KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 20-23 FEBRUARY WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁
From the high banks of Georgia to the streets of Sydney, it’s another busy weekend for Kiwi drivers across multiple categories.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to EchoPark Speedway for the Autotrader 400, where Shane van Gisbergen continues his second full season with Trackhouse Racing.
The No.97 Chevrolet driver takes on one of the most intense ovals on the calendar. Since its reconfiguration, the Georgia track has produced tight-pack racing similar to Daytona, with drafting and positioning critical throughout the 400-mile contest. For van Gisbergen, it’s another opportunity to keep building momentum in his sophomore Cup campaign.
Across the Tasman, the Supercars season begins with the Sydney 500, marking the opening round of the 2026 championship.
Ryan Wood returns with Walkinshaw TWG Racing, aiming to convert last year’s speed into consistent results. Andre Heimgartner lines up for Brad Jones Racing, looking to start strongly, while Matt Payne returns with Grove Racing, determined to establish himself early in the title fight.
Sydney’s tight layout traditionally produces close racing and strategic variety, making a clean and consistent weekend vital from the outset.
Supporting the main game is the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup, which also opens its 2026 season in Sydney. Ben Stewart represents New Zealand with 99 Motorsport as he begins his championship campaign in the competitive one-make series after his debut last year.
The Super2 Series also kicks off this weekend, with Ayrton Hodson beginning his second year in the development category. Now racing with Matt Stone Racing, the 2026 season marks a fresh chapter for the young Kiwi as he looks to build on the foundations laid in his rookie campaign and take another step forward in his progression.
It’s a full programme across two countries, with Kiwi drivers spread through NASCAR, Supercars and key support categories as the 2026 season gathers momentum.
Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️
Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series
- Where? EchoPark Speedway, Georgia, U.S.
- NZ Times:
- Qualifying: Sunday 5:00 AM
- Race: Monday 9:00 AM
- How to Watch? ThreeNow
After a dramatic and destructive Daytona 500 to open the year, Shane van Gisbergen heads to Georgia this weekend looking to convert promise into points.
Round 2 of the NASCAR Cup Series takes place at EchoPark Speedway for the Autotrader 400 — a venue that, since its reconfiguration, produces pack racing similar to Daytona.
The Kiwi’s 30th-place finish in the 500 didn’t tell the full story. Van Gisbergen qualified 13th, ran inside the top 10 for much of the opening two stages and led laps during Stage 2 in a confident display at the front of the field. His race unravelled in a 17-car pile-up late in Stage 2, leaving him with damage and laps to recover, but the speed and composure were clear positives.
EchoPark offers a quick turnaround on a track that demands similar skills — drafting awareness, lane control and smart positioning as the field runs nose-to-tail at high speed. With stage points and early championship momentum on the line, van Gisbergen and Trackhouse Racing will be focused on staying in contention all day and, this time, bringing home a result that reflects the pace shown at Daytona.
Matt Payne, Ryan Wood & Andre Heimgartner | Supercars
- Where? Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 3:55 PM
- Qualifying (Race 1): Friday 6:20 PM
- Race 1: Friday 9:50 PM
- Qualifying (Race 2): Saturday 5:40 PM
- Top 10 Shootout (Race 2): Saturday 6:35 PM
- Race 2: Saturday 9:35 PM
- Qualifying (Race 3): Sunday 2:10 PM
- Top 10 Shootout (Race 3): Sunday 3:05 PM
- Race 3: Sunday 6:05 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The 2026 Supercars season roars into life this weekend with the Sydney 500, marking the opening round of the championship and the first chance for teams to lay down an early statement, and three Kiwi drivers headline the charge.
Ryan Wood returns for another full campaign with Walkinshaw TWG Racing, looking to build on the speed he showed throughout last season. After flashes of front-running pace last year with some silverware to show for it, the focus now shifts to consistency and turning potential into a solid championship fight.
Andre Heimgartner returns with Brad Jones Racing, aiming to start strongly on a circuit that traditionally rewards precision and race craft. Known for extracting strong results on tight street-style layouts, a clean weekend in Sydney could set the tone for his 2026 campaign.
Matt Payne enters the new season with growing expectations at Grove Racing. After establishing himself as a genuine front-runner last year, the Kiwi will be targeting a sharp start to position himself firmly in the early championship fight.
The Sydney 500’s technical layout and typically unpredictable races leave little margin for error. With points on the board from the first qualifying session and race, momentum begins immediately — and for the Kiwi trio, it’s the first step in what shapes as a long and competitive 2026 Supercars season.
Ben Stewart | Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup
- Where? Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 2:15 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 7:15 PM
- Qualifying: Saturday 3:20 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 7:30 PM
- Race 2: Sunday 11:10 AM
- Race 3: Sunday 4:00 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The 2026 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup season begins this weekend at the Sydney 500, with Kiwi youngster Ben Stewart launching his new campaign as part of the Supercars support programme.
Stewart returns to 99 Motorsport after an up-and-down 2025 season, where changing conditions and safety-car interruptions played a major role in the final round. Despite the chaos, including torrential rain in the closing race, the Kiwi showed composure in difficult circumstances, consistently fighting in the midfield pack and avoiding the major incidents that caught out others.
The one-make GR Cup category is known for tight margins and relentless door-to-door racing, where qualifying position is crucial and small mistakes can quickly cost multiple spots. Sydney’s technical layout only adds to that challenge, particularly with limited room to recover once shuffled back in the pack.
For Stewart, Round 1 presents a clean slate. With a season of Australian experience now under his belt, the focus shifts to sharper qualifying, stronger race craft in traffic, and converting pace into consistent top-10 finishes.
The 2026 opener offers the first opportunity to set the tone, and on one of the biggest weekends of the domestic motorsport calendar, it’s a chance for the Kiwi to start his campaign on the front foot.
Ayrton Hodson | Super2 Series
- Where? Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia
- NZ Times:
- Practice 1: Friday 2:50 PM
- Practice 2: Friday 8:25 PM
- Qualifying (Race 1): Saturday 3:50 PM
- Race 1: Saturday 8:10 PM
- Qualifying (Race 2): Sunday 11:55 AM
- Race 2: Sunday 4:40 PM
- How to Watch? Sky Sports
The 2026 Super2 Series begins this weekend at the Sydney 500, with Ayrton Hodson launching a new chapter in his career as he makes his race debut with Matt Stone Racing.
Now entering his second year in Super2, the Kiwi steps into a fresh environment in 2026 as part of MSR’s development programme — a significant move on his pathway toward the Supercars Championship. Hodson has already completed an initial test with the team, sampling the GEN3 Camaro as preparations ramped up for the new season.
“Very big learning day,” Hodson said after his first outing.
“The GEN3 Camaro drives a lot differently from the GEN2 Mustang, less aero but a better tyre, which was cool to drive once I started to get a handle on it. Really keen to have another crack.”
Now based on the Gold Coast, Hodson has built a reputation as one of the sport’s quickest adapters. After starting in New Zealand Ministocks at 13, he progressed through Wingless Sprintcars and Sprintcars before switching to circuit racing in 2023.
Since then, he has claimed podiums in Toyota 86 competition, race wins in Porsche and GT4 machinery, and secured GT4 class pole at the Highlands 6 Hour in a Mercedes GT4. He is also a graduate and overall winner of the New Zealand Elite Motorsport Academy (Class of 2023).
Sydney presents the first opportunity to translate that varied experience into a strong Super2 result in MSR colours. With the category forming a crucial stepping stone to the Supercars main game, a clean and competitive opening weekend would lay a solid foundation for Hodson’s 2026 campaign.
Header Image: Walkinshaw TWG Racing
