Pitstop: Henshaw has defending champ in mirror

Christchurch driver Wade Henshaw will be feeling the heat of his pursuers when the penultimate round of the National V8 Championship roars into action at Taupo this weekend.

Henshaw, in the Mike Pero Holden, has led the championship since the first round in November at Pukekohe. The final round will be on the same track on April 15 to 17.

Last month's Manfeild round was one of Henshaw's least successful and the defending champion, Aucklander Andy Booth in the Orix Holden, took 70 points off his southern rival, reducing the lead to 80.

Third-placed John McIntyre, in the Tracer Ford, is going to need the top two to falter badly for him to win the title but he was the form driver at Manfeild, with two firsts and a second placing.

He took pole position and set a lap record for the class.

The 1.4km Taupo circuit presents a special challenge. It has predominantly left-hand turns and because of its height above sea level, engine fuel mixtures must be adjusted to cope with the thinner air.

Qualification on Saturday will be crucial. If you're not toward the front of the grid, improvement will be difficult on the tight circuit.

Holdens have qualified fastest on all but the Manfeild round so far, but McIntyre is confident and fellow Ford drivers Mark Pedersen and Shane Drake will not be far away.

Of the other championships at stake, Queenslander Shannon O'Brien leads the Formula Fords from Andy Knight and Simon Gamble, and in the Porsche GT3s Craig Baird leads Matt Halliday and Ross Rutherford.

Karter wades in

Former world kart champion Wade Cunningham's Infiniti Pro campaign in the United States has got off to a great start, with the 20-year-old Aucklander finishing fourth overall and setting the fastest race lap in his debut event at Florida's Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The 67-lap race, held in hot conditions, was dominated by Sam Schmidt Motorsport team-mates Travis Gregg and Brazilian Jaime Camara, who crossed the line first and second respectively. Third was experienced US driver Jon Herb, fourth Cunningham and fifth Jay Drake.

Cunningham's next race is at Phoenix, Arizona, on March 19.

Rally rules change

The Mexican round of the world rally championship will have a considerable bearing on Propecia Rally New Zealand early next month.

The two events are linked under the new rules, which restrict teams to one engine per car for every two rounds. In previous years the richer teams have run special engines in Mexico to deal with the high altitude of some of the stages.

Mexico is also the first gravel round of the championship and Ford driver Toni Gardemeister will have to run first on the opening day, possibly losing time as he sweeps the surface for those who follow. A similar problem will face whoever leads the points race when the field starts north of Auckland on April 8.

The 29-year-old Finn is just happy to be the surprise leader of the championship by a point from Markko Martin (Peugeot), with the Ford team also heading the manufacturers' standings.

Former world champion Petter Solberg will debut a new Subaru in Mexico, as he did last year when he finished fourth after suffering a time penalty.

He went on to win in New Zealand.

The Norwegian is third equal with reigning champion Sebastien Loeb (Citroen).

Kiwis fail to fly

New Zealand drivers had little luck in the V8 Supercar support races for the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne.

Paul Radisich in his Team Kiwi debut was seventh in the first race and that proved to be the best finish for the Kiwis in the three races, with only Jason Richards' 10th placing in the third race anywhere near it.

Todd Kelly (Holden), John Bowe (Ford) and Mark Skaife (Holden) were the race winners in the non-championship round.

The Porsche GT3 races proved a Kiwi benefit. Old fox Jim Richards won all three, with young challenger Fabian Coulthard second each time.

Track consent sought

As Pukekohe prepares to host the Aussie V8s next month, possibly for the last time, promoters of the new circuit planned at Hampton Downs near Meremere hope resource consent will be granted by July.

Director Tony Roberts said no major problems were expected for the well-supported plan.

All the proposed apartments on the site have been sold, as well as the 12 industrial units.

A new road that cuts through the top part of the site is almost complete, providing 10,000cu m of top soil and fill for use on the circuit and surrounds.

The 3.7km main circuit will have 10 corners and an 885m main straight with a 15m rise and fall. The back straight is a flat 800m.