Manfeild loses V8 Utes in drive to cut series costs

MOTOR RACING

The New Zealand V8 Utes series originated in Manawatu, but Manfeild won't be hosting a round of the series this summer.

Manfeild's round has been traded for the Hampton Downs circuit in Meremere.

Invercargill has been scrapped as the series has been scaled down to five events from six. Manfeild appears to be a victim of the scheduling, as has Invercargill.

It is a harsh reality of the economic climate that motorsport has to be done on a budget and teams cannot afford excessive travel.

Series manager Jamie Kett said they wanted a round at Manfeild but the dates didn't fall right.

"We couldn't make it fit with the schedule with the tier-one cars in February.

"It doesn't work in with that calendar. What we have to try and avoid is getting the cars back up and down the country."

Kett said moving the vehicles around was expensive and he couldn't impose excessive travel pressure on teams.

Losing Manfeild was disappointing he said, because it was the home track of the series.

V8 Utes board chairman Ash Cairns (Palmerston North) said having Manfeild miss out wasn't the ideal situation.

"It wasn't our decision and it certainly wasn't Manfeild's," he said. "It was basically a decision made by Motorsport New Zealand."

2009-10 schedule:

Round 1: Taupo October 23-25

Round 2: Pukekohe, December 4-6

Round 3: Hampton Downs, Meremere February 5-7

Round 4: Ruapuna, Christchurch, March 19-21

Round 5: Levels, TimaruMarch 26-28.

- © Fairfax NZ News