Pitstop: NZV8 programme

The 2009-10 NZV8 season will be one round light with six championship weekends and one non-championship event at the Hamilton 400. The sixth and final round is planned for Hampton Downs but is dependent on the circuit being completed and certified. The proposed calendar is: Pukekohe Park Raceway, November 6-8. Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Ruapuna, November 27-29. Teretonga Park Raceway, January 15-19, 2010. Timaru Levels Raceway, January 22-24. Taupo/Manfeild, February 12-14. Hampton Downs, March 12-14. Hamilton 400 Non Championship round, TBC in April, Taupo Endurance Championship, May 7-9.

Baird wins trophy

Expat Kiwi Craig Baird won the Jim Clark Trophy at this year's annual motorsport awards. Queensland-based Baird, one of the leading FIA-ranked race winners of all time, sits 20th on the table and is second among race winners.

Halliday one to watch

Formula One's Jenson Button benefit year hits round seven in Turkey this weekend, and it's also round five of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup championship in which our own Matt Halliday is competing. After podium finishes at the previous rounds in Bahrain and Barcelona, Halliday is looking to close the 12-point gap to third place driver Richard Westbrook.

Dixon eyes title

Defending IndyCar driver, Kiwi Scott Dixon has put his disappointment of not defending his Indianapolis 500 title behind him and is concentrating on retaining his IRL title. He heads to the sixth round of the series atop the championship table hoping to extend his lead over Ryan Briscoe and his teammate Dario Franchitti.

Stoner breaks stranglehold

By loosening defending MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi's seven-year stranglehold on the Mugello round of the championship, former champion Casey Stoner gained Ducati's first win at the Italian circuit.

Bizarre Formula One

Pitstop would not be complete without another instalment of the bizarre Formula One. Head of the sport's governing body, Max Mosley, has decreed he'll not pay a jot of attention to the concerns of teams over cost-cutting measures he wishes to impose. He's told rebel teams to go off and set up their own championship if they are unhappy. There but for the grace of God.