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Locals to be Strong Challengers in NZV8 Touring Cars

Media release: 9th January 2014

NZV8 Touring Cars
www.nzv8touringcars.co.nz

Locals Expected to be Strong Challengers in NZV8 Touring Cars Championship

Exciting V8 powered competition is assured this weekend for Invercargill when the NZV8 Touring Cars TLX and TL class hit Teretonga Park for the second round of their national championship.

Two drivers from Invercargill Grant Molloy and Liam MacDonald will offer strong challenges in the TL class at this round of the national series both with the machinery and ability to take a race win or two or maybe even a clean sweep from the three races scheduled for the weekend.

Molloy currently sits in third position on the championship table behind Lower Hutt's James McLaughlin and Hamilton's Ian Booth after a hard fought opening round at Pukekohe Park Raceway in November.

Taking a podium finish in race two with a third place he dropped out of the running for second when a spin placed him down the field.

The Southland driver still managed to drive well enough over the weekend to earn the points needed to sit third overall after one round.

In his ENZED Ford Falcon Molloy can be expected to use his homegrown knowledge to gain an advantage for more points and potentially one or more race wins this weekend.

On the other side of the coin and competing his first round of the 2013-14 season is Liam MacDonald who at just 16 has a mere three rounds of NZV8 Touring Car experience behind him from last year's efforts.

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"I did karts when I was about five but that was a few years ago and I have done nothing really before jumping into the NZV8s last season which was pretty good." said MacDonald.

Still a student at James Hargest College, MacDonald is driving the Discount Tyres Ford Falcon which has some impressive history with being driven in the series previously by Australian V8 Supercar driver David Besnard and World Touring Car champion Paul Radisich.

"We are still working on the car and we're not sure if it is competitive yet but the goal for this weekend is just to keep the car in one piece ." he said.

Having the right machinery is integral for winning races so already there is potential for the young driver to set Teretonga Park alight and perhaps also earn a win or two.

Stiff competition for these local drivers will come from those such as the top runners in the NZV8TC TL class James McLaughlin and Ian Booth who raced very strongly at the opening round against Molloy and sit first, second and third respectively.

With Molloy and MacDonald representing Invercargill, Nathan Pilcher coming from nearby Winton and Dunedin's Ross Cameron also pitching in, rest assured both Southland and Otago will be very well represented in this top level national championship round.

A large field of NZV8TC TL class Holden and Ford cars plus a full complement of the New Generation NZV8TC TLX class Holden, Ford and Toyota cars are entered for this weekend's V8 powered high speed competition at Teretonga Park so there is no doubt it will be entertaining and a must for motorsport fans.

The on-track action gets underway this Saturday with morning practice sessions and qualifying at 1:45PM followed by a top 10 shootout to determine the start order for the weekend's first race that afternoon at 4:30PM.

On Sunday the action heats up with two more races including a reverse grid start for race two at 12:12PM where anything can happen when the field of V8s enter the treacherous first turn for which Teretonga Park is well known for.

The final NZV8 Touring Car race of the weekend starts at 3:57PM and is longer at 25 laps plus it involves a compulsory pitstop for the faster New Generation TLX cars creating a high pressured race to the flag between them and the TL class involving much weaving and dicing for position.

More on the NZV8 Touring Cars

The NZV8 Touring Cars' season roared into action after a very exciting first round held at the Thunder in the Park event at Pukekohe Park Raceway in November 2013.

Jason Bargwanna drove his Toyota Camry to claim two race victories and the TLX class win ahead of Holden Commodore driver Nick Ross with one race win followed by Shaun Varney in third with his Ford Falcon.

Holden Commodore driver James McLaughlin took out the TL class win ahead of another Holden driver Ian Booth followed by Grant Molloy in a Ford Falcon.

The NZV8 Touring Cars season comes back to life at Invercargill's Teretonga Park this weekend of 11 to 12th January.

Back to back rounds sees the field head to Timaru International Motor Raceway the following weekend of the 18 to 19th January.

The NZV8 Touring Cars compete at Manfeild Park 8-9 February and Taupo Motorsport Park 8-9 March before both the NZV8 Touring Cars and the V8 Supertourers will be included as support classes for the Australian V8 Supercars event at Pukekohe Park Raceway on the 25 to 27th of April 2014.

NZV8 Touring Cars Calendar
Rd 1 Pukekohe Park Raceway 16-17 November 2013 (completed)
Rd 2 Teretonga Park, Invercargill 11-12 January 2014
Rd 3 Timaru International Motor Raceway 18-19 January 2014
Rd 4 Manfeild, Feilding (NZ Grand Prix) 08-09 February 2014
Rd 5 Taupo Motorsport Park 08-09 March 2014
Rd 6 Pukekohe Park (V8 Supercars) 25-27 April 2014 (ANZAC Weekend)

NZV8 Touring Cars supports the “KID IN CARS CHARITY TRUST”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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