The New Zealand Endurance Championship has locked in its 2026 race calendar, with a six-round schedule spanning both islands — and headlined by the highly anticipated return of endurance racing to Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon for the first time in seven years. Levels is also back after a one-year absence.
The North Island Endurance Series will make its long-awaited comeback to the iconic Manawatū venue on June 12–13, marking a major milestone for the category and its competitors, while Taupō International Motorsport Park and Hampton Downs complete a three-round northern campaign. In the South Island, the championship returns to Levels Raceway, Euromarque Motorsport Park and Teretonga Park as part of a packed spring schedule.
With Manfeild back on the calendar, the 2026 season shapes as one of the most significant in recent history — reconnecting endurance racing with one of New Zealand’s most historic and driver-favourite circuits.
“Our 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.
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.”
North Island Endurance Series – Championship Summary
The 2025 NIERDC Championship delivered a season defined by endurance in its purest form, where sustained pace, traffic management, and mechanical sympathy separated the frontrunners from the rest of the field.
3 Hour Championship:
Across the longer 3-hour races, teams that balanced outright speed with consistency were ultimately rewarded.
At the top of the standings, Sam Fillmore and Jonny Reid claimed the overall 3 Hour championship in the Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3. Their campaign was marked by consistency, scoring maximum points in every round and setting the standard for GT machinery throughout the season.
Close behind, Glen Brazier mounted a strong challenge in the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, remaining a constant presence on the podium and finishing as the primary rival in the overall standings.
Steve Brooks, sharing driving duties across the season in GT3 machinery, completed the overall podium and reinforced his status as one of the championship’s most versatile and dependable competitors.
The GT field formed the backbone of the 3 Hour category, producing tightly fought battles and a variety of race winners. While outright pace was abundant, the longer race distance exposed even minor errors or reliability issues, leading to significant swings in the points standings.
Drivers such as Hayden Knighton/Kane Lawson/Ronan Murphy, and Andrew Waite/Glen Brazier all featured prominently, demonstrating strong pace but ultimately lost ground with a range of bad luck and mechanical issues.
In the Am-Am division, Steve Brooks and Bill Riding once again demonstrated their endurance racing pedigree. Their Audi R8 LMS Evo II GT3 performances delivered enough points to secure the Am-Am honours despite mixed results across the rounds, highlighting the importance of capitalising on strong finishes when opportunities arise.
The GT Class championship mirrored the overall result, with Fillmore and Reid again emerging on top after a season of dominant, mistake-free driving. Their ability to consistently finish at the front over three-hour distances set them apart from a highly competitive GT field that included both Audi and Lamborghini contenders.
The Porsche GT3 Cup cars took centre stage in the production-based categories. In Class 1, Sam Cotterill and Max Vidau delivered a flawless campaign in the Porsche GT3 Cup (992), achieving maximum points and firmly establishing themselves as the class benchmark.
They were followed by Glenn Cotterill and Brock Gilchrist, whose season showed strong pace but was impacted by interruptions, and Paul Southam and Robert Steele, who rounded out the class podium.
Class 2 saw a similarly dominant performance from Simon Gilbertson and John McIntyre, who swept the category in their Porsche GT3 Cup (991 I MR). With no margin for error in the longer races, their clean execution ensured a perfect points haul and an uncontested class victory.
1 Hour Championship:
Over the course of the one-hour enduro rounds, the field delivered close competition, but a handful of drivers steadily rose to the top through measured performances and strong finishes.
At the sharp end of the championship, Steve Brooks, alongside Bill Riding, emerged as the overall winners. Piloting the Porsche GT3 Cup (992), the pairing set the benchmark in Class 1 and across the field, combining outright pace with faultless execution.
Their ability to score heavily in every round ultimately secured both the Overall and Class 1 championships, fending off strong opposition from Regan Scoullar, whose Porsche GT3 Cup (991 II) kept him firmly in contention throughout the season.
