BIG TEASERS IN GT7 TRAILER

No doubt many of you are partial to an hour or 10 behind the controller, and we’d bet a pretty sum that the game you’re playing has something to do with racing. Are we right? Yeah, we thought so. In which case, you’ll probably be excited to hear that not only is there a fresh incarnation of perhaps the greatest racing game series in the world, Gran Turismo — simply named Gran Turismo 7 ( GT7) — to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation 5, but in the previews released by Sony, you can clearly see a solid line-up of fresh offerings.

These include the latest Subaru WRX STi, tail lights from an R35 GT-R, a 350Z, a currentgeneration NSX, a Porsche 917, and even the Mazda RX-Vision in GT3 spec! Better yet, the demo after the trailer teases more cars, the return of iconic tracks such as GT original Trial Mountain, the addition of real-life circuits such as Daytona and Willow Springs, and a short length of gameplay footage that looks utterly amazing.

Sony has yet to confirm when you can actually get your hands on both the PS5 and GT7; however, we won’t be surprised if both sell like damn hot cakes when that release day comes.

Last issue, we spoke about the unfortunate news that the country would be losing its primary supply of E85 after Gull NZ announced that it would no longer carry the fuel at the pump or retail it by the barrel as it had done for so long. This also meant that many third-party retailers saw their pipeline dry up overnight as the majority of it was coming from Gull.

This left uncertainty for all those who had converted to dedicated E85 systems for track cars and those running flex fuel for street cars, essentially cutting power figures overnight.

However, there’s good news for all those corn-juice drinkers. Selected outlets are tapping into fresh resources to bring you that good stuff. The likes of Pinnacle Motorsport are offering E85 by the barrel — minimum of four barrels, so most suited for those chewing through it on track — while Auckland tuning company Autech is offering it in smaller quantities. As the demand continues to remain loud, no doubt more pipelines will pop up in the coming months. Meanwhile, make use of those flex-fuel sensors and bide your time.

In the first round of the National Drifting Championship since the nationwide lockdown — representing round four on the official season calendar — former Pro-Sport series champion Liam Burke has claimed his maiden Pro-Class podium top spot at ASB Showgrounds.

The win comes after back-to-back wins for the Whangarei-based driver. The series maintained its recent reputation for giant-killing battles after seeing many fan favourites knocked out early at the never before seen venue — inside the ASB Showgrounds halls in Auckland. The smooth polished concrete surfaces and tightswitching corners proved an equalizer among the field and resulted in a fair share of surprises.

Darren Kelly, ‘Fanga Dan’ Woolhouse, Carl Thompson, and Cole Armstrong were all knocked out throughout the tree to leave a top four consisting of Liam Burke, Ben Jenkins, Dave Steedman, and Taylor James. Steedman and James were left to duke it out for third place, with James eventually victorious, while Jenkins — piloting a car borrowed from Pro-Sport driver Calvin Clark after axle issues put his regular 2JZpowered Toyota 86 steed out of action — put on a super-aggressive chase against Burke that saw the cars glued together. A ‘one more time’ was called and Burke proved the better in the second half, rounding out the night with a tight, door-banging chase that held Jenkins from the win.

The series returns to Pukekohe Park Raceway 31 July–1 August for the grand finale where a new champion will be crowned!

We’re saddened to bring you the news that, following a short illness, one of the country’s longest running and most versatile drivers has passed away. Clark Proctor was just 62 years old.

Clark was a regular face at racetracks across the country, competitive in a number of disciplines that ranged from touring cars, to speedway, rallying, GT circuit racing, and open-wheelers. Arguably best known for his time in Targa New Zealand, seeing solid results behind the wheel of his R35 GT-R, it was the wild ride that was a turbocharged Ford Escort that his name was most closely associated with. In the North Island and South Island endurance championships, Clark piloted a GT3-spec GT-R, proving himself a front runner and making appearances in the CAMS Australian GT Endurance Championship.

Away from racing, Clark was also well known as the man behind Metalman, an Auckland-based scrapmetal business that has long been associated with motorsport.

Tributes from friends and foes have flowed in since the news, highlighting the respect garnered and memories made throughout Clark’s career. Targa New Zealand’s Peter Martin described him as having a “charismatic personality that attacked life with vigour and enthusiasm rarely matched by others” while fellow racing stalwart Paul Manuell simply said “Bro … nothing we can say will change a thing … the chequered flag has come way too early, my friend. Rest in peace”, followed by the heart emoji.

A public farewell service was

Hampton Downs on Wednesday, 1 July. held at

The loose cannons over at Mazda Mexico may have misread the embargo date on the latest Mazda 3 offering because they recently let slip — before the official release date in July — that the brand’s going to be offering a turbocharged example. While Mazda had planned for an early July launch, the wraps were pulled back prematurely with a video posted to Mazda Mexico’s YouTube channel that showed a 2.5-litre turbocharged offering that packs four-wheel drive and cranks out a good 170kW at the wheels. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to come in manual and it isn’t slated to be the next gen of the MPS / Mazdaspeed 3, which is no longer in production. Think of it more as what the Honda Civic Sport is to the Type R — the next step down but further above than the economy-driven base model. At the very least, the new Mazda 3 would make for a solid family hauler.

Last year, Toyota Japan announced that it was kick-starting a GR Heritage Parts programme to reproduce parts, starting with the Supra nameplate — specifically the A70 (Mk3) and A80 (Mk4) — and, as of July, not only confirmed some of the parts that will be available but that the iconic 2000GT will also be included.

The company says that parts will be available both in Japan and “overseas”, which, reading between the lines, means that the local arm that is increasingly tapped into the global offerings may well be a direct source.

Parts available initially include door handles and a fuel sender for the A70, with weatherstripping, ‘Supra’ bonnet badge, and driveshaft available by the end of the year. For the A80, door handles are currently available, with a brake booster to come at the end of August and headlights by the end of the year. Remember, these are high-wear items that are often the first to show signs of degradation as the cars age. Hopefully, a few more key components will be made available as demand dictates.

As for the 2000GT, the focus is on substantial drivetrain items. Gears, synchros, and sleeves for the five-speed transmission will come in August, followed by a gasket and oil-seal kit, bearings, snap rings, thrust washers, and shift forks. Due to the limited production of parts, these will only be sold to owners of the actual cars to prevent resale price hiking.

Jamboree is back for 2020! Under new ownership, this year’s incarnation is set to include all the things you’ve come to love and a whole heap more. Saturday will kick off with track-day antics, encompassing ‘drive your mates’ sessions, power skids, roll racing, drifting, and circuit racing, before everyone piles into the show hall on Sunday for the Meguiar’s Show and Shine. A number of big-build cars will make their debut among the generous slathering of premium cars on display, and there will also be trade exhibitors, DB drags, and D1RC.

Sunday will also feature a few competitive elements, with a burnout competition in the NAC Live Action Arena and the track playing host to the ST Hi-tec Time Attack Challenge and NZKW’s drift battle, dubbed ‘The Search’. Tickets are $25 a head per day (no pass outs) and kids 10 and under get in free. For more information, head to 4androtary.co.nz.