Pitstop: Aussie Supercars upbeat on Hamilton street race

Hamilton's V8 Supercar round in 2008 is likely to be earlier than the Pukekohe round this weekend.

Tony Cochrane, chairman of V8 Supercars Australia, said yesterday that late April was at the very limit of when the New Zealand round could be staged and he would expect Hamilton's street race to be in late March or early April.

He remains very upbeat about the prospects of the street race getting the go-ahead and he complimented the promoters, CSML, and the Hamilton City Council.

"The approval process begins the middle of next month and we hope to have an answer by the middle of September," he said.

Top young Brit at Pukekohe

British driver Ben Clucas, who is contesting the Toyota series races at Pukekohe this weekend, has shown impressive recent form in Australia.

Last year the 22-year-old competed in eight British National Formula Three championship races which culminated in superb first and third places at the Monza circuit together with the top rookie award.

This season he travelled to Australia to run in the Formula Three championship which he is leading after winning three of the four rounds.

He will contest the two Pukekohe races as part of the ESWA Racing organisation alongside their permanent driver, Hamish Cross.

Tough going for Kiwi at Suzuka

New Zealand racing driver Jonny Reid endured a trying two days at the second All-Japan Formula Three championship meeting at Suzuka.

After a sixth and a second at the first meeting of the year at Fuji Speedway at the beginning of the month, and a personal best lap time round the 5.864km Suzuka Circuit in practice, Reid went into the meeting quietly confident.

However, changeable weather and track conditions conspired against the young Kiwi and he never quite got a chassis and suspension set-up to suit. He finished sixth and 10th.

Hamilton karter debuts in Germany

Former Hamilton karter Chris van der Drift will make his official debut in the North European Formula Renault two-litre championship on the German Motopark circuit at Oschersleben this weekend.

Next weekend he will have his first Formula Renault Eurocup championship race at Zolder, Belgium. In the past two years he competed in the German Formula BMW championship, where in his first year he won the rookie award.

Taguchi wins in New Caledonia

Mitsubishi driver Katsuhiko Taguchi from Japan used his experience of hot and slippery conditions to stay cool and stay out of trouble to win the New Caledonian round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

Taguchi totally dominated the event, winning both legs and finishing 6m 26s in front of his nearest APRC rival Rifat Sungkar from Indonesia also driving a Mitsubishi.

Dermott Malley and wife Linzi from New Zealand were third, the second time Malley has been on the podium in the past year, after a similar result achieved in last year's Rally of Hokkaido.

The next round is at Rotorua next month.