KEY DATE SET

Motorsport promoter Speedworks Events has confirmed January 12–14, 2018 as one of the key dates in the upcoming championship calendar for the 2017–2018 summer racing season, with Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, set to host the Lady Wigram Trophy — the first round of the international Toyota Racing Series. Ten categories have expressed an interest in being at the first of the two South Island Premier Motorsport Championship events in 2018, including BNT NZ Touring Cars, NZ Super Truck Racing, the Toyota 86 Championship, the traditional big field of Open Saloon Car Association racers, and the Pirelli Porsche Championship, which enjoyed its biggest grid of the 2016–2017 season at this year’s Ruapuna event, fielding almost 30 cars. Other classes are still to be confirmed, although a one-hour feature race with a grid of 36 cars comprising the top-12 championship contenders from the fastest V8s, GTs, and Porsches is all go. This will be a feature race on the Saturday at each event at which it is run.