The Sports GT category has received a further boost with Auckland’s Nick Chester confirming he will contest the full 2011-12 season in his heavily modified Holden Commodore VZ V8 Supercar.

The Sports GT class is new this season and its an “anything goes” affair – basically the fastest saloon cars in NZ will come out to play, creating great variety on the track plus of course, fantastic racing. Nick’s VZ Commodore will fit right in here, battling it out with ex-TraNZams, Carl Hansen’s TVR Tuscon (which we featured in Race News a few weeks ago) and many more top saloon cars.

Nick, who manages the family business, Chesters Plumbing and Bathroom, came up with the idea of running a Supercar around three years ago. He flew to the South Australian headquarters of Team Dynamik to check out a VZ shell which was originally destined for the Supercar series. Nick cut a deal to purchase the car and Team Dynamik was charged with the task of completing the build. But this wasn’t going to be a V8 Supercar, which in itself is an extremely fast racing machine - Team Dynamik were instructed to make it as fast on track as possible.

Many modifications were made to the brakes, wheels, suspension and aerodynamics of the vehicle. The

rear guards were widened and replaced with carbon fibre moulds to allow for a nine-inch based diff plus the guards were widened to allow for 18 inch rims and slicks.

The Supercar bodykit had to be seriously widened as well, and as with the front guards the whole kit is made out of carbon fibre which is super strong and super light. Add on the Lamborghini rear wing which measures two metres wide and you’ve got an impressive looking race machine.

The Commodore has an impressive engine under the bonnet plus the boot hides a diff cooler, fuel system, dry sump tank and roll centre adjustment for the rear diff. Because the cabin gets seriously hot whilst racing, inside you’ll find an air filter system which plugs directly into Nick’s helmet to allow for fresh, cool air and a separate cooling system which pumps cool air into his race suit.

If you get a chance to take a wander in the pits during one of the race championship events this season you absolutely have to check out Nick’s Commodore and all its other features we just don’t have room to talk about here! We can’t wait to see Nick out on the track, its sure to be impressive.

The MotorSport Company69 Hutt Road | Thorndon | Wellington

PO Box 3793 | WellingtonP: +64 4 472 9559 | F: +64 4 472 9558

tmc@motorsport.org.nz

nzv8s.co.nz

EDITION 11

RACE NEWS29 AUG 2011

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Stuart Dwight, National Events and Partnership Manager, has confirmed that The Radio Network (TRN) will again be the exclusive radio media partner for The MotorSport Company this coming season.

The TRN partnership brings huge marketing and promotional power to the Race Championship Series with comprehensive advertising of every event through their leading network of stations that include Radio Sport, Newstalk ZB, Hauraki, Classic Hits and ZM.

The key to the partnership for TRN is the fact that the Race Championship Series travels nationwide with six events from Pukekohe in Auckland to Teretonga in Invercargill. This gives TRN exclusive radio advertising and promotional activities reaching every market sector and involving virtually all of their nationwide team.

Stuart travelled through the three South Island circuits this week with Geoff Short and Kerry Cooper (TMC Sponsorship Manager and General Manager) visiting each circuit, TRN sales teams and regional promotional groups.

Following on from the Pukekohe Fireworks initiative, the South Island trip has been a great success in laying down the foundations of the promotional plans for our three South Island events. Announcements will follow on the exciting promotional plans for each event that will focus on lifting the quality of event promotion and the entertainment at each event.

Every event in the Race Championship Series will continue to enjoy the benefits of what is one of the largest exclusive partnerships that TRN has with any sporting organisation nationwide.

The level of professionalism and enthusiasm of the TRN team throughout the South Island this week will certainly guarantee the continued success of the southern events.

The South Island circuits are in great shape with a range of improvements well underway for this season.

The Radio Network ready to race this season

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Stuart Dwight visits a sunshine-bathed Teretonga Park last Thursday

The MotorSport Company and the BNT V8s are proud to support Plunket NZ’s Fathers Day charity auction on Trade Me.

The auctions launched on Friday morning and there are heaps of fantastic items to bid on, including a BNT V8s hot lap package which we donated to the cause.

The auctions close on Sun 4 Sept so show your support to Plunket NZ and check out the awesome items and experiences up for grabs. Click on the flyer below or follow this link ….. www.trademe.co.nz/stores/plunket

Plunket NZ’s “A day with Dad” launches on Trade Me

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SERIES CALENDARRd 1: 04-06 Nov 2011 Pukekohe Park RacewayRd 2: 09-11 Dec 2011 Powerbuilt Tools at Ruapuna ParkRd 3: 13-15 Jan 2012 Teretonga ParkRd 4: 20-22 Jan 2012 Timaru International Motor RacewayRd 5: 10-12 Feb 2012 Manfeild ParkRd 6: 09-11 Mar 2012 Taupo Motorsport Park

2012 Int. Toyota Racing Series calendar

Rd 1: 12 - 15 Jan Teretonga ParkRd 2: 19 - 22 Jan Timaru RacewayRd 3: 26 - 29 Jan Taupo Motorsport ParkRd 4: 02 - 05 Feb Hampton DownsRd 5: 09 - 12 Feb Manfeild Park

Earlier last week news came through that Richie Stanaway had taken another huge step forward in his international racing career with confirmation that he will be racing in the GP3 series for the remainder of the season.

That was just the start of an absolutely sensational weekend for Richie who has joined Lotus Art, along with Valtteri Bottas and James Calado.

With just thirty minutes of testing in the car he was second in qualifying on a drying track until the final laps when many teams changed to slicks and Richie was bumped to seventeenth place in the final lap.

In Saturday’s race one he fought through the field to finish eighth which under their race format put him on pole for Sunday’s race two.

Beaten to turn one Richie then pulled off a brilliant overtaking manoeuvre to take the lead and pulled away to win from James Calado by 4.007 seconds.

Television commentators likened his efforts to a young Lewis Hamilton and were full of praise for the talented Kiwi’s drive.

He has joined fellow New Zealander Mitch Evans in the GP3 Series. Mitch had been leading the championship but a number of mechanical issues have seen him slip down the leader board in the last two rounds.

Life is starting to get very busy as Richie is still fully committed to the German Formula 3 series and will need to be back racing at the Euro Speedway Lausitz this weekend. Richie is currently top of the F3 leaderboard, 25 points clear of his nearest rival Sorensen, with all others out of contention for the title.

This all seems a world away from the Tauranga teenager’s racing beginnings as a 16 year old in the NZ Formula Ford championship. His talent was obvious right

from the start with 14 race wins, nine in a row, on his way to winning the championship title.

He went on at the end of that season to race in the Toyota Racing Series event on the Hamilton Streets where he comprehensively beat all other contenders. From there he moved on to contest some rounds of the Australian Formula Ford championship and to Germany to contest several rounds of the Formula Master Championship.

He returned to Germany last season and won the championship comprehensively. This outstanding performance saw him picked up by Gravity Management to contest the German Formula 3 Championship.

His amazing form led to the test with Lotus ART in a Euro Formula 3 with the team taking him on to contest the last two rounds of the GP3 Championship.

Mitch Evans had an up and down weekend with a 2nd in practise followed by 10th in qualifying. In Race 1 he finished 11th and unfortunately had a DNF in Race 2.

We will continue to follow their progress and bring you the results of the final round at the Monza circuit in Italy, 9 to 11 September.

The MotorSport Company69 Hutt Road | Thorndon | Wellington

PO Box 3793 | WellingtonP: +64 4 472 9559 | F: +64 4 472 9558

tmc@motorsport.org.nz

nzv8s.co.nz

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