Competing at the Repco Supercars Championship round at Pukekohe Park Raceway in September 2022 is one of the highlights of the now confirmed 2022/23 Giltrap North Island Formula Ford Series (NIFF) summer racing calendar. Also confirmed is the continued sponsorship from the Giltrap Group for another season.
“We are delighted to support North Island Formula Ford for the coming season,” commented Richard Giltrap from the Giltrap Group. “When the category refreshed itself two years ago, we saw their vision and we liked it as this category is the backbone of our future champions.”
The Supercars round will see NIFF competitors racing in front of the biggest motorsport crowd in NZ as well as a huge live TV audience across Australasia. The three-days of racing includes two hours on track with practice, qualifying and three 20-minute races. The round is expected to attract a number of South Island drivers joining a large North Island contingent. Also on board for the Supercars event is regular national Formula Ford sponsor NAPA Auto Parts.
The season gets underway a week before the 9-11 September Supercars round, at Manfeild Park Chris Amon (4-5 September) in Feilding. Two more rounds complete the first half of the season before Christmas with a return to Pukekohe Park Raceway, 8 October, for a one-day meeting and then to the Taupo International Motorsport Park 20 November.
After a summer break, the season returns with back-to-back meetings in February in support of the final two rounds of the 2023 Castrol Toyota Racing Series, including the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Hampton Downs. The intensity certainly increases with these two rounds also doubling as the first two rounds of the NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Formula Ford Championship which should also attract a number of South Island drivers to enter.
Before the final round at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, 14-16 April, a number of drivers will elect to head to the South Island to compete in the final two NZ Formula Ford Championship rounds, both in March over consecutive weekends.
With the popularity of Formula Ford at an all-time high, the North Island grids are expected to swell after a very successful 2021/22 season which saw Auckland driver, Bree Morris, with the title, the first female winner of a New Zealand Formula Ford series.
“While we only finished last season at the end of May, interest is really good with newcomers from Kartsport and Formula First,” commented NIFF series Chairman Shane Drake. “Our final round saw three new competitors turn up and we have around five cars that will turn up next season that weren’t with us this year. However, we will lose a few to as they head up the motorsport ladder chasing their dream.”
The Giltrap Group North Island Formula Ford Series is also supported by Yokohama, the Tony Quinn Foundation and NAPA Auto Parts.
2022/23 Giltrap Group North Island Formula Ford Series Calendar
Rnd 1: 4-5 September 2022, Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feilding
Rnd 2: 9-11 September 2022, Pukekohe Park Raceway, Auckland – Supercars round
Rnd 3: 8 October 2022, Pukekohe Park Raceway (long track), Auckland
Rnd 4: 20 November 2022, Taupo International Motorsport Park, Taupo
Rnd 5: 3-5 February 2023, Hampton Downs, Waikato, NZ Grand Prix meeting – doubles as a national championship round in support of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series
Rnd 6: 10-12 February 2023, Taupo International Motorsport Park, Taupo – doubles as a national championship round in support of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series
Rnd 7 14-16 April 2023, Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, Feilding
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