After a record-breaking event at Levels Raceway in Timaru in January that saw the UDC V8 Utes reset the lap record twice, the Utes continue their journey south to Teretonga Park for ‘Southern Thunder 2025’.
Heading into Round Four of the season this weekend, Glen Collinson holds a comfortable lead in the series. Yet there’ll be enough points on offer for last year’s champion Brad Kroef – currently 2nd – and his father Greg Kroef in 3rd, to mount a challenge for the title.
Drivers have a big weekend ahead of them, while for spectators which includes over a hundred guests of UDC Finance, there’s a thrilling program which features Mainland Muscle Cars, Napa NZ Super Trucks, pre-65 saloons and more.
A field of twelve Ford and Holden utes, including an all-new Ford Falcon ute racing for the first time, will barely have a chance to cool down between races during an intense race schedule. It kicks off with test sessions on Thursday and Friday, allowing drivers to learn the unfamiliar circuit. Across the weekend there’ll be a practice session, qualifying and four points-scoring races, with some utes even entering the ‘Teretonga One Hour’ enduro mid-Sunday afternoon.
Sadly, Stu Monteith is a late withdrawal from the event after hurting his back, but has offered his #99 Holden ute to Jake Stoneman to race. Whilst a multiple race winner in a Ford, Stoneman prepares Monteith’s ute for each event, so is more than familiar with what makes the Trade Depot Holden tick. Expect fireworks when Stoneman challenges the front runners in pursuit of more race wins.
This will be the first time that Invercargill fans will have had the opportunity to see these 1800kg, 400 horsepower utes in action. Despite the Ford and Holden utes running any of the three engines, the utes are category-controlled to have the same power output and the same weight, resulting in close, competitive racing.
Teretonga is New Zealand’s oldest permanent racetrack and the most southerly circuit in the world, located at 86 Sandy Point Rd, Otatara, just 10 minutes from Invercargill.
On Friday, there are test sessions at 10.00am, 11.30am, 2pm & 3.30pm. On Saturday, March 14th, there’s a practice session mid-morning followed by a 15-minute Qualifying session, then Race One later in the afternoon. Sunday morning’s Race Two will be a reverse-grid format, with Race Three late morning. Some utes will be entering the afternoon’s ‘Teretonga One-Hour’ enduro, culminating in Race Four later in the day.
Header Image: Dillon Photography
