The North Island Endurance Series announced today that, due to the current economic climate, it has received insufficient entries to meet the minimum number of Championship entries required under the Supplementary regulations.
The cancellation of the 500 Kilometre race will not affect the 1-Hour NZ National Endurance Championship.
The Club’s president, Mark Petch, said, “We are looking at changing the format of the longer race, in time for the 2nd round of our Series at Hampton Downs, and will advise all competitors accordingly.
In the meantime, we have reformatted the first round of New Zealand One-hour Endurance to allow for a Saturday morning for a 60-minute official practice beginning at 9 am, followed by a 30-minute qualifying session at 11 am. The One-hour race will now start at 1 pm. The initial Friday practice day has also been cancelled.
Entries for the One-hour NZ National Endurance Championship remain open, with organisers encouraging competitors to take advantage of the revised format for the opening round. The category continues to offer a cost-effective and competitive endurance racing platform, with strong grids expected as the season progresses.
Revised Schedule for Round 1 of North Island Endurance Series – Taupo International Motorsport Park.
| Session | Start Time | Duration | Finish Time |
| Gates Open | 7:00AM | – | – |
| Documentation | 9:00AM | 1:00 | 10:00AM |
| New Driver’s Briefing | TBC | – | – |
| One-Hour Practice | 10:00AM | 1:00 | 11:00AM |
| One-Hour Qualifying | 11:15AM | 0:30 | 11:45AM |
| LUNCH BREAK | 12:00PM | 0:50 | 12:50PM |
| Pit Lane Exit opens for One-Hour Race | 12:50PM | 0:05 | 12:55PM |
| Commence Formation Lap | 12:55PM | 0:05 | 1:00PM |
| One-Hour Endurance Race | 1:00PM | 1:00 | 2:00PM |
| One-Hour Endurance Podium | 2:05PM | 0:10 | 2:15PM |
NZ Endurance Championship Calendar:
| Round | Date | Venue |
| Round 1 (NIERDC) | 9 May 2026 | Taupo International Motorsport Park |
| Round 2 (NIERDC) | 22-23 May 2026 | Hampton Downs |
| Round 3 (NIERDC) | 12-13 June 2026 | Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon |
| Round 1 (SIERDC) | 18-19 September 2026 | Levels Raceway |
| Round 2 (SIERDC) | 2-3 October 2026 | Euromarque Motorsport Park |
| Round 3 (SIERDC) | 16-17 October 2026 | Teretonga Park |
Header Image: Neville Bailey
