KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 9-11 AUGUST WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
From the streets of Portland to the rolling hills of Queensland and the fast-flowing corners of Watkins Glen, Kiwi drivers are back in full force across nine racing categories this weekend.
Eighteen New Zealanders are set to compete around the globe, with title fights intensifying and final chapters being written as several major championships enter their closing stages.
In the United States, all eyes are on Portland International Raceway for a massive weekend of open-wheel action.
The NTT IndyCar Series returns for Round 15 of 17, with Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong aiming to build momentum as the season nears its climax.
Also at Portland, the USF Pro 2000 Championship wraps up its 2025 campaign with a double-header finale. Jacob Douglas and Sebastian Manson will be looking to end the season on a high.
In Indy NXT, Callum Hedge continues his impressive 2025 campaign with Abel Motorsports, chasing another strong result after his recent run of top performances which has him sitting 7th in the championship standings.
Across the Pacific, Queensland Raceway hosts a jam-packed weekend of Supercars action. Five Kiwi drivers — Ryan Wood, Matt Payne, Andre Heimgartner, Richie Stanaway, and Jaxon Evans headline Round 8 of the Supercars Championship at the Ipswich Super 440.
Joining them on the support card are several more New Zealanders across three categories.
Ayrton Hodson returns for Round 4 of the Super2 Series, Marco Giltrap and Clay Osborne continue their Porsche Carrera Cup Australia campaigns, and Ben Stewart and Fabian Coulthard line up in the Toyota GR Cup Australia for its second round of the year.
Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen is back on double duty in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen International. After a gutsy runner-up finish last time out, SVG will be one to watch on the legendary New York road course as he chases more silverware.
Rounding out the weekend, Zack Scoular returns to action in the Eurocup-3 championship at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, looking to keep developing in his maiden European campaign.
From season finales in the junior ranks to key races in Supercars and IndyCar, plus Shane van Gisbergen back on familiar ground at Watkins Glen, it’s shaping up to be another busy and exciting weekend for Kiwi drivers around the world.
Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️
Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon & Marcus Armstrong | NTT IndyCar Series
- Where? Portland International Raceway, Oregon
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 9:30 AM
- Practice 2: Sunday 4:00 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 6:30 AM
- Practice 3: Sunday 11:30 AM
- Grand Prix: Monday 7:00 AM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
- Delayed Highlights: YouTube
New Zealand’s IndyCar trio delivered a strong collective performance at the Monterey Grand Prix over the weekend, with Scott Dixon, Marcus Armstrong, and Scott McLaughlin all finishing inside the Top 10 after a chaotic, caution-filled race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Dixon led the Kiwi charge with a strategic fifth-place finish, gaining 14 spots after qualifying 19th. The six-time series champion executed an early pit strategy that vaulted him up the order, and despite running as high as second mid-race, he couldn’t quite crack the podium in the closing laps.
Armstrong backed up his strong qualifying performance with an eighth-place result, matching his second-best finish of the season. The Meyer Shank Racing driver showed impressive pace and composure throughout, continuing to build consistency in his sophomore campaign.
McLaughlin salvaged a solid 10th-place finish after a challenging Friday. After qualifying 13th, the Team Penske driver steadily climbed through the field, making the most of restarts and pit strategy to notch his seventh Top 10 of the year.
➡️Monterey Grand Prix Recap HERE
The NTT IndyCar Series heads to Portland International Raceway this weekend for Round 15 of the season. The 1.964-mile road course in Oregon has delivered mixed fortunes for the New Zealanders in recent years.
Last year, Armstrong was the top-finishing Kiwi in Portland, crossing the line in fifth after a strong showing. McLaughlin followed closely behind in seventh, while Dixon’s day ended abruptly after opening-lap contact with Pietro Fittipaldi sent the No. 9 into the Turn 1 tyre barrier.
Team Penske teammate Will Power won the race in 2024, and all three Kiwis will be hoping to replicate that pace this time around as they look to move up the standings in the closing rounds.
Dixon heads into the Portland weekend sitting third in the championship standings, while Armstrong holds eighth. McLaughlin is currently 12th, tied on points with Rinus VeeKay in 11th and just 17 points shy of breaking into the Top 10.
