Motorsport: Aussie's drive to bag Kiwi title

Jason Bargwanna (front) hopes to be the first non-Kiwi to win New Zealand's premier motor racing series. Photo / Supplied

The third round of New Zealand's premier motor racing series fires into action this weekend at Invercargill's Teretonga Raceway.

After two rounds, Angus Fogg holds a narrow 56-point lead over Australian V8 Supercars driver Jason Bargwanna, with Tim Edgell only 38 points further back.

Over the years of various Aussie V8 championships a couple of Kiwi drivers - Jim Richards and Robbie Francevic - have claimed the Australia V8 title, but no one from across the ditch has laid a hand on the New Zealand championship.

Bargwanna is keen to be the first non-Kiwi to win a title, and he reckons he can do it his year.

"We need to finish the season strongly and start winning races," said Bargwanna.

"The problem is we are a little bit down on horsepower and straight line speed and on some of the circuits it's really hurt us in being able to compete with Foggy.

"I'm looking forward to it and I reckon I'll go all right.

"Fifty-odd points is nothing. All it takes is a DNF or a small problem and that'll hurt either of us. The objective is to leave Teretonga with the championship lead.

"I'm motivated like you wouldn't believe to be the first Aussie to win your championship. I want it so bad."

If Bargwanna is to win the championship he's going to have to battle very hard.

Fogg is desperate to win his first New Zealand V8 title after years of being the nearly man, and young Edgell has to goods to steal a march on both of them.

These three drivers have dominated the opening two rounds, with Fogg winning on the day and the other two winning individual races.

"I'm pretty confident that not only will we defend our points lead but we'll extend it," said Fogg.

"I'll be doing my own thing come race days and not worrying too much about the others.

"Our aim is to win as many races as possible. As long as Bargwanna is in my rear view mirror I don't really care what he's doing.

"The car was very good at Ruapuna, and it's not so much its straight line speed, rather it's coming off the turns much better which carries the speed on down the straight."

The car most drivers in the championship have respect for when it comes to straight out pace is Edgell's.

Teretonga has a long front straight, which could benefit Edgell, as his father Randell knows how to build an engine with heaps of grunt.

"Between rounds the team has put a lot of hours into the car," said Edgell.

"Part of that has been about making sure the car is reliable, but in a championship this close we have to make sure we're constantly improving the car - and I think we've found a couple of things that should help us this weekend.

"Teretonga is an awesome track, you've got to be brave to turn a quick lap and there's no room for error.

"With the way the championship battle is, it's going to be a hard fight. I just hope there's some fine weather for the fans, because I know the racing is going to be intense."

The meeting also includes the start of the Toyota Racing Series, with 15 overseas drivers looking to make their name and a few young Kiwis out to prove themselves against overseas opposition.

The record field includes former F1 world champion Damon Hill's son Josh back for a second Kiwi season, Ferrari protege Raffaele Marciello and Austrian Lucas Auer, nephew of former F1 driver Gerhard Berger.

Also racing and providing entertainment for the fans will be Formula Fords, V8 Utes, Suzuki Swifts, Production and Sports GTs.