NZV8 Touring Cars Back With a Vengeance   23 Oct 2014

Media release: Thursday 23rd October 2014

NZV8 Touring Cars
www.nzv8touringcars.co.nz

NZV8 Touring Cars Back With a Vengeance

The NZV8 Touring Cars promise a season to remember with an exciting line up of drivers and race meetings throughout the country including a return to Christchurch's Ruapuna circuit and the first appearance of the series at Hampton Downs just south of Auckland.

The opening round at Hampton Downs is upon us next weekend on November 1st and 2nd.

Round One is expected to draw a crowd to what will be a high-speed weekend of V8 powered competition with the NZV8 Touring Cars TL and TLX cars setting forth to provide excellent and exciting on-track action for yet another season.

With much work done over the off season and in the interests of the public next weekend the NZV8 Touring Cars will be at Hampton Downs alongside other popular formulas including the V8 Supertourers for their third shared meeting.

Top billing V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna from Australia returns for his third season of the NZV8 Touring Cars and will pilot Richards Team Motorsport's Toyota Camry to take on defending champion Nick Ross in the New Generation TLX category.

Ross and Bargwanna battled to the final race of the series earlier this year at the V8 Supercars meeting in Pukekohe with the driver from Cambridge eventually becoming victorious over the Aussie to pick up the trophy in his Holden Commodore.

Ross and Bargwanna had battled continuously throughout the six round season swapping lead in the championship several times and providing some classic, exciting motorsport moments for the crowds.

For this season Nick Ross will be driving Concept Motorsport's brand new Nissan Altima with which he will fight hard to defend his title.

Taking on a brand new car and an unproven brand in the series will be a risky move for the long standing NZV8 driver who has watched the V8 Supercar version of the Altima with much interest and saw a change into the brand as an opportunity not to be missed.

The Altima will join the growing line up of TLX car brands which also includes Toyota, Holden and Ford.

The New generation TLX cars share the same chassis and gear box with individually sourced V8 powerplants from the relevant manufacturer parity-tuned to around 500 horsepower.

In the NZV8 Touring Cars TL category the resurgence of iconic Team Kiwi Racing is the big news for the class as the team can see a wonderful opportunity in re-entering the national championship.

Entering in style, TKR have signed another icon in New Zealand motorsport Craig Baird and have also purchased the 2013-14 championship winning car in a strong bid to win the series in their first season of return.

Baird needs no introduction with a list of motorsport accolades from here and around the world earning him international acclaim, but is perhaps known best to New Zealanders for his time in V8 Supercars including his previous relationship with TKR in that series.

TKR will also be running a second car with the job of driving it being awarded to an upcoming driver of their choice yet to be decided but as a scholarship to promote kiwi talent into professional motorsport.

The classic NZV8 Touring Cars TL category is the perfect battle ground for not only proven top drivers such as Baird but those on the way up through the ranks and destined for great things on the world's motorsport platform.

Defending TL champion Ian Booth will not be competing this year as he concentrates on his off-track role as NZV8 Touring Cars Chairman.

Lower Hutt's James McLaughlin could be the strongest challenge to Baird after leading the championship throughout the majority of last season only to lose the lead with a series of mishaps at the final round in April.

Another tough challenger comes in the form of Auckland's Kevin Williams who won the final round at Pukekohe in his Ford Falcon putting on a strong performance in front of the massive V8 Supercar crowd.

Williams now moving into a Holden Commodore introduces the brand new NZV8 420-400WR powerplant into the series which he believes will be a very exciting option for the future of this popular championship.

With two internationally acclaimed V8 Supercars drivers, a V8 Supercars team and a list of drivers both veteran and promising talents on the rise, the NZV8 Touring Cars brings all the action a motorsport fan could possibly want in two very competitive fast, V8 powered categories.

The NZV8 Touring Cars begin competing around New Zealand from next weekend at Hampton Downs with their six round calendar including Pukekohe, Ruapuna, Teretonga, Manfeild and a grand final at the V8 Supercars event in April 2015.

Ends

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