The challenges of running three-hour endurance racing in the current climate have again come to the fore, with the South Island Endurance Series facing a dilemma similar to that of the North Island Endurance Series.
A shortfall in three-hour entries has forced SIERDC to cancel the three-hour race at its opening round at Levels Raceway, while the same race at Round 2 at Ruapuna could also be in jeopardy unless numbers improve.
This situation will be familiar to those who followed this year’s North Island Endurance Series, where attracting sufficient numbers for the longer-format race proved increasingly difficult and highlighted the financial and logistical challenges facing three-hour endurance racing.
SIERDC confirmed the Levels decision in an update to competitors, saying its committee had spent considerable time contacting potential entrants and exploring options to build a viable grid.
Despite those efforts, not enough entries were confirmed to justify proceeding with the race.
“Unfortunately, we simply don’t have enough entries to make the 3-hour work,” the series said.
“Running a race with a small grid isn’t fair on our competitors, and it’s not fair on Levels Raceway either. We have a responsibility to make sure the racing is worthwhile for those who enter, while also supporting the tracks that support us.”
While the three-hour race has been dropped from the Levels programme, the series has moved quickly to fill the gap with a new Triple Threat Team Challenge.
The format will feature three 30-minute races incorporating teams, strategy and reverse grids, and will also be open to competitors from outside SIERDC.
Attention now turns to Round 2 at Ruapuna, which takes place just two weeks after Levels.
SIERDC has warned competitors that unless three-hour entries increase, the Ruapuna race could suffer the same fate.
“If entries don’t increase in the 3-hour, we will have to make the same difficult decision there,” the series said.
“We want full grids, good racing and a series that works for competitors, venues and everyone involved.”
Competitors intending to race at Ruapuna have been encouraged to submit their entries as soon as possible, giving organisers a clearer indication of whether there are sufficient numbers to proceed with the three-hour component.
There is, however, considerably more optimism surrounding the final round at Teretonga, which will host the three-hour National Championship race.
SIERDC says strong interest is already building for that event, with the three-hour race currently on track to proceed with a healthy grid.
The situation at Levels and the uncertainty surrounding Ruapuna further demonstrate the difficulties endurance organisers face in maintaining viable three-hour grids.
NIERDC encountered many of the same pressures during its season, and SIERDC is now confronting the same balancing act — providing worthwhile racing for competitors while ensuring events remain sustainable for organisers and circuits.
For now, SIERDC’s message is clear: the appetite to continue three-hour endurance racing remains, but without enough cars committing to the grid, the format is becoming increasingly difficult to run.
Header Image: SIERDC
