KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 12 SEPTEMBER – 15 SEPTEMBER WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
From Bristol’s bullring to Misano’s seaside stage, The Bend’s endurance battles, Suzuka’s storied 1000km, and the dirt dome of St. Louis, Kiwi racers are set for another globe-spanning weekend of motorsport action.
In the United States, Shane van Gisbergen returns to NASCAR Cup Series Playoff duty at the high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway. The “Last Great Colosseum” is one of the toughest venues on the calendar, and with his postseason fate on the line, SVG faces another defining Saturday night under the lights.
Kiwi Porsche driver Ryan Yardley returns to Road Atlanta this weekend for the final round of the Porsche Endurance Challenge North America series after finishing on the podium at the last round at COTA in May.
Across the Atlantic, Cormac Buchanan continues his rookie Moto3 season at Misano’s World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. The San Marino Grand Prix is a favourite among riders and fans alike, offering Buchanan another chance to measure himself against the world’s best.
Back in Australasia, the 2025 Supercars Championship launches its endurance campaign with the OTR The Bend SuperSprint.
Six Kiwi drivers take part in the first long-distance showdown of the season: Andre Heimgartner and Jaxon Evans pair up for Brad Jones Racing, Richie Stanaway anchors PremiAir Racing, Ryan Wood leads the Walkinshaw Andretti United charge alongside endurance ace Fabian Coulthard who is teaming up alongside Chaz Mostert, and Matt Payne enters the Endurance campaign second in the driver standings with Grove Racing.
At The Bend, Marco Giltrap and Clay Osborne continue their Porsche Carrera Cup Australia campaigns, with both young Kiwis looking to build further experience and put together solid results in South Australia.
In Japan, the Intercontinental GT Challenge stages its flagship Suzuka 1000. Scott McLaughlin steps into GT3 duty with Johor Motorsports Racing, sharing a Corvette Z06 GT3.R with Alexander Sims and Nicky Catsburg in the hotly contested Pro class.
Rounding out the weekend, Cole Davies continues his SuperMotocross Playoff journey in St. Louis. The Kiwi teenager impressed in Charlotte’s opener and now looks to carry that momentum into the Dome at America’s Center.
From stock cars and Supercars to Moto3, GT endurance and motocross, Kiwi motorsport fans once again have plenty to follow across another jam-packed international weekend.
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee, U.S.
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Saturday 8:30 AM
- Qualifying: Saturday 9:40 AM
- Race: Sunday 11:30 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Shane van Gisbergen endured a bruising NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway, finishing 25th after struggling all night with an unbalanced Trackhouse Chevrolet.
The Kiwi qualified 18th and battled a very loose car from the start, showing early determination but struggling to find grip. As the team made adjustments to correct the handling, the car swung too far the other way and became tight, leaving him fighting to stay on the lead lap. A brush with the wall, a pit lane penalty, and a last-minute strategy call for fresh tyres in the final stage ended any hope of recovery.
The result dropped van Gisbergen to 14th in the standings, below the playoff cutline heading into Bristol. He admitted his first Playoffs campaign has been a steep challenge, although a challenge he has enjoyed.
“It’s been good,” he said of the experience.
“I just wish, obviously, that we could’ve gotten better results in the last two races. It’s going to be tough this weekend to get through, but the reality is we aren’t there yet on ovals. It’s coming, but we are just forcing it too quickly at the moment.”
➡️World Wide Technology Raceway Recap
Now, van Gisbergen heads to the half-mile bullring of Bristol needing a near-perfect run, stage points, a strong finish, and misfortune for rivals like Austin Cindric, to keep his championship hopes alive at the “Last Great Colosseum.”
Ryan Yardley | Porsche Endurance Challenge North America
- Where? Road Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
- NZ Times:
- Practice: Sunday 7:35 AM
- Qualifying: Monday 12:40 AM
- Race: Monday 4:30 AM
- How to Watch? Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube
Ryan Yardley is set to close out his debut Porsche Endurance Challenge North America campaign this weekend, with the championship finale taking place at the iconic Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Yardley heads into the final round carrying strong momentum after he and teammate Damir Hot delivered a standout drive last month at Circuit of the Americas.
The Charlie Hayes Racing duo stormed to third overall and second in the Pro-Am class after leading much of the 90-minute race, underlining themselves as one of the combinations to beat in 2025.
That podium was built on a commanding opening stint from Hot, who charged into the lead after a chaotic Turn 1 melee, before handing the car over to Yardley. The Kiwi then produced a relentless late charge, carving his way through the field and falling just 3.4 seconds short of victory in class after a thrilling pursuit of Aaron Jeansonne.
It was the latest in a string of impressive performances from Yardley, who has adapted seamlessly to North America’s ultra-competitive Porsche paddock.
With speed, consistency, and racecraft all on display, he now faces the challenge of Road Atlanta, a fast, flowing circuit famed for its technical Esses section and the daunting downhill plunge to the final corner.
