KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 28-31 AUGUST WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
Kiwi drivers and riders are spread across four countries this weekend, with New Zealand interest stretching from the World Rally Championship in South America to IndyCar and NASCAR in the United States, GT racing in Japan and Germany, and Moto3 in Spain.
One of the headline events comes in South America, where Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard return to the World Rally Championship for Rally Paraguay. The Kiwi pairing will represent Hyundai Motorsport as the championship heads into Round 11.
In the United States, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong return to NTT IndyCar Series action at the Milwaukee Mile in Wisconsin. The trio will tackle Round 16 of the championship around the historic one-mile oval as the season moves towards its closing stages.
Shane van Gisbergen also has a significant weekend ahead at Daytona International Speedway, which hosts the 26th and final round of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. The famous Florida superspeedway will determine the final playoff picture before the championship moves into its postseason.
There is more Kiwi interest in the United States at Road America, where Ryan Yardley will pull double duty across two categories.
Yardley will team up with Dave Musial Jr. aboard a Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) EVO in the Pro-Am class for Round 5 of GT World Challenge America. He will also compete in Rounds 8 and 9 of Pirelli GT4 America, sharing ACI Motorsports’ Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport with Damir Hot in Pro-Am.
Further west in Indiana, Cole Davies will bring his Pro Motocross campaign to a close at the Ironman National Finals. The Kiwi heads to Ironman Raceway for the season finale after another strong year racing in the United States.
In Japan, Jaxon Evans and Brendon Leitch will both be on the grid as GT World Challenge Asia heads to Okayama International Circuit for Rounds 7 and 8. Evans will compete for Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom in the Pro-Am class, while Leitch will line up for Apex Predator Harmony Racing, also in Pro-Am.
Across the Tasman, Angus Fogg and Tony Galbraith will represent New Zealand at Sydney Motorsport Park for the Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters.
Across in Europe, Cormac Buchanan returns to Moto3 action for the Grand Prix of Aragon in Spain, continuing his rookie campaign on the world stage.
There is also Kiwi representation at the Nürburgring in Germany, where Chris van der Drift will compete with Leipert Motorsport in the latest round of Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe.
With Paddon and Kennard taking on Rally Paraguay, three Kiwis tackling the Milwaukee Mile, van Gisbergen facing the NASCAR regular-season finale at Daytona and New Zealanders competing across GT racing, Moto3 and motocross, there is once again plenty for Kiwi motorsport fans to keep an eye on across the weekend.
Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard | World Rally Championship
- Where? Itapúa, Paraguay
- NZ Times:
- Shakedown: Friday 2:00 AM
- SS1: Saturday 12:03 AM
- SS2: Saturday 12:56 AM
- SS3: Saturday 1:49 AM
- SS4: Saturday 2:50 AM
- SS5: Saturday 5:19 AM
- SS6: Saturday 6:12 AM
- SS7: Saturday 7:05 AM
- SS8: Saturday 8:18 AM
- SS9: Saturday 11:19 PM
- SS10: Sunday 12:12 AM
- SS11: Sunday 1:05 AM
- SS12: Sunday 2:02 AM
- SS13: Sunday 5:16 AM
- SS14: Sunday 6:09 AM
- SS15: Sunday 7:05 AM
- SS16: Sunday 8:02 AM
- SS17: Sunday 9:05 AM
- SS18: Sunday 10:05 PM
- SS19: Sunday 11:38 PM
- SS20: Monday 1:51 AM
- SS21: Monday 2:43 AM
- SS22: Monday 5:15 AM
- How to Watch? Rally.TV
- Live Timing HERE
Hayden Paddon and John Kennard return to the top level of the World Rally Championship this weekend, with the Kiwi pairing set to contest Rally Paraguay for Hyundai Motorsport.
The opportunity gives Paddon his first WRC start on gravel in a Rally1 car and marks 2,839 days since his last gravel appearance in the championship’s top class. That came at Rally Australia in 2018, where he finished second for Hyundai.