With momentum from Laguna Seca and recent form trending upward, Dixon, Armstrong, and McLaughlin will all be aiming to leave their mark on Portland and close out the season strong.
Jacob Douglas & Sebastian Manson | USF Pro 2000
- Where? Portland International Raceway, Oregon
- NZ Times:
- Test Session 1: Friday 9:00 AM
- Test Session 2: Friday 12:00 PM
- Practice: Saturday 5:30 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 11:10 AM
- Race 1: Sunday 5:20 AM
- Race 2: Monday 9:50 AM
- How to Watch? USF Pro Championships Youtube
Kiwi driver Jacob Douglas heads into the USF Pro 2000 season finale at Portland International Raceway this weekend with his sights set on second place in the championship standings.
Douglas delivered back-to-back podiums in Toronto, finishing second and third in Rounds 15 and 16. The strong results lifted him to fifth in the points, just 25 behind second-placed Ariel Elkin, with 66 points still up for grabs in the final double-header.
It’s been a standout rookie season for the Pabst Racing driver, and another strong performance in Portland could see him finish as high as second overall.
Fellow Kiwi Sebastian Manson will be aiming to bounce back after a difficult Toronto round that saw him retire from both races. The TJ Speed Motorsports rookie showed flashes of speed but will be targeting a clean, competitive finish to close out his first season in the category.
➡️Streets of Toronto Recap HERE
The 1.964-mile Portland road course will host Rounds 17 and 18 of the championship, where the final battles for the podium positions will be decided.
Callum Hedge | Indy NXT
- Where? Portland International Raceway, Oregon
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Saturday 8:00 AM
- Practice 2: Sunday 8:30 AM
- Qualifying: Sunday 12:30 PM
- Grand Prix: Monday 5:00 AM
- How to Watch? IndyCar Live
Callum Hedge heads to Portland International Raceway this weekend with confidence on his side, following his best weekend yet in the 2025 Indy NXT season at Laguna Seca.
The Tony Quinn Foundation-backed Kiwi delivered double Top 5 finishes in California, including a hard-fought third place in Race 2, his first podium of the year. Hedge qualified strongly and raced smartly across both events, avoiding chaos and holding his own in close battles to score valuable points.
The results keep Hedge seventh in the championship standings, but he’s now just 36 points from the Top 5 and within 100 of third, with three rounds still to go.
➡️Grand Prix of Monterey Recap HERE
Now, the focus shifts to Portland, the final road course of the year. A strong showing on the 1.964-mile circuit could see Hedge climb even further up the standings as the season nears its conclusion.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup & Xfinity Series
- Where? Watkins Glen International, New York
- NZ Times:
- Xfinity Series Practice: Sunday 1:30 AM
- Xfinity Series Qualifying: Sunday 2:35 AM
- Cup Series Practice: Sunday 4:05 AM
- Cup Series Qualifying: Sunday 5:10 AM
- Xfinity Series Race: Sunday 7:00 AM
- Cup Series Race: Monday 6:00 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Shane van Gisbergen is back on familiar ground this weekend, taking on double duty at Watkins Glen in both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, aiming to rebound after a bruising outing at Iowa Speedway.
Despite qualifying as the best of the Trackhouse trio at Iowa, SVG’s Cup race unravelled with two spins, rear-end damage, and persistent handling issues that kept him off the lead lap. Still, he battled to the end, salvaging valuable experience in one of the season’s most chaotic races.
➡️Iowa Recap HERE
Now, attention turns to Watkins Glen, a track where SVG has unfinished business.
After winning three straight road course races this season, the Kiwi star is chasing redemption after a late mistake cost him victory at The Glen last year.
“This one still stings,” he said. “I threw it away, and that’s hard to let go of. But I’m ready to fix that.”
He’ll also contest Saturday’s Xfinity Series race in JR Motorsports’ No. 9 Kubota Chevrolet, looking to add to his win tally after success in Chicago and a runner-up in Sonoma.