Kent Quinn, in the Porsche 982 Cayman GT4, completed the overall podium and stood out as the leading non-Class 1 competitor, underlining the depth of talent across the categories.
Class 3 provided some of the most competitive racing of the season, with Quinn delivering a commanding campaign to secure the class title. His consistency and speed were matched by Grant Aitken and David Cranna, who remained close throughout the year and ensured the championship battle stayed alive until the final points were counted. The class showcased the strength of the GT4 field and proved to be one of the highlights of the 2025 season.
In Class 2, John de Velth and Shane Holland claimed the championship in the Holden Commodore VE V8ST. While the class saw fewer consistent finishers, their ability to capitalise on every opportunity and avoid costly retirements proved decisive over the season.
Class 4 belonged to Conley Webley, whose BMW Z4 delivered one of the most dominant class performances of the year. Webley’s results translated into one of the highest point totals across all classes, a reflection of both strong pace and reliability in a category where attrition played a major role.
Class 5 saw Nathan Grammer secure the class honours in the Toyota 86, rewarding a season built on clean driving and consistent results.
South Island Endurance Series – Championship Summary
The South Island Endurance Series delivered a fiercely contested season across all categories, with depth, variety and strong class battles right through the field.
3 Hour Championship:
Matthew Day emerged as the outright 3 Hour Champion after a consistent and competitive campaign, securing the title ahead of Steve Brooks in second place. The pairing of Andy Childe and Tom Alexander completed the overall podium in third.
Paul Kelly and Kaleb Ngatoa finished fourth overall and claimed second in Class 1, while Glen Brazier and Andrew Waite rounded out the top five and secured third in the GT Class. Luke Manson and James Penrose were sixth, followed by Kane Lawson, Hayden Knighton and Ronan Murphy in seventh.
Brendon Leitch finished eighth, with Sam Fillmore and Jonny Reid ninth after a strong season. Bill Riding completed the top ten.
Class honours were spread throughout the field, with Duncan Cundall-Curry and Blake Knowles winning Class 4, Barry Moore and Andy Giles taking Class 3, while Martin and Allan Dippie finished third in Class 1. Grant and Cole Askew claimed second in Class 3, Steve and Dan Kelly secured second in Class 4, and the trio of Donovan Isted, James Mitchell and Rhys Turner finished second in Class 5.
Peter Sutherland, Connor Sutherland and Warren Walker completed the Class 5 podium in third.
1 Hour Championship – Class 1/2/3:
Jordan Michels was crowned champion in the combined Class 1/2/3 1 Hour category, edging out Steve Brooks and Bill Riding, who finished second. Paul Kelly completed the overall podium in third.
Vin Schelp claimed fourth overall and secured the Class 2 title, while Garry Derrick rounded out the top five. Hugh Gardiner finished sixth, with Steve Scoles seventh and crowned Class 3 champion.
Pel Arnott finished eighth and second in Class 3, while Nigel Cromie was ninth. Jaden Ransley claimed tenth overall and third in Class 2, with Russell McKenzie taking third in Class 3.
The remainder of the field featured a deep and competitive grid with strong showings from Blake Knowles, Martin and Allan Dippie, John Beck, Michael Bushell and George McFarlane, Dwayne Carter, Grant Aitken and John MacKay, among many others.
1 Hour Championship – Class 3/4/5:
Dan Kelly took the overall title in the combined Class 3/4/5 category and also claimed Class 4 honours. Chris Wall finished second overall and secured the Class 5 championship, with Duncan Cundall-Curry third and second in Class 4.
Donovan Isted finished fourth overall and second in Class 5, while Andrew Bartlett completed the Class 5 podium in third. James Mitchell, Toby Elmiger and Nathan Grammer filled out the next positions, with Grammer also securing third in Class 4.
Mac Templeton rounded out the top ten, followed by Ben Groves, Paul and David Booth, Conley Webley and Mal Walters in a tightly packed midfield.
NZ Endurance Championship Calendar:
| Round | Date | Venue |
| Round 1 (NIERDC) | 8-9 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
