A new format for the New Zealand Endurance Championship can only be a good thing and both MotorSport New Zealand, the North and South Island Endurance Racing Drivers Clubs (NIERDC and SIERDC) must be congratulated to agreeing on the future ahead.
Previously it was a ‘winner-takes-all’ one race decider which, while it did initially work, proved to have its flaws.
The two clubs have agreed to align their rules, regulations, and race formats to create the cohesive four-round NZ Endurance Championship to be contested each calendar year. Both clubs will run three rounds on their respective island with competitors’ top two results from each island counting towards their NZ Endurance Championship points tally. Each round will consist of three races (2x One and 1x Three-Hour).
Hence, it now becomes a true endurance championship.
Arguably it could be a delicate agreement between the two clubs, almost like an arranged marriage. We are dealing with two separate clubs whose members could, at any stage, go their own way (change their regulations).
This is an important aspect to remember. The South Island Endurance Series has been running for many years and would be one of the most successful domestic series in New Zealand. Key to its success is keeping their format and rules simple, particularly with little change from season to season and emphasising the social aspect of the series.
The difficulty this season, for those wanting to compete for a national title, is that many competitors will not be prepared for such a long season. Most South Island Series teams gear up over the winter for their three-round competition in the spring and many competitors only race once a year in the endurance series. Many will not be ready for the first North Island round in March 2023.
Now North Island series competitors have to think through a much longer season. Will we see a sustained commitment for the NZ titles?
Probably not in this first year certainly from 2024 on. It will be the same for all competitors and will be a real test of endurance.
NZ Endurance Championship Calendar:
Round 1: Pukekohe, 3-4 March 2023
Round 2: Hampton Downs, 21-22 April 2023
Round 3: Taupo International Motorsport Park, 12-13 May 2023
Round 4: Ruapuna, 8-9 September 2023
Round 5: Teretonga Park, 22-23 September 2023
Round 6: Timaru, 13-14 October 2023.
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