We'll Give it All We've Got Says Ross

This weekend Concept Motorsport and driver Nick Ross will be giving their all as they battle the field of highly aggressive BNTV8s drivers around the threatening concrete-walled street circuit of the ITM 400 in Hamilton.

At the world class event New Zealand's top touring car drivers will race each other as the top billing support class to the fifth round of the V8 Supercars Championship which is currently being led by double champion Jamie Whincup and contested strongly by highest placed Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen currently in fourth.

This weekend at Hamilton's ITM 400, with no championship on the line for the BNTV8 drivers, all are equal and there is nothing to play for but the weekend itself and the honours of being the best at the prestigious international event. The ITM 400 will be broadcast on TV3 and take place live in front of an expected capacity crowd perhaps surpassing last year's 122,000 total attendance over three days.

"We have nothing to lose so we'll give it all we've got and see what we come up with." says Ross about the upcoming weekend of tough competition.

The BNTV8s Championship itself finished last month in an action packed final at Taupo Motorsport Park where Craig Baird claimed the 2009-10 title making it a double whammy where he also took the Porsche GT3 top honours as well.

For Nick Ross and the Concept Motorsport team, the six round 2009-10 season was packed full of top results and overall quick pace but mixed with several misfortunes over it's course sadly their speed did not return to them a place within the top 10 at the conclusion.

Their best result of the season came while at Invercargill's Teretonga Park where they were the quickest Holden at the meeting. They missed out on a win in race three crossing the line just behind Paul Manuell after yet another stiff fight with the Aucklander. Ross had started back in seventh and was the second time in succession he had fought the 2001 champion for the win in a reverse grid race.

"We finished our season with improving results and there is still a lot of work to be done to step up for the next one; at Hamilton I would love to have a repeat of Teretonga where we did so well." said Ross.

The team at Concept Motorsport recognise just how encouraging the season has been and how further improvements on the car has seen them and driver Ross slip inside the top 10 on numerous occasions throughout this season which had proven to be the toughest yet in what is always an extremely challenging series.

Working with new engineer Mike Anderson this season has helped Ross achieve some higher placings and improved lap times. Ross has seen the difference and believes the relationship between the two can only grow stronger and to further benefit in seasons to come.

Continued development on the in-house Concept Motorsport engine by Dave Mills has seen increased horsepower and improved reliability for the team this season as well.

"We are getting better reliability now and improving our car speed. The season overall was very encouraging for us all, I'm working in well with our new engineer and look forward to carrying on with him next season." said Ross.

"We are heading in the right direction with the car and I look forward to next season when we will find even more speed and hopefully get the results we are capable of." he said.

The Concept Motorsport team, driver Nick Ross and the rest of the BNTV8s field of Holden and Ford tourers compete at the ITM 400 in Hamilton this weekend on the 16-18th April.

And Concept Motorsport announce the addition of Waikato Car Rentals to their invaluable team of corporate partners supporting them there.

BNTV8s testing and qualifying will take place on the Friday with the first race on Saturday morning and races two and three on Sunday.

The BNTV8s will share the support category line up with the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup cars and the Trans Tasman Challenge between Holden and Ford V8 Ute drivers from both New Zealand and Australia.

Nick Ross' campaign in the 2009-10 BNTV8s is supported by
Total Lubricants, ENZED Waikato and Pukekohe franchises, Porter Hire, Teng Tools, Stingray Marine, Auto Trail Ltd, Waikato Car Rentals,C&R Developments, Classic Cover Insurance, Leamington Auto Electrical, Hotshot Signs, Strautmann Hopkins, Smith and Smith Glass, Arai Helmets and ICS Innovative Conveyer Systems