Motorsport: Baird favoured to defend title

Defending New Zealand V8 champion Craig Baird. Photo / Getty Images

Defending champion Craig Baird is bullish about defending his maiden New Zealand V8 title ahead of the 2010-11 opening round at Pukekohe this weekend.

Gold Coast-based veteran driver Baird has high expecations of steering his Ford to victory in the seven-round series, which finishes at the Hamilton V8 Supercar weekend in April.

"I'm out for the double double," said Baird, who secured both the NZV8 and Porsche Cup Challenge titles last summer.

"Winning two premier race championships in the same season hasn't been done before so if I can double my double will make it very hard for anyone to repeat."

Fresh from championship competition in Asia, Baird said being continually behind the wheel would be an advantage as he would be sharp from the opening green light.

Also helpful is having the same personnel from the United Video team around him as last season.

"I think it means a lot to any driver - having the same guys, who are obviously at the top of their game, on your team," he said.

"While it's similar for the likes of (rivals) John McIntyre, and Kayne Scott too in some ways, knowing everyone and what they do gives confidence in knowing exactly what I have and need to do."

Likely to challenge Baird is former champion McIntyre, whose bright campaign was foiled by a crash at Timaru last summer.

Fresh from an impressive V8 Supercars endurance campaign with Stone Brothers Racing, McIntyre will be determined to build on the form he was showing in the first half of last season.

Scott is another returning champion who will be looking to improve on a quiet 2009-10 campaign.

Former champion Andy Booth should lead the Holden charge, with the big guns all driving on Fords.

Drivers:
Craig Baird (Queensland, Ford), Simon Richards (Hamilton, Ford), Andy Knight (Christchurch, Ford), Angus Fogg (Auckland, Ford), Nick Ross (Cambridge, Holden), William Bamber (Wanganui, Ford), Martin Short (Hamilton, Ford), Jason Bargwanna (Victoria, Ford), Paul Manuell (Auckland, Holden), Haydn Mackenzie (Auckland, Ford), John Penny (Taupo, Holden), Andy Booth (Auckland, Holden), Tim Edgell (Auckland, Ford), David Hopper (Auckland, Holden), John McIntyre (Nelson, Ford), John Hepburn (Timaru, Holden), Christina Orr (Whakatane, Holden), Eddie Bell (North Canterbury, Ford), Andrew Anderson (Waitakere, Holden), Kayne Scott (Hamilton, Ford), Scott McLaughlin (Queensland, Holden)

Schedule:
Nov 6-7 - Pukekohe
Nov 27-28 - Christchurch
Jan 15-16 - Invercargill
Jan 22-23 - Timaru
Feb 12-13 - Feilding
March 12-13 - Taupo
April 15-17 - Hamilton

- NZPA