A New Season.

A New Season, A New Generation: Racing Returns to TaupO

Emerging talent, international competition and a new chapter for New Zealand GT racing set the tone for the opening round of the 2026/27 Repco NextGen NZ Championship.

A new chapter in New Zealand motorsport began at Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, as the Repco NextGen NZ Championship returned for the PTS Logistics Season Opener.

With temperatures soaring throughout Saturday, the intense Central Plateau heat added another dimension to the opening day of competition, presenting demanding conditions for drivers and crews alike.

Following Friday’s practice sessions, Saturday brought together a myriad mix of machinery and talent across seven competitive fields, making for an incredibly action-packed day.

The programme includes the following series:

Summerset GT New Zealand Championship
NZ Porsche Racing Championship
SP Tools TA2 Championship
Bridgestone GR86 Championship
Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series
GTR NZ (Split into GTRNZ 1/2 and GTRNZ 3/4)

A New Chapter: Summerset GT New Zealand Championship

The Summerset GT New Zealand Championship entered a new era following changes to its ownership, competition format and class structure. The expanded programme features two 20-minute sprint races and two 45-minute endurance races across each regular sprint weekend. The GT4 field has been divided into Silver, Silver Am and Am classes. GT3 competitors, meanwhile, contest the Porsche Endurance Trophy. The opening round offers an early indication of how the championship is evolving.

One of the standout stories of Saturday’s GTNZ action was the success of the Auckland-based team Race Lab, with all three of its drivers, Glen Chappel, Lachlan Evennett and Allan Sargeant, taking to the podium to conclude the day’s racing.

Returning as the reigning GT4 champion, Chappel enters the 2026/27 season alongside his talented 18-year-old Australian teammate Lachlan Evennett, securing Silver Am honours in the afternoon's endurance race aboard their Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2. The pairing brings together championship-winning experience and emerging international talent, making for an intriguing combination as the team embarks on another championship campaign.

Fellow Race Lab driver Allan Sargeant secured his second GT4 Am victory of the day, contributing to a successful opening day for the Auckland-based team.

With endurance racing demanding considerably more than outright pace alone, particularly in the heat experienced during Saturday at Taupō, consistency, mechanical preparation and teamwork remain integral to success.

Meanwhile, last season's Porsche Endurance Trophy runner-up Nigel Cromie claimed victory in the afternoon's endurance race, while championship newcomer Ollie Gibbons made an immediate impression with victory in the opening sprint.

Saturday evening's podium celebrations brought Cromie, Chappel, Evennett and Sargeant together, providing a fitting conclusion to the first day of racing under the championship's revised format.

The championship also welcomed two McLaren Artura GT4 entries, with Josh Bethune and Wei Zhou making their championship debut alongside GT4 Australia competitors Kent Quinn and Caleb Paterson.

The Next Generation Makes its Mark: Bridgestone GR86 Championship

The Bridgestone GR86 Championship continues to provide a significant platform for emerging motorsport talent, with its strictly regulated, one-make format placing emphasis on driver skill, racecraft, consistency and the precision required to extract performance from a one-make field.

Among the most remarkable performances of the day was that of fifteen-year-old Ajay Giddy, whose exceptional qualifying lap of 1:39.255 established the largest pole-position margin in thirteen seasons of Toyota 86 championship competition.

The Mackenzie Motorsport driver translated that pace into his maiden championship victory, making an early statement in a field rich with emerging talent.

Lucas McGill and Harry Townshend completed the opening race podium.

The championship also welcomed international competitors, further contributing to the environment in which New Zealand's next generation of racing talent continues to develop.

A 0.958-Second Plot Twist: Nexen Tyre Mazda Racing Super Series

The Mazda Racing Super Series delivered one of Saturday's closest finishes as competitors competed in the second round of their championship.

Returning competitor Stu Lawton secured pole position, before an entertaining ten-lap contest saw Lawton, James Black and Simon Baker emerge as the principal contenders for victory.

Having worked his way through the leading positions, Baker made his decisive move at the opening corner of the final lap, securing victory by just 0.958 seconds over Lawton, with Black completing the podium.

Championship leader Bryan Walker finished fourth, maintaining his presence among the leading contenders ahead of Sunday's reverse-grid race and final encounter.

A Celebration of Stuttgart: NZ Porsche Racing Championship

Distinct from the Porsche Endurance Trophy contested within the GT New Zealand Championship, the NZ Porsche Racing Championship brought together competitors representing several generations of Porsche engineering.

Saturday's opening race saw Ethan Hourigan claim victory ahead of Ashton McCaughan and Duncan McCrostie.

With vehicles spanning different generations and specifications, the championship adds another dimension to the weekend's programme, celebrating the German marque's longstanding association with motorsport.

A Field With Character: GTRNZ 1/2 & GTRNZ 3/4

The GT1 and GT2 field of GTRNZ showcased a different aspect of New Zealand circuit racing, bringing together extensively developed vehicles and a range of engineering approaches.

John De Veth claimed victory in Saturday's opening race, with Grant Brennan and Brady Wild completing the podium.

The category represents a distinctive part of domestic motorsport, where technical development, engineering ingenuity and individual approaches to vehicle performance contribute to the character of the field.

The diversity of cars continued within the GTRNZ GT3 and GT4 field, bringing together competitors across a broad range of manufacturers, generations and vehicle configurations.

Jeff Sharp secured Saturday's opening race victory ahead of Gregory Kroef and Mark Mallard.

Alongside the purpose-built GT vehicles and tightly regulated one-make championships elsewhere in the paddock, GTRNZ offers a reminder of the creativity and dedication that underpin New Zealand's domestic racing community.

A trans-Tasman rivalry: SP Tools TA2 NZ Championship

The unmistakable sound of American V8 machinery returned to Taupō as the SP Tools TA2 NZ Championship competed in its second round of the season.

With a published 17-car entry list featuring Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Challengers, the category welcomed a strong Australian contingent, including Declan Fraser, Jarrod Hughes and Tyler Cheney.

Fraser and Hughes delivered an Australian one-two in Saturday's opening race, while Taupō's own Toby Elmiger claimed third, giving local supporters reason to celebrate.

The weekend also marked the arrival of reigning Mazda Racing champion Callum Pratt into the category, adding further interest to the developing championship battle.

The presence of international competitors across multiple championships reflects the growing appeal of New Zealand’s domestic racing landscape, providing local talent with valuable opportunities to measure themselves against their overseas counterparts.

Beyond The Chequered Flag

Away from the racing itself, the opening weekend places greater emphasis on connecting spectators with the sport through public pit-lane walks, grid access and opportunities to meet the drivers.

These experiences offer fans a closer perspective on the people, machinery and preparation behind each race, extending the weekend’s appeal beyond the on-track competition.

With further sprint and endurance races scheduled for Sunday, the opening chapter of the 2026/27 Repco NextGen NZ Championship is far from complete.

For now, Taupō has provided an introduction to a season characterised by emerging talent, international competition, engineering diversity and the enduring passion of New Zealand’s motorsport community.

Racing continues on Sunday, 15 November, at Taupō International Motorsport Park.