By BOB PEARCE
Paul Radisich will take a break from the V8 Supercars in Australia to compete in the LK 500 at Pukekohe on November 5.
And his return to his home track should also help to boost the career of rising single-seater star Matt Halliday.
Radisich and Halliday will be part of a two-car team of Ford Falcon AUs entered by the newly formed Rascasse Racing.
Team principals Shane McKillen and Grant Baker will share the driving with Radisich and Halliday.
They have six-hour club racing experience and are involved in sponsoring Halliday through the energy company, Empower. The cars for the 500km race at Pukekohe are sponsored by Yellow Pages and Shell.
Radisich, who will be racing his V8 Supercar at the Champ Car meeting at Surfers next month, fancies his chances at Pukekohe.
"I'm really looking forward to returning home and supporting this important event on the New Zealand motorsport calendar," he said.
"We have a fantastic all-round package and I'm sure we have the ingredients to make our mark. Rascasse Racing and the Ford AU will be the combination to beat."
Halliday, who finished third in the Australian Formula Holden championship this year, faces something of a rush to make the start at Pukekohe.
"I've got a two-day test with Brian Stewart Racing's Indy Lights team in Las Vegas and I'll fly straight back to be in Auckland on the Saturday before the LK 500," he said.
"It's good to be associated with Paul in the Rascasse team. He helped me to find Empower as a sponsor in Formula Holden when I was struggling for a budget."
Radisich is also coming to Auckland next month to take part in a promotion at Pukekohe to attract support for Halliday's Indy Lights campaign.
The LK 500 pits Holden and Ford V8s against two-litre touring cars. Last year, in atrocious conditions, the Ford Falcon in the hands of Wellingtonians Andrew Fawcet and Wayne Huxford took the honours.
There will again be a strong entry of Holden Commodores, and the two-litre challenge will be headed by Nissan Primeras and BMWs.
Motorsport: Radisich coming home for LK 500
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