For Yardley, it’s a chance not just to finish his season on a high, but to potentially fight for silverware in the final standings. After proving himself as a front-runner throughout the year, the Kiwi will be one to watch when the lights go out on Sunday.
Cormac Buchanan | Moto3
- Where? Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Italy
- 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
- Grand Prix: Sunday 9:00 PM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
Cormac Buchanan heads to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, looking to rebound after a difficult weekend at Barcelona.
The Kiwi’s rookie Moto3 campaign has been a test of patience and perseverance, with Barcelona ending in heartbreak after a crash on lap 10 saw him record his fourth consecutive DNF.
Despite flashes of pace in qualifying and a spirited fight through the mid-pack, handling issues and misfortune prevented him from converting his efforts into points.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to end another race like this,” Buchanan admitted.
“My team and I have been working so hard, and we deserve a decent result, but it’s just not coming together at the crucial times. No racer ever goes out there to crash, and this one really hurts because I feel like I’ve let the team down. I’m just so grateful for their belief in me as we work together to get my rookie season back on track.”
Buchanan enters Misano 19th in the championship standings, determined to turn his European campaign around before the Moto3 calendar heads to Asia.
With a technically demanding track and a close-knit field, the San Marino Grand Prix offers another chance to gain momentum and start putting his rookie season back on track.
Andre Heimgartner, Jaxon Evans, Ryan Wood, Matt Payne, Richie Stanaway & Fabian Coulthard | Supercars Enduro Championship
- Where? The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 1:40 PM (All drivers)
- Practice 2: Friday 4:00 PM (Additional drivers)
- Practice 3: Friday 6:25 PM (All drivers)
- Practice 4: Saturday 12:20 PM (Additional drivers)
- Practice 5: Saturday 2:30 PM (All drivers)
- Qualifying: Saturday 5:35 PM
- Top Ten Shootout: Saturday 7:20 PM
- Warm Up: Sunday 12:00 PM
- Race 26: Sunday 4:15 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The Supercars Championship kicks off its endurance leg this weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park, with Kiwi drivers taking on Race 26 of the 2025 season alongside a strong crop of Australian, and Kiwi co-drivers. Forgot what went down at the last Supercars round in Ipswhich? Click on the recap links below.
➡️Race 23 Ipswich Recap
➡️Race 24 Ipswich Recap
➡️Race 25 Ipswich Recap
Matt Payne enters the endurance rounds in the best position of the New Zealand contingent, sitting second in the championship on 1,718 points, 345 shy of leader Broc Feeney. Payne teams up with five-time Bathurst winner Garth Tander in what promises to be a high-stakes pairing as they chase valuable points in South Australia.
Andre Heimgartner is the next Kiwi in the standings in eighth with 1,083 points, joined by 2022 Super2 Champion Declan Fraser, while Ryan Wood sits just behind in ninth on 1,076 points, pairing with two-time Bathurst 6 Hour winner Jayden Ojeda. Both Kiwi-Australian combinations are expected to feature prominently in the endurance battles.
Jaxon Evans and Richie Stanaway round out the Kiwi representation, though both have had challenging seasons. Evans teams with Jack Smith, and Stanaway joins Nash Morris for the long-distance showdown. Kiwi driver Fabian Coulthard also joins the fray as co-driver for Chaz Mostert.
With The Bend’s demanding layout and the endurance strategy shake-up, all six Kiwi drivers will be looking to make the most of the double-points opportunity, set the tone for the remainder of the championship, and gain momentum in the title chase.
Marco Giltrap & Clay Osborne | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
- Where? The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 1:00 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 5:45 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 1:15 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 6:10 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 11:05 AM
- Race 3: Sunday 3:05 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
Kiwi duo Clay Osborne and Marco Giltrap are back on track this weekend as the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia heads to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia for Round 5 of the championship and in support of the Supercars Championship.
The pair faced a challenging outing last time at Queensland Raceway, with Osborne showing strong pace to record two seventh-place finishes, including an impressive double pass on Bayley Hall and Angelo Mouzouris in Race 3.
Giltrap, meanwhile, worked hard in the midfield pack, salvaging a best result of 12th across the weekend.
➡️ Queensland Raceway Round 4 Recap
With the series now entering the second half of the season, Osborne will look to continue his run of consistent top-ten form, while Giltrap aims to turn his improving speed into bigger results as he hunts for a step forward at The Bend’s sweeping 4.95km layout.
Scott McLaughlin | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000
- Where? Suzuka International Circuit, Japan
- NZ Times:
- Test Session 1: Friday 12:40 PM
- Test Session 2: Friday 3:00 PM
- Night Practice: Friday 8:45 PM
- Pre-Qualifying: Saturday 1:45 PM
- Qualifying 1: Saturday 8:05 PM
- Qualifying 2: Saturday 8:27 PM
- Qualifying 3: Saturday 8:50 PM
- Race: Sunday 3:50 PM (6.5 Hours)
- How to Watch? GT World Youtube
Scott McLaughlin will swap his IndyCar for a Corvette this weekend as he lines up in the Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 at the iconic Suzuka International Circuit in Japan.
