The V8 Utes are coming to Taupō International Motorsport Park for the season opener of the Super Sprint NZ Motorsport Championship.
The V8 Utes are coming to Taupō International Motorsport Park for the season opener of the Super Sprint NZ Motorsport Championship.
Rumbling roars from racing utes will be heard in Taupō next weekend as the NZV8 Utes join the Super Sprint NZ Motorsport Championship for the first time.
The Super Sprint at Taupō International Motorsport Park will be headlined by the 11th season of the Toyota 86 Championship, but also include the Summerset GT New Zealand, Super V8, Nexen Mazda Racing Series, GTRNZ and Pirelli Porsche.
The V8 utes have been joined into one class with the International TA2 race cars.
Super V8 Series event promoter Gary Lathrope said V8 Utes were known for their “trademark” elbow-to-elbow racing where potentially more than 25 vehicles were on the tracks at once.
“With similarly-powered Holdens and Fords wearing identical Yokohama rubber, all that separates them is the skill and bravery of the drivers.”
He said the Super V8 Series included the utes in the hope of replicating the series’ success from last season.
Taupō International Motorsport Park will see some V8 action next weekend. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“A big part of the success of the Super V8 Series last season was combining the TA2, Tranzam and NZTC V8 open categories into one race. After discussing with our current teams and drivers, there was a clear desire to have the V8 Utes join our Super V8 Series”, he said.
The upcoming race at Taupō will see a couple of father-son rivalries on track.
Reigning champion Brad Kroef will be out to defend his title against his father Greg, both racing in a Ford FG.
Brad won the RYCO 24 7 V8 Utes championship at the season finale at Hampton Downs earlier this year and his father came a close second with 15 points behind.
Meanwhile, Paul Fougere, in a Napa-backed Holden VE, will be under pressure to keep ahead of his hard-charging son Alex.
There will also be two new faces to the V8 Utes competition: Kyan Davie, who has come across from the Toyota 86 Series, and Brett Rudd’s brother-in-law’s son, who will be sharing a pit bay with him.
The Super V8 race will kick into gear on November 18 with Qualifying at 11.58am, followed by Race One at 2.35pm.
After Taupō, the championship will take to the tracks of Manfeild in Feilding in January, followed by two races, including the season decider in May, in Hampton Downs.
