Timaru International Motor Raceway

Motorsport venue
Name = Timaru International Motor Raceway| Location = Timaru, New Zealand
Time = GMT +12
Owner = South Canterbury Car Club


Events = D1NZ, Formula Ford, MINI Challenge, NZ V8s, NZ V8's Development Series, NZ V8 Utes, Production Series, Porsche GT3 Cup, Southern Festival of Speed, Super Trucks, TRS
Length_km = 2.4
Length_mi = 1.76
Turns = 7
Record_time = 56.26secs
Record_driver = Greg Murphy
Record_team = Formula Holden
Record_year = 1995
Timaru International Motor Raceway is a motor racing circuit situated about 10 minutes or 8km outside of Timaru, New Zealand. The circuit is accessible from either the Main South Highway or Timaru-Pleasant Point Highway. It is often called "Levels" because of its previous name "Levels Raceway". The Timaru International Motor Raceway holds some of the major sporting events on New Zealand's motorsport calendar.

The car racing track is rated FIA grade 3. [ [http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Circuits/timaru.htm Motorsport NZ - Timaru] ]

History

Before Timaru International Motor Raceway was born there was The South Canterbury Car Club Inc, which was formed in 1947 and were only running hillclimbs and paddock events at the time. The club progressed from this to running the Waimate 50 Street Race on the streets of Waimate until 1966. In 1967 a street event was run in Timaru in the Craigie Avenue area. Land was then purchased at Falvey Road and a permanent 1.6km circuit built, the first event held there was in November that year. The club continued to develop the venue running club and National Championship racing.

In 1988 the circuit length was increased and develop to the international FIA category 3 standard that it is today, allows the South Canterbury Car Club to run international events as well as National Championships including the NZ V8 Touring Cars and Super Truck Racing. One of the events of Southern Festival of Speed, Bruce Pigeon Memorial, was held on 9 February to Sunday 10 February 2008.

External links

* [http://www.southcanterburycarclub.org.nz/ Official Site]
* [http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Circuits/timaru.htm Track info]
* [http://www.d1nz.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=74 D1NZ Series' tracks info]
* [http://www.toyotaracing.co.nz/default.aspx?pageid=415&year
]

References