With three road course wins already in 2025 and a playoff spot secured, van Gisbergen is poised to continue his road racing dominance and finally settle the score at The Glen.
Ryan Wood, Matt Payne, Andre Heimgartner, Richie Stanaway & Jaxon Evans | Supercars
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Ipswich
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 4:05 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 6:20 PM
- Qualifying (Race 23): Saturday 1:35 PM
- Qualifying (Race 24): Saturday 2:25 PM
- Race 23: Saturday 4:45 PM
- Race 24: Saturday 8:10 PM
- Qualifying (Race 25): Sunday 2:20 PM
- Top 10 Shootout: Sunday 3:40 PM
- Race 25: Sunday 7:15 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The 2025 Supercars Championship returns this weekend with the Ipswich 440 at Queensland Raceway, back on the calendar for the first time since 2019. With four rounds left in the season, the five New Zealanders on the grid will be eyeing strong results to build momentum heading into the enduros.
Ryan Wood – #2 Walkinshaw Andretti United
Ryan Wood continues to impress in his 2025 Supercars campaign.
The 21-year-old made an early statement at Townsville by topping the timesheets in Practice 1, showcasing his raw speed. While he slipped from 10th to 12th in the opening sprint race, he bounced back with solid drives to finish eighth and seventh across the next two races, ending the weekend 10th in the championship standings.
Ipswich, with its mix of stop-start corners and braking zones, could suit Wood’s hard-braking style well, expect him to be fast out of the gate once again.
Matt Payne – #19 Penrite Racing
Matt Payne has firmly established himself as the most consistent Kiwi in 2025, currently holding third in the championship standings.
He delivered a dominant performance at Taupō with victories in Races 8 and 10, earning him the prestigious Jason Richards Memorial Trophy and continuing the Kiwi success story on home soil following Andre Heimgartner’s win at the venue in 2024.
Payne also claimed victory in Race 13 in Tasmania and has been a regular fixture on the podium throughout the season.
In Townsville, Payne delivered strong results with finishes of P5 and P9, proving he’s a genuine front-runner. He heads to Ipswich aiming to close the gap to the championship leaders and chase another trophy.
Andre Heimgartner – #8 Brad Jones Racing
Andre Heimgartner endured a challenging weekend in Townsville, coming home 11th, 16th, and 11th across the three races.
Despite the lack of standout results, the Brad Jones Racing driver remains ninth in the championship and continues to show glimpses of strong pace. He’ll be aiming to bounce back at Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway and push closer to the front-running pack as the season enters a crucial phase.
Richie Stanaway – #62 PremiAir Racing
Richie Stanaway showed flashes of pace at Townsville, qualifying 12th for the Saturday sprint race and finishing 16th. He improved on Sunday, climbing from 22nd to 15th in Race 21 and gaining more ground in Race 22, finishing 14th from 17th on the grid.
While outright speed has been inconsistent for PremiAir Racing this season, Stanaway continues to extract the most from the package.
If the team can find a better balance and manage tyre degradation more effectively at Ipswich, a return to the top ten is certainly within reach.
Jaxon Evans – #12 Brad Jones Racing
Now in his second Supercars season, Jaxon Evans continues to develop with Brad Jones Racing.
After a tough weekend in Darwin, where he crashed out in Race 1 and had to withdraw from the remainder as the team prepared a backup car, Townsville proved challenging as well.
Evans suffered two DNFs and managed a 17th-place finish in Race 22. It wasn’t the result he or the team were hoping for, leaving him 22nd in the championship standings.
With Ipswich coming up, Evans will be aiming for a clean, consistent weekend to break his stint of bad luck.
Townsville Race Recaps:
➡️Race 20 HERE
➡️Race 21 HERE
➡️Race 22 HERE
Ayrton Hodson | Super2 Series
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Ipswich
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 1:20 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 4:55 PM
- Qualifying (Race 7): Saturday 1:00 PM
- Race 7: Saturday 6:45 PM
- Qualifying (Race 8): Sunday 1:45 PM
- Race 8: Sunday 4:45 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi Super2 rookie Ayrton Hodson has faced a challenging run in recent rounds, with a 16th-place finish and a DNF in Tasmania, followed by double retirements in Townsville due to contact and mechanical issues.
