Motorsport: On track with the V8s

Tasman Motorsports Group driver Andrew Waite will be back in action at Pukekohe in his SuperTourer V8 this weekend. Andrew Waite Angus Fogg

Familiar face set to make a comeback to the grid at Pukekohe this weekend

Tasman back on grid
It's good news for the V8 SuperTourer field this weekend at Pukekohe with the return of the Tasman Motorsports Group car and driver Andrew Waite to bolster the field for round three of the series.

Waite and the team were out of action for the opening two rounds and are keen to make up for lost time.

"Myself and the whole team can't wait to get racing again," said team principal Steve Horne. "The sponsorship market is quite tough at the moment, but we are lucky that we have some great and loyal partners on board with us for the rest of the season."

Andrew Waite

Waite, who has driven for the team over the past two years, will finish the season in a fulltime role.

"Andrew has proved himself, has steadily improved and done whatever we have required him to do on track and away from it," said Horne. "I believe he deserves a decent shot, and will only get better with more miles in the car."
Parity rules tighten
Organisers are stepping up the programme to ensure all V8 SuperTourer cars stick to the rules governing the series.

The move is in response to claims that some of the 7-litre engines develop more power than others, and is also part of the ongoing effort to improve the category and ensure transparency.

The category is investing in new resources to enable more accurate measurement of engine characteristics. Any performance changes would then be immediately detected.

The controlled aspect to the series is a big drawcard for drivers looking to pit themselves against the best in the identical racecars. Parity and component control are the founding principles of the series and enforcement is an ongoing focus for series chiefs.

Every engine is inspected and sealed when fitted to a car. If for any reason the seal has to be broken, the chief scrutineer re-inspects the components and re-seals the engine before it is refitted to a car.

Hanley back for another punt
A recent addition to the driver ranks, Chris Hanley gets to have his second hit-out in the series this weekend. The 2013 V8 Ute series champion was snapped up by Garry Pedersen's PSR West racing team for the second round at Manfeild and will now race in the remaining rounds for this year.

At 23, Hanley is one of the next generation racers and it's the first time in 25 years Pedersen has not run a family member as a lead driver.

"Chris is naturally very quick, and wants to absorb every scrap of information about the car and the set-up in order to go faster," said Pedersen.

"People often forget he was looking odds on for a big result in the Ute series in his first year but broke his back in a non-racing accident that ruined his season.

"That he came back the following year to win five races and finish runner up in the championship speaks volumes.

"That's exactly the sort of driver we want in our car, and the sort of gutsy racer that as fans we all love to watch out on track."

Everyone is remaining tight-lipped about a potential partner for the enduro half of the season, but the team will be talking to drivers from V8 Supercars, single seaters and also some local talent.

Fogg gets it fixed

Angus Fogg

Angus Fogg's big shunt in the opening round of the series at Highlands Park just about totalled his car. He hit the wall hard and bounced back in front of another car, sustaining even more damage.

"It's been a big job," said Fogg. "You keep finding stuff that's bent or broken, things to be repaired or bought. It just goes on and on with a crash like that.

"The body and chassis weren't that bad. It was the suspension and differential and the shock absorbers and things that were ripped off.

"It was a big hit, and that jars through everything that bolts to the car - the suspension arms and so on and on.

"But we go better than normal at Pukekohe, for whatever reason, so we're looking forward to the two rounds there."