Fans support V8SuperTourers at CRC Speedshow

25 July 2011

Fans support V8SuperTourers at CRC Speedshow

Hundreds of fans lined up to meet the stars of the new V8SuperTourers class – including Kiwi V8 racing hero Greg Murphy – at the 23 to 24 July running of CRC Speedshow in Auckland.

Hundreds more took advantage of a special two-for-one ticket offer for the opening meeting of the new race series at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, showing the V8SuperTourers have made a significant impact with V8 racing fans even though the first race is still nearly seven months away.

Murphy joined other confirmed V8SuperTourer drivers John McIntyre (Nelson), Andy Booth, (North Shore, Auckland) Paul Manuell (Pukekohe), Andre Heimgartner (Howick, Auckland), Ant Pedersen (Hamilton), Andy Knight (Christchurch), and Richard Moore (Auckland) at the two-day motorsport and automotive expo to promote the new series.

The striking black and white prototype V8SuperTourer race car shared the limelight with the drivers, with fans literally running towards the V8SuperTourer display every time the 7-litre, all-alloy, fuel-injected V8 engine was fired up by V8SuperTourers Ltd director and engineer Garry Pedersen.

“It has been a most exciting weekend, talking with fans, telling them about the new cars and the series and hearing how much they’re all looking forward to seeing us race in February next year,” says V8ST driver Andy Booth.

“Ticket sales for our opening round have been phenomenal, which and speaks volumes about the support our new series already has. It’s tremendous and we really appreciate V8 fans stepping up to talk with us to share the excitement that this series is going to bring to New Zealand motorsport.”

The inaugural season of V8SuperTourers racing gets underway at Hampton Downs in February with a mix of sprint and endurance races planned for the first season’s seven rounds. At Hampton Downs, using the 2.8km track, the V8SuperTourers are expected to reach speeds in excess of 260km/h on the unique 1km-long front straight leading across the start-finish line.

The 2012 V8SuperTourer calendar has two parts, a sprint championship and an endurance championship, with a mid-winter break between late May and early August.

Sprint Championship
Round 1: 17-19 February – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato
Round 2: 30 March – 1 April – Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Christchurch
Round 3: 27-29 April – Manfeild, Fielding
Round 4: 18-20 May – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato

Endurance Championship
Round 5: 10-12 August – Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo
Round 6: 21-23 September – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato
Round 7: 26-28 October – Final, Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, Christchurch
Note: All dates subject to change on confirmation of V8Supercar Championship calendar.

The V8SuperTourer Series is billed as the ‘V8 Series Of Champions’ and features a star-studded grid including Murphy and former NZV8 champions McIntyre, Booth, Manuell, Hamilton’s Kayne Scott and Queensland-based Kiwi Craig Baird, along with up-and-coming talented drivers such as Knight, Pedersen, Moore and Heimgartner.

Further details can be found on the V8SuperTourers website http://www.v8supertourers.co.nz.

ENDS

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