After a strong debut in Sydney, the Anderson Motorsport driver struggled to get the green tyre working and battled incidents and reliability problems. But a recent test at Queensland Raceway, including valuable feedback from Supercars veteran Will Davison, has helped the team unlock key setup improvements.
“I’m excited to put what we’ve learned into practice this weekend,” Hodson said.
➡️Read more on Hodson’s test session with Davison HERE
With extra seat time and renewed focus, he’s aiming for a strong performance at Round 4, the Ipswich Super 440.
Marco Giltrap & Clay Osborne | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Ipswich
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 12:00 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 2:40 PM
- Qualifying: Friday 7:00 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 6:10 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 12:00 PM
- Race 3: Sunday 5:20 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Marco Giltrap and Clay Osborne faced a challenging weekend at Hidden Valley Raceway during Round 3 of the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia. Despite some smart overtakes and strong pace, incidents and a late penalty impacted their overall results.
Giltrap qualified 12th but slipped back at the start of Race 1 before fighting back to finish 11th. Osborne started 14th, held position, and finished Race 1 in 14th.
In Race 2, Osborne’s impressive charge to eighth was hampered by a penalty, dropping him to 12th, while Giltrap finished ninth.
The duo battled closely in Race 3, finishing ninth and 11th respectively, their best race finishes of the weekend.
Despite a tough outing, both remain in the championship top 10, with Giltrap eighth and Osborne tenth.
➡️Darwin Recap HERE
Looking ahead, the pair heads to Queensland Raceway this weekend for Round 4 at the Ipswich Super 440 with optimism and determination to improve their results on the tighter, technical circuit.
Ben Stewart & Fabian Coulthard | Toyota GR Cup Australia
- Where? Queensland Raceway, Ipswich
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 11:30 AM
- Practice 2: Friday 2:10 PM
- Qualifying: Friday 5:50 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 12:30 PM
- Race 2: Saturday 3:10 PM
- Race 3: Sunday 3:05 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi rising star Ben Stewart made an impressive Australian debut in the Toyota GR Cup at Townsville, showing strong racecraft and determination despite a difficult qualifying and a tough first weekend in the ultra-competitive series.
After battling bent shocks in practice and starting deep in the 33-car field, Stewart fought back in Race 1 from 21st to 16th and continued gaining positions in Race 2, finishing 13th after some tight battles.
Although Race 3 was chaotic, he held his own to finish 14th, steadily improving his race pace and confidence over the weekend.
“It was a tough start, but I learned a lot and really enjoyed racing on a street circuit for the first time,” Stewart said.
“I’m looking forward to Queensland Raceway and aiming to push further up the grid.”
➡️Townsville Recap HERE
Fellow Kiwi Fabian Coulthard is also making an appearance as a guest driver this weekend in the Toyota GR Cup Series.
The Toyota GR Cup returns this weekend for Round 2 at Queensland Raceway, supporting the Ipswich Super 440. Stewart heads in with momentum and determination to build on his debut and deliver another clean and gritty performance.
Zack Scoular | Eurocup-3
- Where? TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands
- NZ Times:
- Test Session 1: Friday 6:48 PM
- Free Practice: Saturday 12:11 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 6:28 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 9:43 PM
- Qualifying 2: Sunday 6:31 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 9:10 PM
- How to Watch? YouTube (Races only)
Tony Quinn Foundation Ambassador Zack Scoular is back in action this weekend as the Eurocup-3 season resumes at TT Circuit Assen, with the Kiwi focused on converting his growing pace into his first championship points.
At Monza last month, Scoular continued to make progress in the ultra-competitive field. He demonstrated strong pace in both dry and wet conditions during practice and qualifying, consistently running just outside the Top 10, before red flags and traffic hindered his Q1 effort.
A grid penalty saw him start Race 1 from 22nd, but he moved forward smartly, only for a late-race incident to end a promising drive.
In Race 2, he again climbed the order early and held firm through the mid-pack battles, finishing 22nd. Though the results didn’t reflect his true pace, the Monza weekend marked another step forward in his rookie campaign.