The return to South America also carries plenty of significance for Paddon and Kennard. The pair made New Zealand motorsport history on the continent in 2016 when they won Rally Argentina, becoming the first Kiwis to win a WRC round.
Based around Encarnación, near the Argentine border, the rally features fast red-earth roads mixed with more technical sections, with ruts and changing surface conditions expected to add to the challenge.
Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong | NTT IndyCar Series
- Where? Milwaukee Mile, Wisconsin
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Saturday 10:00 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 3:00 AM
- Race 1: Sunday 6:30 AM
- Race 2: Monday 5:00 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Armstrong are back in NTT IndyCar Series action this weekend as the championship heads to the Milwaukee Mile for Round 16.
Dixon arrives in Wisconsin off the back of a strong drive at the inaugural Grand Prix of Washington D.C., climbing from 14th on the grid to finish seventh.
McLaughlin endured a tougher end to the weekend. After fighting his way into the lead, his race ended in the barriers with 19 laps remaining, shortly after passing eventual winner Kyle Kirkwood.
Armstrong completed the race in 17th and will also be looking to bounce back as the three Kiwis take on the historic one-mile Milwaukee oval.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? Daytona International Speedway
- NZ Times:
- Qualifying: Saturday 9:00 AM
- Race: Sunday 11:30 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Shane van Gisbergen returns to NASCAR Cup Series action this weekend as Daytona International Speedway hosts Round 26 and the final race of the regular season.
The Kiwi heads to Daytona following a mixed outing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he was one of the quickest drivers on track in the wet conditions.
Starting fifth, van Gisbergen worked his way to the front and led 30 laps, at one stage opening a lead of more than six seconds. However, his advantage disappeared as the track dried and the field switched to slick tyres.
Handling issues and a slow pit stop saw the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet fall back through the field, with van Gisbergen eventually finishing 20th.
Attention now turns to Daytona, where the final race of the regular season will set the field for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Ryan Yardley | GT World Challenge America and GT4 America
- Where? Road America, Wisconsin
- NZ Times:
- GT World Challenge America:
- Practice 1: Saturday 9:00 AM
- Practice 2: Sunday 2:55 AM
- Practice 3: Sunday 6:25 AM
- Qualifying: Monday 1:10 AM
- Race: Monday 6:00 AM
- GT4 America:
- Practice 1: Friday 3:00 AM
- Practice 2: Friday 6:25 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 1:50 AM
- Race 1: Saturday 7:00 AM
- Race 2: Sunday 5:10 AM
- How to Watch? GT World YouTube
Ryan Yardley is set for a busy weekend at Road America, with the Kiwi competing in both GT World Challenge America and Pirelli GT4 America.
In GT World Challenge America, Yardley will share the Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R with Dave Musial Jr. in the Pro-Am class. The pair head into Round 5 after finishing seventh overall and fifth in class last time out.
Yardley will also continue his Pirelli GT4 America campaign alongside Damir Hot in the ACI Motorsports Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
The pair will be looking for a stronger weekend after a challenging previous round at Atlanta Motorsports Park, where they finished 18th in the opening race before being classified 28th following a retirement in Race 2.
With Rounds 8 and 9 of GT4 America also taking place, Yardley has plenty of racing ahead across the Road America weekend.
Cole Davies | Pro Motocross
- Where? Ironman Raceway, Indiana
- NZ Times:
- 250 Qualifying 1: Sunday 12:00 AM
- 250 Qualifying 2: Sunday 1:50 AM
- 250 Consolation Race: Sunday 3:50 AM
- 250 Moto 1: Sunday 5:15 AM
- 250 Moto 2: Sunday 7:45 AM
- How to Watch? Super Motocross Video Pass
Cole Davies heads into the Pro Motocross season finale at Ironman Raceway with a 14-point championship lead and his first title within reach.
