Scott hopes to retain his NZ V8 title

Figuring out Canterbury's weather has got Kayne Scott stonkered, although he has had more fortune unravelling the secrets of the Ruapuna circuit in recent years.

Hamilton-based Scott has stitched together three wins and a second at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway in the last four years and last year's victory contributed to him lifting the New Zealand touring cars V8 title.

Yesterday the nor'wester was forecast to push the mercury up to 27 degrees Celsius but when the defending V8 champion spoke to The Press in the morning he was left wondering if the weather boffins had read the wrong tea leaves.

"I don't know where they got the 27-degree forecast from, they might have the decimal in the wrong place," Scott reckoned.

The province is expected to be raked by a southerly today that may bring its share of rain and that could have an affect on qualifying – although it is expected to clear for the three races staged tomorrow.

"Hopefully that rains stays away – we have a dry weather car," Scott noted.

Unlike the weather, Scott can control his destiny this weekend and is out to make amends following a disappointing result in the opening round at Pukekohe on November 6-8 when any chance of a podium finish ended when he got smacked from behind in the reverse-grid race.

"While the damage looked superficial, it was actually quite major and we were lucky to finish the last race."

A guard was rammed into the front suspension and, among other things, the radiator got a close-up view of the engine which resulted in it suffering high temperatures.

While he loves a super-quick circuit such as Teretonga, Scott's record of success proves the more technical Ruapuna circuit does not bother him.

"It is unique in that it has a mixture of tight and fast and as a consequence you have cars that are fast in one area of one part of the track and not the other. It makes for really good racing."

Married with three children, the 42-year-old juggles his work in a business that manufactures automotive parts with his car racing and admits he would be lost if he had not been involved in this all-consuming passion.

"I don't know what I would have done with my life if I had not been motor racing. It gets harder (juggling family, business and his car racing), the older you get.

"It does get difficult but one of the things you learn is how to deal with that. I am very comfortable racing in the New Zealand V8s."

After Woodend's Eddie Bell surprisingly won at Pukekohe, Scott will not be the only driver to make amends at Ruapuna.

Upper Moutere's John McIntyre finished second in the opening round – nine points behind Bell – and his chances were not helped when the officials stopped him exiting the pit lane ahead of the second race. He had to start the second race from pit lane and finished ninth.

Qualifying will be held today, followed by three races tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News