Motorsport: Record field hunts team title

A big crowd is expected at the New Zealand Stockcar Teams Champs this weekend in Rotorua, as the home club look to defend their national title. Photo / File

A record number of teams will compete for the New Zealand Stockcar Teams Champs at Paradise Valley Raceway - a title currently held by Rotorua.

The Rotorua club will have a target over their heads when they host the national event tonight and tomorrow, after winning the teams title in Palmerston North last year.

The Technical Welding Services New Zealand Stockcar Teams Champs will feature 14 teams from across the country including four teams from the South Island.

Rotorua Stockcar Club secretary Sonja Hickey said it would be a tough competition this weekend with the high number of teams entered.

"That is a record for any teams champs held in New Zealand, which is quite a nice record to have," Hickey said.

She said the Rotorua Rascals, Wellington Young Guns and Palmerston North Pumas were all strong contenders, but another club would perhaps go in as favourites.

"The ones that are probably the form team at the moment - but they can run a bit hot and cold - are the Wanganui Vulcans."

Hickey said ticket sales to the event were exceeding her expectations and, weather permitting, Paradise Valley Raceway could sell out on Saturday night - with the venue holding 8000 spectators.

"The level of interest in pre-sales has far surpassed what I thought it would be."

The format of competition this weekend will see qualifying tonight with finals tomorrow. Each team will take part in two races tonight before the top eight sides, on points, progress through to the quarter-finals tomorrow. The semifinals and final will also be held tomorrow night.

"How we are running it this weekend is six in a team of which four can race." Every race is a head-to-head race between two teams.

Qualifying will include points for the first five drivers across the finish line, but the finals will be decided by which ever team has one of their drivers finish first.

If either night is rained out, racing will be moved to Sunday from 1pm.

-Teams entered this weekend: Rotorua Rascals (defending champions), Wellington Young Guns, Wanganui Vulcans, Eastern States Titans (Blenheim), Tasman Thunder, Canterbury Crushers, Meeanee Maulers (Hawke's Bay), Stratford Stormers, Greymouth Grizzlies, Bay Park Bulldogs (Tauranga), Palmerston North Pumas, Gisborne Gladiators, Auckland Alleycats, Waikato Raiders.