The 2026 NZ Endurance Championship starts in the North Island on the 8th/9th of May 2026 at Taupo International Motorsport Park, with the second round two weeks later at Hampton Downs National Circuit, on the 22nd/23rd of May 2026.
Three weeks later, the Series Grand Final returns to Manfeild’s Circuit Chris Amon on 12/13 June.
“Our management committee is excited to be invited back to Manfeild, as are our club members, who have been pushing for the return to racing at Circuit Chris Amon for the last seven years”. said Mark Petch, NIERDC’s president.
Multiple New Zealand Endurance Champion and current North Island Endurance Champion Jonny Reid said;
“I am ecstatic about heading back to Manfeild for 2026. It has been a long time since endurance racing has had the pleasure of competing at Manfeild. It is a circuit I love, as it features a European-style flow to the corners, which presents a unique challenge to both the team and the drivers.
“The local community will be in for a great showing of some of the most state-of-the-art GT3 machines, all battling it out for overall honours. I can still recall my first race at Manfeild back in the Formula Ford days and I can’t wait to hit the track in the Audi R8 GT3 with the International Motorsport team!”
John McIntyre, a former NZ endurance and NZV8 Touring car champion, and confessed Manfeild specialist, was equally effusive, saying, “Manfeild is where I started my motor racing career, and my dad Don and I’s home circuit when we lived in Hastings, so great memories for me. I am excited to learn that we are finally racing back at Circuit Chris Amon after all this time.”
The CEO of the Manfeild Park Trust, Paul Cocks, said, “It’s an absolute privilege to have the NZ Endurance Championship at Circuit Chris Amon. With a number of key changes in the motorsport calendar, we were able to finally allocate space for this great event, and we’re excited to host the country’s fastest and most exotic GT Supercars.”
In 1966, New Zealand motorsport legends Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon etched their names into history with a dramatic victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Driving the then-revolutionary Ford GT40 Mk II, the Kiwi duo crossed the line in a staged 1-2-3 Ford finish, helping secure the American manufacturer’s first win at the legendary endurance race, and ending Ferrari’s dominance. It remains one of the most iconic moments in Le Mans and Kiwi motorsport history.
While McLaren went on to build his own racing empire, Amon’s place in Kiwi motorsport folklore was cemented not just by his driving talent but by the legacy he left behind.
In recognition of his achievements and enduring contribution to the sport, Manfeild Circuit in Feilding, one of New Zealand’s premier race tracks, was officially renamed Manfeild: Circuit Chris Amon in 2016. A fitting tribute to a driver whose skill, bravery, and humility helped shape New Zealand’s rich motorsport heritage.
And just days ago, a striking 2.4m bronze statue of Chris Amon was unveiled in his hometown of Bulls on June 29. The ceremony drew around 500 people, including 17 Ferraris, and even brought State Highway 1 through the Rangitīkei town to a standstill.
Conceived by Paul Sharland and crafted by Matt Gauldie, Roy and Eva Harkness, the statue stands proudly outside the old library, “a reminder of a life lived with humility and quiet determination,” as his son James noted
This latest tribute not only celebrates Amon’s feats on the track, including his Le Mans victory and the 1967 Daytona win, but also ensures that future generations of Bulls and beyond remember the legacy of one of the greatest Kiwi racers.
Header Image: Jessica Barnes / Blissful Photography
