Pitstop: Hamilton racer burns up the streets of Adelaide

Kayne Scott, leader in the national V8 championship, has sharpened his form for Taupo next weekend by testing a V8 Supercar in Adelaide in preparation for the Adelaide street race at the end of the month.

Scott will drive at Adelaide in the second-level V8 series in a Holden prepared last season by Team Dynamik. He will run in Mark Petch Motorsport colours.

The Hamilton driver had intended to do the whole secondary series in a Dynamik car, but that deal has collapsed because of the continuing troubles of Dynamik's owner, Kieran Wills. Scott will need extra sponsorship to extend his participation beyond Adelaide.

Competing with Scott in Adelaide will be fellow Kiwis 19-year-old Chris Pither in a Ford Falcon and series veteran Mark Porter in a Holden.

Storey gets Bmw Motorsport drive

Sixteen-year-old Auckland karter Dominic Storey has signed a contract with BMW Motorsport to contest this year's Formula BMW Asia series.

Storey, a sixth-former at St Kentigern College, was one of 17 young drivers from across the Asia-Pacific region who travelled to the Bahrain International Circuit in January for a two-day trial and licensing test for the series.

Subsequently he was one of three $US50,000 ($77,400) scholarships to contest the seven-round series. He will compete in China (twice), Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, with two of his events supporting Formula One Grands Prix. 

Legends gather at Taupo circuit

New Zealand legends on two and four wheels will do ceremonial laps on March 19 for the official opening of the new Taupo motor-racing circuit. Chris Amon, the best driver never to have won a Formula One race, will drive a McLaren M23 once campaigned by Denny Hulme and former world Superbike star Aaron Slight will ride a Honda production Superbike.

Scott Dixon looks a front-runner

Scott Dixon has shown that he will be a front-runner in the Indy Racing League this season with another impressive test session at Homestead, Miami, where the season opens at the end of the month.

Testing on the oval, where the race will be staged, Dixon was second to his new Ganassi team-mate, Dan Wheldon. On the road course he was second to Penske driver Helio Castroneves. Dixon won the race in 2003. When the Indy Pro cars took to the oval, Aucklander Wade Cunningham, pictured, who is the defending series champion, set the third-fastest time. The fastest qualifier was Jay Howard, who raced in New Zealand's Toyota single-seater series this season. The other young New Zealand driver in the field, 23-year-old Matthew Hamilton, set the 12th fastest time in his debut on an oval course.

Shepherd clinches formula first

Palmerston North driver Michael Shepherd has won the national Formula First championship with one round to go.

He won the final race at Pukekohe last weekend after finishing second and third in the previous two. Second place in the championship will be decided at the final round at Manfeild on March 25-26, with Simon Hardy, Cliff Field, Andrew Waite and Caine Lobb the main contenders.

Formula Two for passengers

Speed thrills will reach a new level with the debut of a two-seater Formula Three car designed to give the passenger the ultimate on-track experience. Similar to the models used by Formula One teams to reward their special guests, the two-seated Dallara was built for Opel in Germany and is one of only two in existence.

It was imported by Dave Templeman, who has been offered $US1000 a ride to take it to Dubai. He intends to base the machine at Taupo and offer rides at $795 a head.

He will have the car at Taupo for the track-opening meeting next weekend and thinks that even with two people on board it will circulate quicker than the single-seater Toyotas.

Formula 5000 for classic meeting

Australian Aaron Lewis is bringing the black 1972 Matich A50 Formula 5000 CAR to race at the Historic and Classic meeting at Pukekohe on March 18-19.

The car had success in the Tasman series and was also raced in the United States. It is powered by a recently restored Repco Holden V8.