Motorsport: Scott faces big guns at Pukekohe

Kayne Scott fends off the field to take another first.

Defending V8 champion Kayne Scott will have some tough opposition when 29 cars line up on the starting grid at Pukekohe next month.

The November 4 and 5 Parker ENZED NZV8 meeting is the first of seven rounds, ending with the V8 Supercar International at Pukekohe on April 20 and 22.

Scott and his Holden will have to fight off drivers including Ford pair Angus Fogg, second overall last season, and Paul Pedersen, as well as Holden drivers and former champions Andy Booth and Paul Manuell.

For the first time this season, Fords outnumber Holdens 16 to 13. Among them is the two-car Hydraulink Racing team which has signed David Besnard as their lead driver. Besnard is the veteran of 61 Australian V8 Supercar races. John McIntyre also returns in a Ford, this time with his own team, John McIntyre Racing, and Powerbuilt Racing brings back talented Australian driver Luke Youlden back for his second season. Among the NZV8 rookie drivers are Besnard, former Formula Ford champion Tim Edgell, long-time racer Ian Spurle with his own team in an ex-Paul Manuell Holden, and former Supertruck champion Andrew Porter in a Holden. Some small changes to technical regulations are expected to improve parity between the Holden and Ford marques.

Series promoter Kerry Cooper said the technical committee had reduced the compression ratio from 10.5:1 to 10:1 for the Ford engine to match that of the Holden.

"This will reduce the Ford's torque to some extent. This has the effect of slightly reducing the Ford's acceleration out of corners but is not expected to affect their top speed."

Cooper also said all cars would use a harder-compound Dunlop tyre, the D14 racing slick, instead of the D11. "We expect that once cars have been set up correctly for the slightly harder compound tyre, lap times will be slightly slower, but with reduced tyre and component wear."

Administrators have also bought in a third-race regulation. In past seasons the starting line-up saw the top eight point-scorers from the previous two races reversed. This season the whole grid will be reversed, with positions decided by the combined points from the first two races.

Cooper says the third reverse-grid race will count for full points, making clean, precise racing essential. The third race in each round is 20 laps - race one has 12 laps and race two 16 laps - so drivers will have to manage tyre wear.

"It's going to be interesting to see how some competitors deal with the challenge," Cooper said, "but we think its going to make for some brilliant racing."