‘Fresh Challenge’ As 30+strong Nazcar Pro Series Field Heads To Taupo For Second Round On Saturday

Just as his core group of NaZCAR Pro Series teams got used to running their predominantly budget-built cars quickly and reliably round the 2.7km ‘national circuit’ at the Hampton Downs’ motor racing complex in the northern Waikato, series organiser Dr Jacob Simonsen reckons that the second round of the 2022 3 & 6 Hr Pro Series – being held at the Taupo Interenational Motorsport Park this Saturday (July 30) - could well produce a very different result.

“Heading to a new venue is always a fresh challenge as well as a great leveler, particularly when it’s a good three or four hours away – as Taupo is - for most of our (Auckland-based) series regulars, Dr Simonsen said last night.

“ You’ve got to have a plan of action for if or when things go pear-shaped as they often do in endurance racing – and obviously, you’ve also got to be able to put that plan into action from a place which is a long way from you and your car’s home base.

“So yes, I’m not expecting a carbon copy of the results from our first round, put it that way!”

Even sorting out suitable time bands for each of the four classes the field is split into to allow Dr Simonsen to calculate the overall winner and placegetters in the Index of Efficiency award category took ‘at least twice, possibly as much as three times as long’ to work out thanks to the now Tony Quinn-owned circuit and venue being a fresh, new addition to the NaZCAR Pro Series’ calendar this year.

The Taupo time bands start at 1:41.000 –1:44.999 (Pro1) and head down to the 1:58.00 to 2:06.00 of the Pro 4 category. There is also an immediate DQ zone of between 1:40.00 and 1: 40.999.

Whether the DQ zone is breached is something of a moot point , however, with heavy rain predicted across the greater Taupo region on race day (Saturday).

As far as a form guide goes its hard to look past the two first-past-the-post race winners at Hampton Downs earlier in the month, the BMW E36 coupe of Team Mag Motorsport’s Garry Cammock and Michael Jane (6Hr) and the BMW 318ti Compact of Team Super Mates Racing’s Reece Hendl-Cox, Lee Zeltwanger and Cullern Thorby (3 Hr.).

The Team Stickman Racing duo of Karl Gaines and Lance Gerlach from West Auckland also deserve a mention after a very competitive debut (first Class 2 car home & 2nd in the 6 Hr.) in their own, newly acquired BMW E36 coupe.

In Index of Efficiency terms, it is also hard to look past the big winner at the opening round of this year’s NaZCAR Pro Series at Hampton Downs on Saturday July 09, the diminutive Class 4 Mazda 3 sedan of Team Assassin Racing’s Mal Chamberlain and David & Nathan Cox.

Despite being one of the smaller and least modified cars in the 33-car field, the Team Assassin Mazda was a picture of consistency and pace to top the Index of Efficiency (IoE) category in both the 3Hr and the 6 Hr. events.

In the 3 Hr. race which started concurrently with the 6 Hr at 11.00am and ran until 2.00pm , the Team Assassin Mazda completed 108 laps (out of a theoretical possible total of 124 to finish 9th overall for an IoE rating of 87.1%. The trio again also claimed the Index of Efficiency honours - by an even greater margin at that! - in the 6 Hour standings, the Mazda completing 209 laps (out of theoretically possible 248) to cross the finish line 7th overall and again, first in its (Class 4) class.

As well as regulars from organizer Dr Jacob Simonsen’s other novelty 6, 8, 12 & 24-hour NaZCAR endurance events, the first two rounds of this year’s three-round Pro Series have also seen entries from existing motorsport, speedway and KartSport groups and individuals.

The third and final round of the 2022 NaZCAR Pro Series will be held at the soon-to-be-closed Pukekohe Park Raceway, Pukekohe on Saturday August 20.

More information on upcoming NaZCAR events can be found on the 24 hours of NaZCAR page on Facebook at facebook.com/Nazcar24

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