A 36-strong field will contest the first round of this year’s Carters Tyres South Island Endurance Series one hour championship, pleasing series co-ordinators.
The first round will be held this Saturday from Teretonga Park in Invercargill with a provisional entry list released featuring a host of new entries set to make their series debut.
Among the lead new entries is Ben and Garry Derrick in their new Porsche 991 GT3. They will face a competitive field featuring the McLaren GT4 shared between David McAlpine and Kynan Yu and the 911 GT3 Cup duo of Russell McKenzie and Martin Dippie.
The Collins Motorsport Ford Mustang will be shared between Sam Collins and BNT V8s veteran Nick Ross in Class C which is headed by returning champions Murray and Karl Beeby in their Nissan R32 GTR.
A host of TCRs are set to join the one hour grid with 2019 champion Jordan Michels getting behind the wheel of his Honda Civic TCR FK7. Track Tec Racing will also be running a team of Audi RS3 LMS TCRs with husband and wife duo Dennis and Debbie Chapman returning for the one hour.
The vast majority of the field has entered into the Class A category (0-2000cc) and is headed by reigning champion Mark Meadows in his Lotus Exige.
Series co-ordinator Cate Paddon says amid the uncertainty and travel restrictions with lockdown it is pleasing to still have a strong number of entrants for the opening event.
“We are thrilled to get the series up and running with competitive fields,” said Paddon.
“In some ways it’s back to basics, keeping things simple for drivers and teams. A number have elected not to run in the first round because of consideration to travel and business commitments which is quite understandable in the current environment.
“We have plans in place for this weekend and fingers crossed we will go to Level 1 before the next round in Christchurch.”
The event will go ahead behind closed doors with spectators expected to be allowed to return for the final two races from Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch on October 3 and Timaru International Raceway on October 17.
SIERDC One Hour Entries
Car No. Driver/s Class Car
- 8 Danny Whiting D Porsche 991 II GT
- 10 Bradley Rule A Honda Civic
- 11 Justin Ashwell A Suzuki Swift Sport
- 14 Paul Martin A Honda S2000
- 15 David McAlpine/Kynan Yu D McLaren GT4
- 17 Robert Gjaja B Lotus Exige
- 20 Jarrod Parmenter B Mazda RX8
- 22 Dennis Chapman B Audi RS3 LMS TCR
- 23 Jordan Michels B Honda Civic TCR FK7
- 25 John Wadsworth C Chevy Cruze
- 35 Bruce Davidson C Chev Corvette C6R
- 45 Mal Walters B Mazda RX7
- 56 Daniel Cropp A Honda Civic SIR
- 58 Steve Scoles C Ginetta G55 GT4
- 60 Art Markus A Toyota Starlet KP60
- 64 Clark Scott/Jim Boult A Honda Integra Type R
- 65 Grant Askew/Cole Askew B Seat Supacopa Leon
- 67 Russell McKenzie D Porsche 991 GT3 Cup
- 75 Vaughan Moloney A Honda S2000 Spoon
- 76 Andrew Kitching/Andrew Bartlett A Honda Civic
- 83 John Buchanan D Porsche GT4
- 85 Scott Milne B BMW Mini Cooper S
- 91 Andrew Gibson/Paul Booth A Honda Civic
- 99 William Taylor A Honda Integra Type R
- 115 Mark Meadows A Lotus Exige
- 119 Tim Dossett A Honda Civic
- 121 Jarred Morgan A Honda Civic Type R
- 144 Craig Elstob B VW Golf GTI
- 148 Ben Derrick/Garry Derrick D Porsche 991 GT3
- 181 Marc Denton A BMW E30 320i
- 199 Marcus Barnett A Honda Integra
- 223 Debbie Chapman B Audi RS3 LMS TCR
- 486 Ben Silcock/Andre Simon B Toyota 86
- 711 Murray Beeby/Karl Beeby C Nissan R32 GTR
- 991 Martin Dippie C Porsche 991 GT3 Cup
- 999 Sam Collins/Nick Ross C Ford Mustang