New Zealand rally champion Hayden Paddon and South Canterbury-based Team Green have this week confirmed an extended 2009 rally campaign. The extensive 12-rally programme will include heading overseas to compete in six rounds of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, as well as the defence of their NewZealand title.
Halliday accepts test-drive
New Zealand racing driver Matt Halliday is heading to Europe after accepting an invitation to test an all-new sports car class, Formula Le Mans. The test is at the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France where Halliday has tested A1GP, Formula GP2 and Formula Renault V6 in the past.
Trust backs karting track
The Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust has donated $250,000 toward a new karting track and associated facilities to be built near Rotorua. The Trust has also provided the Rotorua KartSport Development Trust (recipients) with a loan of up to $800,000 to assist with the development of this new international facility. The Trust will also introduce young drivers' education programmes.
Z Rally invites open class
New Zealand's rally championship will be accepting entries from open-class cars for this year's series. The five-round New Zealand Rally Championship encompasses categories from two-wheel classic to FIA Group N four-wheel-drive late model cars.
Danica in line for F1 spot
IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, the first woman to win a top-tier open-wheel race, is being considered to take the cockpit for the recently announced new Formula One entry. The USF1 team has been launched by former Ligier technical director Ken Anderson and ex-Williams and Ferrari team manager Peter Windsor and will be based in North Carolina. Patrick was going to test for Honda F1 late last year but the team's withdrawal from the sport put an end to that.
Superbikes are go
The FIM Superbike World Championship gets underway this weekend at Phillip Island, Australia. It also marks the return of Aprilia and the entry of BMW. Aprilia showed it meant business right from the start by recruiting Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano, while the Germans snapped up double world champion Troy Corser and multiple race winner Ruben Xaus.