The Kiwi star joins Johor Motorsports Racing for the endurance classic, sharing the team’s Pro-class Corvette Z06 GT3.R with British driver Alexander Sims and Dutchman Nicky Catsburg.
It marks McLaughlin’s first major GT3 endurance outing since the Daytona 24 Hours earlier this year, where he also raced a Corvette alongside Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.
For McLaughlin, Suzuka is a long-time dream: “I’ve always wanted to race Suzuka, and it’s a bucket-list track for me. It’ll be an exciting race there in the Pro class with my GM friends Nicky Catsburg and Alex Sims, who are two amazing Corvette racers.
“I’m sure I’m going to learn a lot about the team and more about the Corvette, which I haven’t raced since Daytona. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel, have a lot of fun, and hopefully come back with some silverware.”
The Suzuka 1000 returns this year as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, with around 30 GT3 and GT300 machines expected on the grid.
For JMR, it also marks their first time running a complete professional driver lineup in an endurance event, underlining the significance of McLaughlin’s addition.
Cole Davies | SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX Playoffs)
- Where? The Dome at America’s Center, Missouri, U.S.
- NZ Times:
- Qualifying: Sunday 5:20 AM
- 250 Wildcard Race: Sunday 8:30 AM
- 250 Moto 1: Sunday 11:00 AM
- 250 Moto 2: Sunday 12:50 PM
- How to Watch? Super Motocross Video Pass
Cole Davies will be looking to build on a strong SuperMotocross Playoff opener when he lines up for Round 2 this weekend at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The Kiwi rider returned from injury at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend and wasted no time reminding the field of his pace. After qualifying ninth, Davies surged to second early in Moto 1 before a small mistake dropped him back to eighth at the flag.
With Moto 2 cancelled due to severe weather, he banked 14 points from the single outing, climbing six spots in the standings to sit 11th overall in the SMX 250 Playoffs.
Despite limited track time this year after breaking his arm and nose at the Supercross finale, Davies has shown he can still mix it with the championship front-runners. His speed in Charlotte, posting the fourth-fastest practice lap and battling inside the top two during the race, has given him confidence heading into St. Louis.
“The good news is I’m healthy, I know where my speed’s at, and I’m already looking forward to St. Louis,” he said after Round 1.
Davies trails the championship leader, Haiden Deegan, by 31 points, but with two rounds remaining in the playoffs, a strong showing in Missouri could see him climb firmly into the top ten.
Full Weekend Schedule:
| Date/Time | Category | Event |
| Friday 12:40 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Test Session 1 |
| Friday 1:00 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Practice 1 |
| Friday 1:40 PM | Supercars | Practice 1 |
| Friday 3:00 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Test Session 2 |
| Friday 4:00 PM | Supercars | Practice 2 |
| Friday 5:45 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Practice 2 |
| Friday 6:25 PM | Supercars | Practice 3 |
| Friday 7:00 PM | Moto3 | Free Practice 1 |
| Friday 8:45 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Night Practice |
| Friday 11:15 PM | Moto3 | Practice |
| Saturday 8:30 AM | NASCAR Cup Series | Practice |
| Saturday 9:40 AM | NASCAR Cup Series | Qualifying |
| Saturday 12:20 PM | Supercars | Practice 4 |
| Saturday 1:15 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Qualifying |
| Saturday 1:45 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Pre-Qualifying |
| Saturday 2:30 PM | Supercars | Practice 5 |
| Saturday 5:35 PM | Supercars | Qualifying |
| Saturday 6:10 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 1 |
| Saturday 6:40 PM | Moto3 | Free Practice 2 |
| Saturday 7:20 PM | Supercars | Top Ten Shootout |
| Saturday 8:05 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Qualifying 1 |
| Saturday 8:27 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Qualifying 2 |
| Saturday 8:50 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Qualifying 3 |
| Saturday 10:45 PM | Moto3 | Qualifying 1 |
| Saturday 11:10 PM | Moto3 | Qualifying 2 |
| Sunday 5:20 AM | SuperMotocross World Championship | Qualifying |
| Sunday 8:30 AM | SuperMotocross World Championship | 250 Wildcard Race |
| Sunday 11:00 AM | SuperMotocross World Championship | 250 Moto 1 |
| Sunday 11:05 AM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 2 |
| Sunday 11:30 AM | NASCAR Cup Series | Race |
| Sunday 12:00 PM | Supercars | Warm Up |
| Sunday 12:50 PM | SuperMotocross World Championship | 250 Moto 2 |
| Sunday 3:05 PM | Porsche Carrera Cup Australia | Race 3 |
| Sunday 3:50 PM | Intercontinental GT Challenge Suzuka 1000 | Race |
| Sunday 4:15 PM | Supercars | Race 26 |
| Sunday 9:00 PM | Moto3 | Grand Prix |
Header Image: NASCAR
