved by the world governing body. The 11th round of the world championship, August 30 to September 2, will use roads in the Waitomo, Otorohanga, Raglan and Franklin districts. The central service park will be based at the Mystery Creek Events Centre, allowing for a super special stage and a rally show. Clerk of the course Willard Martin said there had been excellent feedback on the roads used last year.
Super Sedans Final
The New Zealand Super Sedan series heads to Taupo this weekend for the championship's final round. Several drivers are still in contention to win with 43 points covering the top four. Grant Brennan leads in his Brennan Corvette SB2. Steve Cox's Silhouette F40 is nine points behind.
Hartley On Podium
Red Bull development driver 17-year-old Palmerston North teenager Brendon Hartley has finished on the podium in the Italian Formula Renault championship. Having qualified second on the grid for both races at the Vallelunga circuit, he finished the weekend with a fourth and third place. His next race is in the Renault Eurocup championship at Zolder in two weeks. Hartley is based at Red Bull headquarters in Fushl, Austria.
New engines for V8s
Kiwi V8 Supercar drivers Greg Murphy and Jason Richards will have new-generation engines in their cars when the V8 Supercar Series hits Pukekohe this month. The new engines have been designed in-house by the Tasman Motorsports engine development manager, Kiwi Royce McCort, who joined the team from the factory Holden Racing Team at the beginning of the season. The new power plants are a development on the two-year-old units that the team has been running and the hope is that they will close the gap to the leading HRT and HSV Holden factory teams.
Stones' Last Chance
Ross and Jimmy Stone, probably New Zealand's most successful motorsport team since the late Bruce McLaren, are hoping at last to get a win at their hometown track of Pukekohe. This is their last chance, as the Super V8s move to Hamilton next year. Of the 18 individual V8 Supercar races over the past six years at Pukekohe, Fords have won only once, with Stone Brothers Racing's Marcos Ambrose on his way to his second title in 2004.
