2017–18 NZ Touring Cars Championship

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The 2017–18 NZ Touring Cars Championship (known for commercial reasons as the 2017–18 BNT V8s Championship) is the nineteenth season of the series, and the third under the NZ Touring Cars name. The field comprises three classes racing on the same grid. Class one features both V8ST and NZV8 TLX cars. Class two and three consists of older NZV8 TL and varying touring cars.

## Entrants[edit]

Team  | Vehicle  | No. | Driver  | Events

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Class One
Concept Motorsport  | Nissan Altima (L33) | 007  |  Nick Ross[1] | All
JumpFlex Racing  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 42  |  Matthew Tubbs  | 2–6
Richards Team Motorsport  | Toyota Camry (XV50) | 71  |  Andre Heimgartner[2] | All
97  |  Jason Bargwanna | All
222  |  Scott Taylor  | 6
Lathrope Racing  | Ford Falcon (FG) | 73  |  Brad Lathrope[3] | 1–2, 5–6
Hamilton Motorsports  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 84  |  Lance Hughes  | All
85  |  Jack Smith[4] | 1–3, 5–6
Class Two
Alan McCarrison Racing  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 9  |  Alan McCarrison  | 1
Digga  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 11  |  Justin Ashwell  | All
Bronson Porter Racing  | Holden Commodore (VZ) | 40  |  Bronson Porter  | 1–2
Brock Timperley Motorsport  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 59  |  Brock Timperley  | All
Chelsea Herbert Racing  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 62  |  Chelsea Herbert  | All
Nick Farrier Racing  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 63  |  Nick Farrier  | 1–2, 6
Liam MacDonald Racing  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 69  |  Liam MacDonald  | All
Grand Design Timber  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 77  |  Rob Wallace  | 1–2, 5–6
Dign4U  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 777  |  Matt Podjursky[5] | 1–2, 5–6
Invitational
Nigel Karl Racing  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 17
171  |  Nigel Karl  | 1–2, 5–6
Motorsport Services  | Hyundai i45 | 17  |  Todd Murphy  | 6
Thirsty Liquor  | Ford Falcon (BF) | 18
117  |  Shane Whitley  | 1

Shaws Asphalters  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 23  |  John de Veth  | 6
AV8 Motorsport  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 3  |  Tony Anderson  | 2
Ford Falcon (BA) | 32  | 6
McDonald Kerbing Specialists  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 50  |  Blair McDonald  | 6
4H Investments  | Holden Commodore (VE) | 57  |  Eric Hennephof  | 6
DFM Racing  | Ford Falcon (BA) | 80  |  Jono Lester | 6
BM Racing  | BMW M3 (E92) | 98  |  Andrew Nugent  | 1
Mortimer Motorsport  | BMW M3 (E46) | 177  |  Matt Griffin[6] | 1
BMW M3 (E92) | 197  |  Warwick Mortimer[6] | 1

## Calendar[edit]

Round 1 will be held in support of the 2017 ITM Auckland SuperSprint while Round 5 will be in support of the 2018 New Zealand Grand Prix.[7]

Rnd  | Circuit  | Date  | Pole Position  | Fastest Lap  | Class 1 Winner  | Class 2 Winner  | Invitational Winner

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2017
1  | R1  | Pukekohe Park Raceway | 3–5 November  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Jason Bargwanna |  Jason Bargwanna |  Liam MacDonald  |  Andrew Nugent
R2  |  |  Nick Ross  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Liam MacDonald  |  Matt Griffin
R3  |  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Liam MacDonald  |  Andrew Nugent
2  | R1  | Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park | 1–3 December  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Chelsea Herbert  |  Nigel Karl
R2  |  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Jason Bargwanna |  Liam MacDonald  |  Nigel Karl
R3  |  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Brock Timperley  | no starters
2018
3  | R1  | Mike Pero Motorsport Park | 12–14 January  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Chelsea Herbert  | no entrants
R2  |  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Andre Heimgartner |  Liam MacDonald  | no entrants
R3  |  |  Nick Ross  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Justin Ashwell  | no entrants
4  | R1  | Teretonga Park | 19–21 January  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Brock Timperley  | no entrants
R2  |  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Jason Bargwanna |  Liam MacDonald  | no entrants
R3  |  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Nick Ross  |  Brock Timperley  | no entrants
5  | R1  | Circuit Chris Amon | 9–11 February  |  Nick Ross  |  Andre Heimgartner |  Andre Heimgartner |  Brock Timperley  | no starters
R2  |  |  Jack Smith  |  Nick Ross  |  Brock Timperley  | no starters
R3  |  |  Jack Smith  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Brock Timperley  | no starters
6  | R1  | Hampton Downs Motorsport Park | 9–11 March  |  Jason Bargwanna |  Jason Bargwanna |  Jason Bargwanna |  Brock Timperley  |  John de Veth
R2  |  |  Jack Smith  |  Nick Ross  |  Liam MacDonald  |  John de Veth
R3  |  |  Jack Smith  |  Jack Smith  |  Brock Timperley  |  Nigel Karl