➡️Monza Recap HERE
Now heading to the technical TT Circuit Assen, Scoular will be aiming to put together a clean weekend and make a serious push for his first Top 15 or better.
Full Weekend Schedule:
| Date/Time | Category | Event |
| Friday 9:00 AM | USF Pro 2000 | Test Session 1 |
| Friday 11:30 AM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Practice 1 |
| Friday 12:00 PM | USF Pro 2000 | Test Session 2 |
| Friday 12:00 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Practice 1 |
| Friday 1:20 PM | Super2 Series | Practice 1 |
| Friday 2:10 PM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Practice 2 |
| Friday 2:40 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Practice 2 |
| Friday 4:05 PM | Supercars | Practice 1 |
| Friday 4:55 PM | Super2 Series | Practice 2 |
| Friday 5:50 PM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Qualifying |
| Friday 6:20 PM | Supercars | Practice 2 |
| Friday 6:48 PM | Eurocup-3 | Test Session 1 |
| Friday 7:00 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Qualifying |
| Saturday 12:11 AM | Eurocup-3 | Test Session 2 |
| Saturday 5:30 AM | USF Pro 2000 | Practice |
| Saturday 8:00 AM | Indy NXT | Practice 1 |
| Saturday 9:30 AM | NTT IndyCar Series | Practice 1 |
| Saturday 11:10 AM | USF Pro 2000 | Qualifying |
| Saturday 12:30 PM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Race 1 |
| Saturday 1:00 PM | Super2 Series | Qualifying (Race 7) |
| Saturday 1:35 PM | Supercars | Qualifying (Race 23) |
| Saturday 2:25 PM | Supercars | Qualifying (Race 24) |
| Saturday 3:10 PM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Race 2 |
| Saturday 4:45 PM | Supercars | Race 23 |
| Saturday 6:10 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 1 |
| Saturday 6:28 PM | Eurocup-3 | Qualifying |
| Saturday 6:45 PM | Super2 Series | Race 7 |
| Saturday 8:10 PM | Supercars | Race 24 |
| Saturday 9:43 PM | Eurocup-3 | Race 1 |
| Sunday 1:30 AM | NASCAR | Xfinity Series Practice |
| Sunday 2:35 AM | NASCAR | Xfinity Series Qualifying |
| Sunday 4:00 AM | NTT IndyCar Series | Practice 2 |
| Sunday 4:05 AM | NASCAR | Cup Series Practice |
| Sunday 5:10 AM | NASCAR | Cup Series Qualifying |
| Sunday 5:20 AM | USF Pro 2000 | Race 1 |
| Sunday 6:30 AM | NTT IndyCar Series | Qualifying |
| Sunday 7:00 AM | NASCAR | Xfinity Series Race |
| Sunday 8:30 AM | Indy NXT | Practice 2 |
| Sunday 11:30 AM | NTT IndyCar Series | Practice 3 |
| Sunday 12:00 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 2 |
| Sunday 12:30 PM | Indy NXT | Qualifying |
| Sunday 1:45 PM | Super2 Series | Qualifying (Race 8) |
| Sunday 2:20 PM | Supercars | Qualifying (Race 25) |
| Sunday 3:05 PM | Toyota GR Cup Australia | Race 3 |
| Sunday 3:40 PM | Supercars | Top 10 Shootout |
| Sunday 4:45 PM | Super2 Series | Race 8 |
| Sunday 5:20 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 3 |
| Sunday 6:31 PM | Eurocup-3 | Qualifying 2 |
| Sunday 7:15 PM | Supercars | Race 25 |
| Sunday 9:10 PM | Eurocup-3 | Race 2 |
| Monday 5:00 AM | Indy NXT | Grand Prix |
| Monday 6:00 AM | NASCAR | Cup Series Race |
| Monday 7:00 AM | NTT IndyCar Series | Grand Prix |
| Monday 9:50 AM | USF Pro 2000 | Race 2 |
Header Image: NASCAR
Bummer, I am in the air for most of the weekend racing, on my way home to NZ from Sweden, poor planning!