HRC Releases 2015-2016 Race Dates

Hrc Releases 2015-2016 Race Dates for Historic And Modern Racing

The Historic Racing Club has released its dates for the 2015-2016 season for its historic and modern racing events and although there is no increase in the amount of dates, the content of each looks set to change.

Key is the April 30 2016 date at Hampton Downs which was an NZRDL date and which is now being promoted as a series finale for the country’s best club classes. Early planning is underway for this event and it is hoped to offer TV coverage to each class as well as providing a well-promoted meeting when champions can be crowned and honoured.

The HRC itself organises and promotes more race meetings than all other circuit racing promoters and organisers in New Zealand combined – a portfolio which includes the January NZFMR events, the new V8 Festival, the Mahindra North Island Endurance Series and the NZRDL series – as well as popular historic events such as the Roycroft Vintage Trophy, the Tasman Revival and the Legends of Speed meetings.

The organisation has always had an open door policy with regard to its meetings and this will continue with its 2015-2016 fixtures. Any class in New Zealand can be part of one of the meetings assuming there is space and this is a philosophy which will continue.

“We like to keep entry prices as low as is feasible with no catches and with the emphasis firmly on the racing,” explained the HRC’s Chris Watson. “Classes can and do try different race formats at our meetings, such as longer races or reverse grids for example and we welcome that and try to help where we can. ”

The back-to-back weekends of the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing remain the HRC’s biggest meetings but it will run the V8 Festival again with a firm focus on running an event with full grids and plenty of entertainment for the fans.

“Despite the issues in the top tier of the sport, we definitely believe that V8 Festival model has legs,” added Watson. “It was certainly good to get all of the classes together for a meeting other than Supercars and we think that went down well. We’re looking very closely as to how we can build on that and develop the idea across a few more of our meetings. At the end of the day, we want good grids and a variety of classes – that’s a platform from which the sport can begin to recover.”

The NZRDL series has repeated its dates from this season, but in common with all of its meetings, the last date of the season will now be opened up to any category wanting to come along and hold its season finale there.

“We’re definitely aiming to arrange TV for that meeting and to offer it to all categories attending. We want it to be a season finale with bells and whistles that ends the summer season before we move into the endurance racing part of the year.”

The HRC in conjunction with the NIERDC and other car clubs and race series will once again run and promote the Mahindra North Island Endurance Series – which is now sanctioned by Motorsport New Zealand and which should build on the busy grids of the first series in 2014.

The HRC is also keen to help with any meeting being run at Taupo. “For any given meeting there, with enough notice we are able to provide support classes and promotional and organisational support as required alongside the Taupo Car Club,” added Watson. “We’ve just done it with the Superkart Nationals and we’d be happy to help others. Whether it’s higher level single seaters, or grass roots motorsport – we think great meetings at Taupo Motorsport Park are really important for the future of the sport in New Zealand.”

ENDS

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