South Island Endurance Series kicks into action this weekend

| Photographer Credit: Terry Marshall

The 2025 South Island Endurance Series kicks into action this weekend with the opening McDermid Auto Collective Round 1 being held at the Euromarque Motorsport Park in Christchurch.

Qualifying and three races will take place on Saturday with fine windy weather forecasted.

This season sees the moving of the very competitive TCR cars into the One-Hour Class 3 leaving the door open for outright victory in the Class 4 & 5 One-Hour title chase.

Seventeen cars will compete in this category while the focus may be on the Class 1, 2 & 3 One-Hour race with 31 cars competing for class and overall honours.

Hugh Gardiner (Porsche) winner of opening 2024 SIERDC One-Hour round – photo Richard Opie

Lining up on the grid are a number of past race and overall winners, including Nick Chester (Holden Commodore VY), Hugh Gardiner (Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup), Pel Arnott (Hyundai I30 N TCR), Dwayne Carter (Mercedes Benz AMG GT3), Jordan Michels (Marc II Mustang), James Paterson (Audi R8), Nigel Cromie (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup), Adam Julian (Audi R8 LMS Ultra GT3) the return of Scotty McDermid (Toyota 86 Enduro) and Steve Brooks/Bill Riding (Porsche 992 Cup Car).

Glen Brazier – Andrew Waite Lamborghini GT3 Evo – SIERDC 2024 Round 2 3 Hour Race-photo Richard Opie

The Three-Hour race may see a battle between Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.  Thirteen cars will take to the grid with favourites likely to come from the Audi camp with Steve Brooks/Bill Riding (Audi R8 GT3) up against Luke Manson/James Penrose (Audi R8 GT3).

Ronan Murphy joins Hayden Knighton and Kane Lawson in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with the experienced Glenn Brazier/Andrew Waite combination also in a Lamborghini Huracan GT3.  A third Lamborghini will see rookie Matthew Day teaming up with Damon Leitch.

One Hour Class 1,2,3 field
(Driver/Driver 2, Car, Class)
Michael Bushell/Angus McFarlane, Porsche GT3 Cup, 3
Marco Schelp, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, 2
Grant Aitken, Audi R8 GT4, 3
Nick Chester,Holden Commodore VY, 2
Hugh Gardiner, Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup, 1
Pel Arnott, Hyundai I30 N TCR, 3
Dwayne Carter, Mercedes Benz AMG GT3, 1
Jordan Michels, Marc II Mustang, 1
James Paterson, Audi R8, 3
Nigel Cromie, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1
Kent Quinn, Porsche GT4 982 RS, 3
Braydon Phillips, Ford Falcon FG, 2
Craig Mitchell, Ginetta G55 GT4, 3
Jaden Ransley,Ford Falcon FG, 2
John MacKay ,Seat Cupra TCR, 3
Steve Scoles, Ginetta G55 G56 Evo, 3
David Rogers, McLaren 570S GT4, 3
Cole Askew, Volkswagen Golf GTITCR, 3
Russell McKenzie, Porsche GT4 RS Clubsport, 3
Steve Dent, Ford Falcon FG, 2
Adam Julian, Audi R8 LMS Ultra GT3, 1
Scotty McDermid, Toyota 86 Enduro, 3
S Brooks /B Riding, Porsche 992 Cup Car, 1
Paul Kelly, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1
Bradley Rule, Holden Commodore VEII, 2
Lindsay O’Donnell, McLaren 570S GT4, 3
John Beck, Porsche 911.1 GT3 Cup, 2
Garry Derrick, Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup, 1
Scott O’Donnell, Hyundai I30N TCR, 3
Grant Silvester, Ford Mustang, 3
M Dippie /A Dippie, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1

One Hour Class 4 & 5 field (Driver/Driver 2, Car, Class)
Grant Williams, Toyota GT86, 4
Donovan Isted, Honda Civic, 5
James Mitchell, Honda Civic, 5
Conley Webley, BMW Z4 M Coupe, 4
Mal Walters, Mazda RX8, 4
Nathan Grammer, Toyota 86 GR, 4
S Mills/S Crampton, Toyota 86, 5
Toby Elmiger, Toyota 86, 5
Andrew Bartlett, Honda Integra, 5
Mac Templeton, Mazda RX8, 4
Lincoln Brunton, Mazda RX8, 4
Chris Wall, Honda Civic Type R, 5
Duncan Cundall-Curry, BMW M1 GTR E87, 4
Andrew John Powell, Toyota 86, 5
Dan Kelly, BMW M3 E46, 4
P Booth/D Booth, BMW 318TI, 5
Nieko Scoles, Mazda MX5, 5

Three Hour Field (Driver/Driver 2, Car, Class)
A Childe/T Alexander, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1
G Rhodes/P Rickerby, Mustang II V8, 1
G Brazier/A Waite, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, GT
M Day/D Leitch, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, GT
B Moore/A Giles, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, 3
K Lawson/R Murphy/H Knighton, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, GT
P Kelly/K Ngatoa, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1
C Wall/D Hammond/D Thomsen, Honda Civic Type R, 5
D Cundall-Curry/B Knowles, BMW M1 GTR E87, 4
M Luke/J Penrose, Audi R8 GT3, GT
S Brooks/B Riding, Audi R8 GT3, GT
S Cotterill/M Vidau, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1
M Dippie/A Dippie, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, 1

Benjamin Carrell is a freelance motorsport writer and currently edits talkmotorsport.co.nz. He writes for a number of Kiwi drivers and motorsport clubs. That's when he's not working in his horticultural day-job or training for the next road or mtb cycle race!

https://talkmotorsport.co.nz

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