## Championship standings[edit]

| Pos  | Driver  | PUK | TAU | RUA | TER | MAN | HAM | Pen.  | Pts

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Class One
1  |  Andre Heimgartner | 18 | 2  | 1 | 1 | 4  | 1 | 1 | 1  | 1  | 1 | 2  | 2  | 1 | 3  | 10  | 2  | 4  | 4  |  | 1179
2  |  Jason Bargwanna | 1 | 1  | 4  | 2  | 1 | 2  | 2  | Ret  | 2  | 2  | 1 | 3 | 12  | 5  | 1  | 1 | 10  | 3  |  | 1106
3  |  Nick Ross  | 3  | 17 | 2  | 4  | 2  | 3  | 3  | 2  | 3 | Ret  | 3  | 1  | 2  | 1  | 3  | 17  | 1  | 2  |  | 1065
4  |  Lance Hughes  | 2  | 4  | Ret  | 5  | 5  | 4  | 4  | 9  | 4  | 3  | 4  | 9  | 4  | 4  | 2  | 3  | 18  | 15  |  | 873
5  |  Jack Smith  | 8  | 5  | 12  | 3  | 3  | 5  | 9  | 3  | Ret  |  |  |  | 3  | 2 | 4 | 5  | 2 | 1 |  | 817
6  |  Matthew Tubbs  |  |  |  | 7  | 7  | 10  | 10  | 4  | 7  | 7  | 5  | 6  | 10  | 13  | 11  | 9  | 5  | 6  |  | 704
7  |  Brad Lathrope  | Ret  | 6  | Ret  | 6  | 6  | 6  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5  | 6  | 13  | 8  | 6  | 5  |  | 463
8  |  Scott Taylor  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7  | 8  | 7  |  | 136
Class Two
1  |  Liam MacDonald  | 6  | 8  | 3  | 13  | 8  | 8  | 6  | 5  | Ret  | DSQ  | 6  | 5  | 7  | 9  | 6  | 15  | 11  | 9  |  | 1090
2  |  Brock Timperley  | 12  | 16  | 6  | Ret  | 10  | 7  | 8  | 7  | Ret  | 4  | 7  | 4  | 6  | 7  | 5  | 11  | 12  | 8  |  | 1055
3  |  Chelsea Herbert  | 9  | 9  | 7  | 8  | Ret  | 11  | 5  | 6  | 6  | 5  | 8  | 7  | 8  | 8  | 8  | 13  | 15  | 14  |  | 1041
4  |  Justin Ashwell  | 11  | 15  | 14  | 12  | 13  | 13  | 7  | 8  | 5  | 6  | 9  | 8  | 9  | 11  | 9  | 16  | 14  | 11  |  | 948
5  |  Matt Podjurksy  | 10  | Ret  | Ret  | 9  | 14  | 14  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11  | 10  | 7  | 12  | 13  | 10  |  | 555
6  |  Robert Wallace  | 7  | 11  | 5  | Ret  | 11  | Ret  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNS  | 12  | 12  | 14  | 16  | 18  |  | 431
7  |  Nick Farrier  | 13  | 10  | 8  | 14  | 9  | 9  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20  | 17  | 13  |  | 418
8  |  Bronson Porter  | Ret  | 12  | 13  | Ret  | 12  | 12  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 192
9  |  Alan McCarrison  | 15  | Ret  | Ret  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39
Invitational
\-  |  John DeVeth  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4  | 3  | 16  |  | \-
\-  |  Matt Griffin  | 5  | 3  | Ret  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-
\-  |  Andrew Nugent  | 4  | Ret  | 9  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-
\-  |  Blair McDonald  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6  | 7  | 19  |  | \-
\-  |  Warwick Mortimer  | 17  | 7  | 10  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-
\-  |  Jono Lester |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10  | 9  | 17  |  | \-
\-  |  Nigel Karl  | 14  | 13  | 11  | 10  | 15  | DNS  |  |  |  |  |  |  | DNS  | DNS  | DNS  | 19  | DNS  | 12  |  | \-
\-  |  Shane Whitley  | 16  | 14  | 15  | 11  | Ret  | DNS  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-
\-  |  Eric Hennephof  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18  | DNS  | DNS  |  | \-
\-  |  Tony Anderson  |  |  |  | DNS  | DNS  | DNS  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | \-
Pos  | Driver  | PUK | TAU | RUA | TER | MAN | HAM | Pen.  | Pts
| Colour | Result

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Gold | Winner
Silver | Second place
Bronze | Third place
Green | Points finish
Blue | Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple | Retired (Ret)
Red | Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black | Disqualified (DSQ)
White | Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank  | Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold \- Pole position
Italics \- Fastest lap

## References[edit]

1. ^ "NICK ROSS READY FOR MILESTONE BNT V8S SEASON". Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
2. ^ "ANDRÉ HEIMGARTNER RETURNS TO BNT V8S IN RTM TOYOTA CAMRY". Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
3. ^ "BRAD LATHROPE READY FOR BNT V8S CLASS ONE DEBUT". Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
4. ^ "AUSTRALIAN V8 CHAMPION JOINS BNT V8 GRID FOR ITM AUCKLAND SUPERSPRINT". Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
5. ^ "YOUNG GUN MATT PODJURSKY CONFIRMED FOR NZ TOURING CAR DEBUT". Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
6. ^ a b "MATT GRIFFIN BRINGS BMW M3 TO BNT V8S GRID FOR CLASS THREE TILT". Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
7. ^ "NZ V8 Touring Cars - 2017/18 Calendar". NZ Touring Cars Championship. NZ V8 Touring Cars. 5 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.

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