KEY POINTS:
The 2008-09 New Zealand V8 championship gets under way at the Taupo Motorsport Park, October 3-4. This season's championship is over seven rounds from October to March, with an extra non-championship event at the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar race in April to round off the summer's racing.
In
past years, the New Zealand V8s series has started at Pukekohe Raceway, but the 2008-09 summer series incorporates a revised calendar and a number of small amendments to the technical regulations.
Kerry Cooper, general manager of The MotorSport Company, promoters of the championship which is part of the country's premier summer motor racing series, says the intensity and quality of racing in the New Zealand V8s is again expected to be top class.
"The competitors in the New Zealand V8s have delivered some brilliant racing over the past few seasons - real bumper-to-bumper, door-to-door action. And with most of our top saloon car drivers again lining up in the New Zealand V8s for this season, we are definitely going to see some fantastic racing from this premier class."
Nelson-based defending two-time champion John McIntyre is back to renew his ongoing battle with rival Ford drivers Kayne Scott and Angus Fogg.
Fogg has launched his own team, Angus Fogg Racing, with their ex-International Motorsport Ford with assistance of former New Zealand V8 competitor Kevin Williams and new sponsor LG Electronics.
Former champion Paul Pedersen returns to the Ford camp in the sole International Motorsport V8 entry, while long-time Holden campaigners Andy Booth and Paul Manuell will also contest the series again. For the upcoming season, Booth will be campaigning a new car.
Two New Zealand championship-winning drivers from other classes are stepping up to the V8s.
Last year's Toyota Racing Series champion Andy Knight takes over the Ford Australian Luke Youlden drove for the past three seasons and will carry his TRS sponsor's name, Milwaukee.
Former Production Racing Series champion Dale Williams steps into the SCG Racing Ford driven by another Australian, David Besnard, last year.
Kayne Scott is back in the Fujitsu Ford more determined than ever to win the championship after a challenging year with TKR in the Australian V8 Supercar series.
Two-time world touring car champion Paul Radisich is thought to have re-signed with Tracer Motorsport and confirmation is due at the Speedshow this weekend. Andrew Porter has a new Hydraulink Ford and there are only rumours about who's going to drive the United Video Ford.
Bartercard Racing is still to confirm a driver for their Holden but Gene Rollinson has been testing and former Mini champ Eddie Bell has been signed by Clark Proctor, who has retired from driving.
Each championship round follows a similar format to last season. There are three races in each round: one 12-lap race on Saturday afternoon, a 16-lap race on Sunday morning and a 20-lap race in the afternoon. All are rolling starts.
The starting order for race one is determined by qualifying times over the same three-session format as last season. Competitors line up for race two in the order they finished race one, then points earned in the first two races are added and the order reversed for the starting grid for race three.
Qualifying on Saturday mornings involves all competitors in the first 20-minute session, the fastest 20 competitors move onto to a second session of 15 minutes, and then the fastest 10 have another 15-minute session to determine grid positions.
Among the technical amendments, the major change is the option to use a four-speed Jerico gearbox for both Fords and Holdens. All competitors continue to race on the specified wet and dry tyres supplied by Dunlop.
New Zealand V8 series co-ordinator David Slater said the gearbox is optional for all competitors.
"However, the lower purchase cost and greater strength and reliability of this purpose-built racing gearbox have meant many competitors opted to fit it this season."
Cooper says more detailed information about this season's New Zealand V8 competitors will be available as soon as entries are finalised next week.
V8 CALENDAR
Round 1 (Fujitsu 200), Taupo Motorsport Park, October 2-4
Round 2 Pukekohe Park, November 7-9
Round 3 Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway (Christchurch), November 28-30
Round 4 Timaru International Motor Raceway, January 9-11, 2009
Round 5 Teretonga Park (Invercargill), January 16-18, 2009
Round 6 Manfeild Park (Fielding), February 27 to March 1, 2009
Round 7 Hampton Downs Motorsport Park (Meremere), March 20-22, 2009
