Offroad racing championship heats up

The fastest offroad race teams in the North Island are heading for the Bay of Plenty chasing a final points boost before the final round of the 2008 championship.

Organisers of the Asset Finance-backed event have this week confirmed there will be television coverage and hinted at some of the top crews planning to race. The event is one of the highlights of the year for North Island race crews and the track is a firm favourite with spectators.

The Bay of Plenty round will be a one-day offroad race spectacular on Saturday July 26 featuring current North Island points leader Maurice Bain of Hamilton, defending class one champion Tony McCall of Manukau, and top North Island racers including Nick Hall of Drury, Neville “Max” Smith of Beachlands and the sport’s president, Ian “Faster” Foster of West Auckland.

Locals ranged against them include the four-strong Asset Finance race team: Clive George, Clive Thornton, Malcolm Langley and Gary Baker.

Series sponsor Clive George is bringing out his big blue Chev-powered Toyota Tundra for a crack at a class win on one of his favourite tracks.

Qualifying time trials for the afternoon’s endurance race start at 7.30 am sharp, and will conclude at 8.40 am.

Grid-up for the first of the “short course” heats is at 9.15 am, final heats will be complete just before 1.00 pm.

In all, race fans will see up to 21 heats of short course racing and a 175 kilometre endurance race in one day. In addition to the offroad racing action there will be quad (ATV) racing at several times during the event.

Admission to the track is $10.00 per adult, with children under 12 admitted free.

Entry forms and race information have been posted on the sport’s web site, www.oranz.co.nz

“Ordinary” entries for the event close on Friday, after which the organisers will announce confirmed leading entries in a field expected to run close to the record 62 seen at the first North Island round of the year.