A new chapter in New Zealand endurance racing is about to be written, with confirmation that Classic 500K Endurance Racing is returning to the domestic calendar under the North Island Endurance Series (NIERDC) banner.
It marks the first time in nearly four decades that a dedicated 500-kilometre endurance series will be staged in this country, reviving a format that once stood at the very heart of Kiwi motorsport.
A Return to a Golden Era
New Zealand has not hosted a 500K endurance racing series since the iconic Benson & Hedges 500 concluded in 1988. That final championship was claimed by Italian driver Gianfranco Brancatelli and Australian Allan Grice aboard the Mark Petch Motorsport BMW M3, a fitting finale to one of the country’s most prestigious long-distance competitions.
The last standalone New Zealand 500K race followed several years later at the famous Wellington street circuit. The Wellington Nissan Mobil 500, which concluded in 1993, was won by Owen Evans and Bruno Eichmann driving a Porsche 911 RS Cup, bringing an end to an era of headline-grabbing long-distance saloon car racing on local soil.
Now, NIERDC is set to reignite that tradition.
Open to All Classes
The newly announced NIERDC 500K Series is expected to attract strong entries, catering for a broad spectrum of saloon and GT machinery. Categories will include:
- Class 5 – Under 2 litres
- Class 4 – Under 3.5 litres
- Class 2 – Over 3.5 litres
- Class 1 – Including the Porsche Cup
- GT3 purebred race cars
By opening the regulations to a wide range of machinery, organisers aim to recreate the diversity that made New Zealand endurance racing so compelling in decades past, when production-based touring cars shared the stage with high-performance machinery in true endurance racing.
Regulations for the 2026 series will be published on 20 March 2026, with entries opening the same day via the MSNZ SPORTY App.
The Trophy That Carries History
Adding even greater significance to the revival is the return of the original Benson & Hedges Endurance Racing Trophy.
The historic silverware, first contested in 1968, was won in the final 1988 B&H 500K Series by the Mark Petch Motorsport entry. Remarkably, the trophy remains in Mark Petch’s possession some 42 years later.
Adorned with plaques bearing the names of many legendary drivers from New Zealand and abroad, the trophy represents nearly two decades of endurance excellence.
In 2026, it will once again be presented to a champion, with a new winner’s plaque added to its storied base, symbolically linking the modern era to the sport’s golden years.
A Legacy Built at Pukekohe and Wellington
Classic 500K endurance racing has deep roots in New Zealand.
At Pukekohe Park Raceway, the Pukekohe 500 evolved from the Wills Six-Hour race of the early 1960s before becoming closely aligned with production car and touring car competition from 1967 onward. From 1968, long-distance saloon car races were widely known as the Benson & Hedges 500, often contested over 500 miles and later 1000 kilometres.
Throughout the 1970s, the event stood as one of the country’s premier endurance races, showcasing locally assembled machinery such as Valiant Chargers alongside other production touring cars in gruelling long-distance contests.
In the early 1980s, Pukekohe formed part of a three-round endurance series alongside Bay Park and Manfeild, attracting competitors from across the country and elevating endurance racing’s national profile.
The mid-1980s saw the rise of the Wellington street race, beginning in 1985 as the Nissan Sport 500 on the capital’s waterfront streets. Known widely as the Wellington 500, it became a centrepiece of the touring car calendar and in 1987 featured as a round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, later joining the Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship in 1988. These 500-kilometre contests brought international teams and global attention to New Zealand’s endurance scene.
2026 North Island Endurance Calendar
The NIERDC 500K Series will form part of a three-round North Island campaign:
- Round 1: 8–9 May 2026 – Taupo International Motorsport Park
- Round 2: 22–23 May 2026 – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park
- Round 3: 12–13 June 2026 – Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon
With three iconic circuits hosting the revival, the 2026 season promises to blend heritage with modern endurance competition.
The Next Chapter
For decades, 500K endurance racing represented the ultimate test of speed, reliability and teamwork in New Zealand saloon car competition. Its return under the NIERDC banner is more than just another series announcement — it is the rebirth of one of the sport’s most historic formats.
In 2026, a new generation of drivers will chase not only victory over 500 gruelling kilometres, but also the chance to etch their names alongside the legends engraved on one of New Zealand motorsport’s most treasured trophies.
Header Image: Supplied
