The Formula Open New Zealand (FONZ) category is in great health heading into the 2022/23 season with an additional 10 cars and drivers expected to enter the series for the coming season.
The 2022/23 season will see a restructured series with two separate groups racing together on track. The idea is to give young drivers coming out of Formula First and Formula Ford a chance to race in a competitive wings and slicks class giving them the experience before they move on to the Toyota Racing Series and other overseas categories.
Some exciting ‘young guns’ are looking at joining with no less than five Formula Ford, First and kartsport drivers expected to confirm their intention.
The series has attracted the support of some famous past champions that will put their names on two separate trophies. Multiple Tasman Cup winner Jim Palmer who will present a trophy in his name to the season winner of Group 1 which will be contested by ex TRS FT40’s, Formula Renaults, Pre1989, Formula Atlantics, Formula Suzuki.
Multiple Malaysian and Singapore Grand Prix and Formula 5000 winner, Graeme Lawrence, will present a cup in his name to the winner of Group 2 for ex TRS FT50, post 1989 Formula Atlantics and post 1978 Supervee and pre 2010 Formula 3.
Both groups have an even amount of cars entered and will be on track together racing with an identical points scale. At the end of the season the driver/car with the highest total amount of points will be the recipient of the Howden Ganley Cup.
Ganley was a Kiwi works BRM driver in Formula 1 and partnered with Tim Schenken in manufacturing TIGA (pronounced Tiger) cars.
FONZ will feature at six rounds of Classic and Historic race meetings around New Zealand in the coming season with one qualifying session and two, eight lap races and one ten lap race at each round.
Dates are:
MG Classic Manfield 12/13 Nov 22
Historic GP TIMP Taupo 21/22 Jan 23
Skope Classic Ruapuna 4/5 Feb 23
Tasman Revival Pukekohe 26/26 Feb 23
Legends of Speed Hampton Downs 18/19 Mar 23
Great Lake Taupo TIMP Taupo 15-Apr-23
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