The young Kiwi strengthened his position at Budds Creek last weekend, winning the opening moto before finishing third in Moto 2 to secure second overall for the round.
That leaves Davies with a 14-point advantage heading to Indiana, with just two motos remaining in the season.
After an impressive campaign in the United States, Davies now has one final round standing between him and the Pro Motocross Championship title.
Jaxon Evans and Brendon Leitch | GT World Challenge America
- Where? Okayama International Circuit, Japan
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Friday 3:20 PM
- Pre-Qualifying: Friday 6:40 PM
- Qualifying 1: Saturday 12:00 PM
- Qualifying 2: Saturday 12:22 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 4:00 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 1:00 PM
- How to Watch? GT World YouTube
Jaxon Evans and Brendon Leitch return to GT World Challenge Asia action this weekend as the series heads to Okayama International Circuit for Rounds 7 and 8.
Both Kiwis will compete in the Pro-Am class, with Evans racing for Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom and Leitch representing Apex Predator Harmony Racing.
Leitch heads to Okayama after finishing 11th overall and sixth in class in the opening race at Fuji, before improving to eighth overall and sixth in Pro-Am in Race 2.
Evans endured a tougher weekend, retiring from the opening race before bouncing back to finish 11th overall and seventh in class in Race 2.
The Kiwi pair will now look for stronger results as the championship continues at Okayama.
Angus Fogg and Tony Galbraith | Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters
- Where? Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Qualifying: Saturday 1:40 PM
- Trophy Race: Saturday 4:45 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 8:55 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 12:00 PM
- Race 3: Sunday 3:40 PM
- How to Watch? Facebook livestream: Saturday from 3:30 PM and Sunday from 10:55 AM. Plus MotorsportsTV Youtube Channel on Sunday at 10:55 AM
Angus Fogg and Tony Galbraith will fly the Kiwi flag across the Tasman this weekend as the Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters heads to Sydney Motorsport Park.
The event forms part of the Australian Touring Car Masters Series, with Fogg and Galbraith joining a strong field of classic touring cars for the latest round of the championship.
The Kiwi pair will be looking to put on a strong showing as they take on the Australian competition across the weekend.
Cormac Buchanan | Moto3
- Where? MotorLand Aragón, Spain
- NZ Times:
- Free Practice 1: Friday 7:00 PM
- Practice: Friday 11:15 PM
- Free Practice 2: Saturday 6:40 PM
- Qualifying 1: Saturday 10:45 PM
- Qualifying 2: Saturday 11:10 PM
- Race: Sunday 9:00 PM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Cormac Buchanan returns to Moto3 action this weekend for the Grand Prix of Aragon, looking to build on an impressive showing last time out at Silverstone.
The Kiwi qualified eighth at the British Grand Prix, equalling his career-best starting position, and was battling in the group for sixth before a technical issue forced him to retire with five laps remaining.
Despite missing out on a potential points finish, Buchanan left Silverstone encouraged by his pace as he continues to build momentum following his return from injury.
Attention now turns to Aragon, a circuit Buchanan enjoys and where the 20-year-old will be looking to convert his recent speed into a strong result.
Chris van der Drift | Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe
- Where? Nürburgring, Germany
- NZ Times:
- Free Practice 1: Friday 7:40 PM
- Free Practice 2: Saturday 12:35 AM
- Qualifying 1: Saturday 7:45 PM
- Qualifying 2: Saturday 8:15 PM
- Race 1: Sunday 1:10 AM
- Race 2: Sunday 10:45 PM
- How to Watch? Lamborghini Squadra Corse YouTube Channel
Chris van der Drift returns to Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe action this weekend as the championship heads to the Nürburgring in Germany.
The Kiwi will be back behind the wheel for Leipert Motorsport as the European campaign continues at the famous German circuit.
Van der Drift will be looking to put together a strong weekend and add another solid result to his Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe campaign.
Header Image: Hyundai Motorsport
