Too close to call for Three-Hour NZ Endurance Champs this Saturday at Highlands

Picking a clear favourite for this Saturday’s Three-Hour New Zealand Endurance Championship race at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell may prove too difficult for punters. While on form, Sam Fillmore/Jonny Reid (Audi R9 Evo2) have been the team to beat, Andrew Fawcet/Daniel Gaunt (Mclaren 720S) proved in the last South Island Endurance Series race that this is achievable. Add in Shane Helms/Greg Murphy (Renault RS01), Chris van der Drift/Lance Hughes (Nissan GTR), Glenn Smith/John DeVeth (McLaren 650S GT3) plus Scott O’Donnell (Porsche GT3R) who has teamed up with Ryan Wood, and we have a real race on our hands.

**Current North Island champions Paul and Ant Pedersen Mercedes AMG GT3 -photo by Euan Cameron**

Also to watch are the two Mercedes AMG GT3s of Paul Pedersen/Ant Pedersen and Hayden Knighton/Kane Lawson. The Pedersen’s are the current North Island Three-Hour champions while Knighton and Lawson finished on the podium in the recently completed South Island series.

**Scott O’Donnell will team up with Ryan Wood – photo by Terry Marshall**

O’Donnell and Wood may be the dark horse in the field and could be a surprise for some competitors. Wood is currently competing in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge in Australia with Earl Bamber Motorsport and fighting for the overall Pro title. He is a past winner of the One-hour South Island series and has plenty of Toyota 86 experience on NZ tracks, finishing third overall in 2021.

***#101 Andrew Fawcet/Daniel Gaunt and #27 Sam Fillmore-Jonny Reid will continue their rivalry – photo by Terry Marshall***

In the winner-takes-all one race decider, Class titles are also on the line. The overall winner will likely come from Class 1 (GT3) while Class 2 (GT Type) is hard to predict with the very competitive Heremana Melmezac/Jono Lester (Porsche 991 Cup MR) up against Steve Brooks/Bill Riding (Porsche 992 Cup Car), and Francois Beziac/Tom Alexander (Porsche 991 Cup MR).

Class 3 (>3500cc + GT4) will see a battle between Marco Giltrap/Simon Evans (Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR), David Cremer/Jason Leifting (McLaren 570s GT4) and David Rogers/Brian Green (McLaren 570 GT4). Barry Moore/James Peterson (Audi R8 GT 2.0T) will be quick in Class 4 (2000cc-3500cc) while Grant and Matt Moore (Toyotya Altezza) and Andrew and Will Kitching (Toyota GT86) will resume their rivalry in Class 5 (0-2000cc).

Testing for the 2022 New Zealand Endurance Championship takes place on Friday with a 15min qualifying session at 9:50am Saturday morning and the race set to go at 1:30pm.

***The stunning Renault RS01 of Shane Helms/Greg Murphy – photo by Terry Marshall***

Three-Hour Entry list (# Driver 1/Driver 2, Car)
20 Andrew Brunton/Jarrod Parmenter Mazda RX8
24 Barry Moore/James Paterson Audi R8 GT 2.0T
27 Sam Fillmore/Jonny Reid Audi R8 Evo 2
51 Shane Helms/Greg Murphy Renault RS01
61 David Rogers/Brian Green McLaren 570GT4
64 Marco Giltrap/Simon Evans Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
65 Grant Askew/Cole Askew Golf GTITCR
76 Andrew Kitching/Will Kitching, Toyota GT86
84 Lance Hughes/Chris Van Der Drift Nissan GTR
88 Steve Brooks/Bill Riding Porsche 992 Cup Car
89 Hayden Knighton/Kane Lawson Mercedes AMG GT3
90 Glenn Smith/John DeVeth McLaren 650S GT3
96 Paul Pedersen/Anthony Pedersen Mercedes-AMG GT3
101 Andrew Fawcet/Daniel Gaunt Mclaren 720S
117 Michael Hall/T.B.C. VW Golf GTi TCR
171 Grant Moore/Matt Moore Toyota Altezza
417 Ben Silcock/Andre Simon Honda CRX
620 David Cremer/Jason Liefting McLaren 570S GT4
909 Francois Beziac/Tom Alexander, Porsche 991 Cup MR
910 Heremana Malmezac/Jono Lester, Porsche 991 Cup MR
912 Scott O’Donnell/Ryan Wood Porsche GT3R