V8 SuperTourers on horizon

It has been hailed as the biggest shake up to motorsport in New Zealand and just ten days out from the V8 SuperTourers hitting the Hampton Downs track for the first time in competition mode all sixteen competitors are expected to make their first official appearance at Friday’s only test day at the same circuit.

The V8 SuperTourers is the brain child of current V8NZ team owners Mark Petch, Wayne Anderson, and Garry Pederson with the cars based on a more cost effective monocoque chassis, similar to the Australian V8 Supercars Car of the Future (COTF) project, and built to accommodate both the current VE Holden Commodore and FG Ford Falcon bodies as well as any other four-door production vehicle.

Paul Ceprnich,  of Pace Innovations Australia, was entrusted with the role of designing and building the chassis of the future proofed V8 SuperTourer which is similar in concept to the Australian V8 Supercar Car of the Future and after initial planning and early building stages this Friday will see the first time most of the sixteen cars that will make up the field for the inaugural season will hit the track.

Hampton Downs, which plays host to the first round of the championship between the 17th and 19th of February, will be the scene of action with the only official test day as cobwebs are blown out and the series drivers have their last crack at getting use to the car before the season-proper begins.

Greg Murphy, the ambassador of the V8 SuperTourers, has already shown fans what to expect with a number of test days while driving the VE Holden Commodore prototype with images and video’s already appearing on the internet to wet the appetite of race fans from both sides of the tasman.

The V8 SuperTourers will feature four sprint rounds held at Hampton Downs, Powerbuilt Tools Raceway (Christchurch), Manfield (Fielding), and then back to Hampton Downs before a mid-season break before the two-driver endurance races begin in Taupo, Hampton Downs with the season finale being hosted at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway.

This years racing calendar has been designed to revolve around the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in order to allow many of the drivers who will be competing in both championships to be able to compete without conflicts, and in a bid to try and entice further V8 Supercar Drivers to jump across the tasman sea for the endurance races.

Sixteen cars will make up the inaugural season of the V8 SuperTourers with a plan to ultimately expand to twenty in the years to come. A who’s-who of motorsport make up the drivers list for the inaugural season which includes the likes of Kiwi-motorsport legend Greg Murphy, Craig Baird, Steven Richards, Kayne Scott, Jonny Reid, John McIntyre and Scott McLaughlin just a few of the names who will take part.

While New Zealand racing fans will enjoy most of the series live on TV3′s Gillette Motorsport show there has been no word for Australian or global broadcasters.

The championship begins on February 17 at Hampton Downs.

For more information on the V8 SuperTourers visit: www.v8st.co.nz