Motorsport: Top TraNZam teams to try their luck in the US

Two of the top New Zealand TraNZam motor racing teams have embarked on the adventure of a lifetime by shipping their cars to the United States to compete in three rounds of the SCCA Pro Racing Transam championship.

Alan Ferguson Racing's Chevrolet Camaro and Grant Silvester's Ford Mustang have been shipped out to compete at the Grand Prix of Houston in Texas on September 30, Leguna Seca in California on October 15 and Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 30.

The cars will then return to New Zealand to compete in the CRC Motor Race Series. The opening round of the Enzed TraNZam championship is at the fast Teretonga circuit in Invercargill on December 10.

For Ferguson's championship-winning Camaro, the trip to the US is something of a homecoming. The car started life in America in the hands of Jack Baldwin and ran as part of the AER Chevrolet factory team before being bought by Ferguson and imported to New Zealand.

The powerful Camaro, affectionately known as "Jack the Bear," has taken Ferguson to third in the New Zealand championship twice, with an outright win in the 1996 Mobil Super Series.

In the past two seasons, Ferguson has left the driving seat to manage the team, allowing Queensland-based Craig Baird to drive the car, with some spectacular results and overall victory in the 1999 Enzed New Zealand TraNZam championship.

"This trip is a top opportunity for us to show the American teams that we actually run Transam cars in New Zealand," Ferguson said.

"It is a chance to encourage some teams back to New Zealand and with the way our dollar is right now our championship has to be a cheap off- season testing proposition for Americans."

Christchurch's Silvester has totally rebuilt his Ford Mustang in preparation for the trip.

The Tranzaction-built Mustang has enjoyed a winning history, driven first by Paul Radisich, then Jim Richards. The car was run in the 1997 championship by Auckland-based Shane Drake and in the final round by American John Miller.

Silvester has completed two full championship seasons in the car, finishing third on both occasions.

"I need to have fitness on my side because there is going to be a lot to cope with in America. We are running on different tyres for a start, as well as racing on circuits I will have never seen," Silvester said.

An aspect of pride for both Ferguson and Silvester is that these will be the first teams since Bruce McLaren in the mid-1960s to take Kiwi machinery to the US to compete in a fully sanctioned Pro Racing event.

- NZPA