Pitstop: Coulthard to drive supercar

Aucklander Fabian Coulthard, who raced away with the Carrera Cup Porsche championship in Australia this season, will be racing a V8 Supercar next year.

The 24-year-old will alternate with Australian Alan Gurr in a Holden run by Paul Morris Motorsport.

Morris has bought a second V8 franchise from Tony Longhurst that allows him to run two cars. He will continue to drive one, and Coulthard and Gurr will share the other.

Morris Motorsport will also work with Team Kiwi to prepare a Holden for Paul Radisich.

A complication for the arrangement is that one of Morris' cars is not guaranteed a place at every round because of its low placing last season. Where fields are limited to 32, it will have to rely on a wildcard.

Coulthard, who will drive a Porsche GT-3 in the next three rounds of the NZ championship, is not expected to contest the Carrera Cup next year. He will make the most of his chance to break into the V8 championship.


Howard in action at Teretonga

Jay Howard, the United States-based Briton who raced in the first round of the national Toyota championship at Pukekohe, will be back to contest the New Zealand Grand Prix at Teretonga on January 15.

The 24-year-old, winner of the last Formula Ford 2000 championship in the US, had two thirds and a second at Pukekohe but missed the Ruapuna round because of conflicting commitments.

Returning to the championship for the first time this season will be 16-year-old Brendon Hartley, on a break from his work with the Red Bull junior team in Europe.

Championship leader Daniel Gaunt, who had a test with the WPS Aussie V8 Supercar team this month, has a commanding 121-point lead from Daynom Templeman. Matthew Hamilton is fourth after a couple of engine failures, but has shown impressive speed.


Andretti coming out of retirement

Team owner Michael Andretti has confirmed he will come out of retirement and race in next year's Indianapolis 500.

The 43-year-old, who has never won America's best-known race, will drive a fifth Andretti Green Racing team car to help his son, Marco, who has been signed to drive for the team in the 2006 IRL season.

Michael Andretti, who has led more laps than any other driver in the Indianapolis 500 but never taken the flag, retired after the 2003 race. He is the son of Mario Andretti, who won at Indianapolis in 1969 and was world Formula One champion in 1978.


Richards, Jones for Tasman team

New Zealand driver Jason Richards will be joined by Aussie Andrew Jones in the Tasman motorsport team for the 2006 Australian V8 supercar championship.

Richards and Jamie Whincup took second in the Bathurst 1000 in October, but Whincup has moved to join Craig Lowndes in the Triple Eight Ford team.

Jones, winner of the second-level Konica series two years ago, finished fourth at Bathurst with Cameron McConville, but was dropped by the Garry Rogers team.


Brad Mosen is the man to beat

Brad Mosen may have had only half a season in midgets, but the Bucklands Beach teenager is emerging as one of the stars of the Western Springs speedway season.

In the first 25-lap feature of the season the 18-year-old came through from 17th on the grid to win. In the second feature he started 16th and finished second.

Mosen has come through the grades, starting in quarter-midgets, starring in TQs, and having only last year's truncated season to acclimatise himself in the top grade.

He will be the man to beat at the traditional Boxing Day meeting, where another youngster, Jamie McDonald, will be to the fore in the sprintcars.


Manfeild pairs Aussies and Kiwis

V8 supercar driver Jason Richards is the latest Kiwi to sign up for a drive when the Australian Ford and Holden V8 utes come to Manfeild in February.

The format on February 3-5 will pair an Aussie with a Kiwi in each of the 20 utes being shipped across the Tasman. Already signed to drive are 19-year-old local Chris Pither, who has been competing in the Australian championship, and New Zealand V8 drivers John McIntyre and Wade Henshaw.