Motorsport: Radisich to return

Paul Radisich. Photo / Supplied

Veteran kiwi racing car driver Paul Radisich will be back on the grid in New Zealand for the first time since 2008 when he races a classic Ford Mustang at the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing at Hampton Downs in January.

Radisich, a two-time touring car World Cup champion now living in New Zealand for the first time in 25 years, has returned to become chief executive of the new V8 SuperTourer series.

A serious crash at Bathurst in 2008 brought his international racing career to a halt and he has not raced on a regular basis since, but will climb behind the wheel in the last two weekends in January.

He jumped at the chance to drive the famous Fleetwood Mustang when owner and friend Neil Tolich put the idea to him.

"I have never competed or driven at Hampton Downs so I am looking forward to that experience," he said. "All competitors have raved about the circuit so here is my chance to judge it for myself.

"I've had experience with the [Ford] Galaxie in the UK and also a V8 Cyclone and a Lotus Cortina which Roger Wills and I competed with in Europe together, so you could say I have enough experience with the old cars on the grooved tyres."

Radisich will race the car over both weekends of the event but isn't aiming to break any V8 lap records.

"It's going to be a lot of fun and they'll be fantastic back-to-back weekends of great motorsport. The key to me going fast in the Mustang will be seeing how far you can hang the car out in a power slide without losing it. That is the difference between modern and historic racing. I can enjoy some big power slides in the Mustang and it should help the times."