National endurance races resurrected

National motor racing endurance titles are being resurrected after an absence of almost 25 years.

Two new 500km endurance races are to be contested at Hampton Downs near Auckland in June.

The Altherm 1000, officially launched this week at Hampton Downs by promoters, The MotorSport Company (TMC), will take place on June 5-6 and encompass two 500km races and six national endurance titles.

Each day will feature a 500km, four-hour limit, race with a minimum of two drivers per car.

Saturday's race will be an open class competition for top open class honours and will also include the GT3 Porsche title. The V8s, New Zealand's premier class, will race on Sunday with production, mini and Suzuki classes for individual class titles.

"Motorsport New Zealand has not awarded any national endurance titles since the Castrol GTX Series and Benson & Hedges Series were discontinued in 1986," TMC sponsorship manager Geoff Short said today.

"We know it's going to be a popular event because we've had huge interest already. It will be well organised and promoted and for the competitors there's the lure of national titles up for grabs."

Drivers will cover 179 laps of the undulating 2.8km Hampton Downs circuit, negotiating 1071 corners in the process.

- NZPA