KEY POINTS:
The HPM racing team have been forced to withdraw from the next two rounds of the New Zealand V8 championship because no suitable replacement driver for the injured Paul Radisich has been signed.
Team manager Greg Bellingham said yesterday negotiations for a top-class driver replacement to continue racing their Ford had not succeeded.
The team had previously used top Australian driver Steve Owen, winner of the Fujitsu Development V8 championship, the second tier of the Australian V8 Supercar series.
Bellingham said the Melbourne driver was disadvantaged because he was not familiar with the tracks at Timaru and Invercargill which would host V8 races over the next two weekends.
"They are circuits Steve has never driven and with him forced to start from the back of the grid for the Timaru weekend it meant he would be out of the running for round honours.
"That wasn't fair on Steve, the team, or the sponsors who fund the effort.
"We're really disappointed - the South Island leg is our favourite part of the championship season - instead, we've now got a new project to work on."
Meanwhile, Radisich, who suffered several serious injuries in his crash at last year's Bathurst endurance race, is working hard to be ready for next season.
The team said he was having rigorous physiotherapy to strengthen his damaged ankles and his progress, while unlikely to have him race fit by season's end, should put him on-track for the next season.
The team have seven weeks to sign a driver before the sixth round of the V8 championship season at Manfeild.
- NZPA
