KEY POINTS:
Organisers of the A1GP in Taupo from January 18-20 anticipate strong demand for tickets which are now on sale from Ticketek. Ten thousand grandstand seats and 4500 embankment tickets will be released initially. Ticket prices range from $225 for a 3-day grandstand seat, down $70 on the equivalent seat in year one, to $100 for a three-day pass to an expanded embankment area. The event will be supported with NZV8s, Porsche GT3s, Toyota racing series, Mini challenge, Formula Fords and NZ production cars.
HART HEADS KARTS
KartSport will field one of is strongest teams at this year's Rotax Max Challenge grand final in the United Arab Emirates in November. Two-time representative Josh Hart joins Paul Cameron, Mitchell Evans and William Bamber in the team. New Zealand has been represented at all the Olympic-style grand final since the inaugural event in 2007, with a best finish of third in the junior class in 2004.
HONDA HAULS ACE
Kiwi motocross ace Ben Townley is switching to Honda for the next two years. The long-standing rumour was confirmed when he was seen at the Taupo motocross event last weekend wearing a Honda Racing jacket. The US media are saying his teammates are Ivan Tedesco and Andrew Short. Townley will be running Lites in Supercross and MX outdoors.
GROVEL IN GRAVEL
The 14th round of the 2007 WRC is in Japan this weekend. Marcus Gronholm will be relieved to be back on gravel - his favourite surface. Tarmac specialist Sebastien Loeb has closed the gap to just four points. Gronholm will want to extend his lead on the gravel roads in Japan before the teams head to the tarmac roads of Ireland, the penultimate round of the world championships in early November.
NZ GUNS FOR CUP
The Bledisloe Cup of motocross is taking place this weekend at McAdam Park in Victoria, Australia, as New Zealand attempts to snatch the honours back in the annual Oceania Motocross battle. Australia has won the event for the past two seasons, but New Zealand have a strong team this year with women's world champion Katherine Prumm and world MX1 rider Josh Coppins part of the team.
