Is it time for the NZ Touring Car Trophy to find a new home?

It appears to be a prudent decision announced by the 2019/20 BNT V8s Championship category management not to travel south to compete in the two Speed Works events in January 2020. It also raises questions about the long term viability of the championship and whether the MotorSport NZ Touring Car Trophy should now be awarded to another series.

The high costs for competitors to travel south has been cited as the reason for the revised calendar, as well as the move by the Australia Supercars Championship to shift their NZ event date to April. Hence there will be three championship rounds at Pukekohe, and one each at Hampton Downs and Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon (NZ Grand Prix meeting).

BNT V8s Category Manager Gary Lathrope is quoted saying, ” “We believe the amended Calendar will work well and that it will give a number of the North Island based cars that hadn’t planned on travelling to the South Island the opportunity to contest the entire Championship now that it is just North Island based.” And that’s the kicker! It is now become just a North Island Series.

The category has continued to struggle for a number of years to get numbers on the grid, and credit must go to those who are committed to the championship. It may continue for sometime yet but it raises the question whether the NZ Touring Car Trophy should find another home.

Gene Rollinson and Rhys Gould Hyundai i30N TCR, Highlands Motorsport Park 2019 – Photo: Euan Cameron

Waiting in the wings in the inaugural TCR New Zealand Series that will get underway in January 2020. The quick-fire five round championship takes place on the same dance-card as the Castrol Toyota Racing Series with two rounds in the South Island followed by three in the North Island.

The TCR category is the latest international category that is turning heads and attracting drivers and teams. Running a successful series in NZ this summer shouldn’t be a problem and it will give the emerging category the licence to knock on MotorSport NZ’s door asking for the NZ Touring Car Trophy to be awarded to their top driver in 2021.

See Also: BNT V8s Announce Revised Calendar

The new amended 2019/20 BNT V8s Championship Calendar

• Round 2 – Pukekohe November 29 -Dec 1, 2019

• Round 3 – Pukekohe 7 – 9 February, 2020

• Round 4 – Manfeild 14 – 16 February, 2020

• Round 5 – Hampton Downs – 27 – 29 March, 2020

• Round 6 – Pukekohe (Supercars) 24 – 26 April, 2020