Motorsport - New Zealand V8s Championship

Nearest City

Timaru (8km)

Circuit Description

2.4km, 8 corners, Anticlockwise

Surface

Asphaltic concrete paving

Top Speed

220 km/h

Spectator Facilities

Raised embankments, hospitality suites

Lap Record

Angus Fogg - Ford Falcon BA - 1:06.573 (2009)

Website

http://www.southcanterburycarclub.org.nz

A Falcon perspective - John McIntyre

A short technical circuit with great history. The car has to have pin point accuracy here to get a good time and the driver must use the whole track. Braking at low speed is tricky in these big cars, but it’s the key to a good lap. Down the front straight in 4th, you change down and fire right-left through the Esses, lifting 2 wheels off the curb. Up to turn 3 ‘Boozers’ corner, there is a great passing opportunity here, but you have to be careful because if you don't get this corner right you’ll pay for it down the straight. Brake as late as you can at the end of the straight and drift the car through turn 4, grabbing 3rd on the curb. Then there’s a great combination of 3 corners: the first left slows the car a little before the ‘Carousel’ forces you into 2nd and tightens right up. If the car is understeering here it will be a long race/weekend. I try to drift the car with a bit of oversteer to try and get a good run into the very tight hairpin where plenty of passing moves can end in tears. You need good drive out of here to run to the line and complete a good lap. Most important at Timaru is to get good turn in.

A Commodore perspective - Andy Booth

A significant track in NZ motorsport history and always a great event enthusiastically supported by the local race fans. I’ve enjoyed a reasonable amount of success over the years at Levels and therefore……I like it! Relatively basic in it’s layout but constantly challenging the driver and conventional driving practices. The track rewards an attacking driver but this must be combined with patience and compromise in some sections. The turn 3 sweeper is slower that it looks and is critical to your speed down the reasonably long straight, The medium speed left hander at the end of the straight provides a good overtaking opportunity (either inside OR outside!) and is taken in 3rd by some drivers 2nd by others, it’s a compromise between entry speed and drive out of the corner. The next series of left handers goes on and on………and on, a real killer on you outside front tyre you can either be really quick through here for a couple of laps or moderately quick for the whole race. Braking for the hairpin sees the car still unloaded through the right hand kink before it and can be pretty messy, the key part of the hair pin is getting the power on at just the right moment to get a clean exit. The final left hand bend leading onto the front straight is one that is essential for a good lap but NEVER feels right, if you set your car up for this corner it’ll be horrid everywhere else, you just having to alter your driving to minimise the obligatory push on entry and tail out attitude on exit. The track is very temperature dependent and you have to keep an eye on the weather and adjust the car to suit.