- The Mobil 1 Mainland Muscle Car Series and the NAPA Auto Parts NZ Super Trucks headline the Southern Thunder event at Teretonga Park, featuring a diverse lineup of classic and powerful vehicles.
- Key contenders include John Hepburn leading the muscle car series, and Alex Little targeting his sixth Mobil Delvac 1 Trophy win in the super truck category.
- The event offers a rich program including vintage races, club saloons, and saloon car races, with tickets available for both days and free entry for children under 14 accompanied by an adult.
A fantastic line up of classes headlined by the Mobil 1 Mainland Muscle Car Series and the NAPA Auto Parts NZ Super Trucks will make for an earth- shattering programme of racing this weekend (16/17 March) when Teretonga Park hosts its annual Southern Thunder meeting.
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Twenty-six mighty Mainland Muscle Cars will take part with a fantastic grid of Camaro’s, Mustang’s, Chevy Monza’s, a Pontiac Firebird, Dodge Challenger, Falcon’s, Commodores and Torana’s. John Hepburn of Timaru leads the championship in his Monaro as the series comes south from Canterbury’s Rhys Gould (Falcon XE) and local driver Brendan Mason in his Chev Monza.
Local driver Tony Forde joins the fray in his Holden Commodore and Sandra Eden of Whanganui was a race winner last time out in her Torana.
Hepburn topped the podium at the Teretonga round in both 2021 and 2022 and was runner-up to Gould last year, just one point separating the pair on that occasion.
Two-time New Zealand Super Truck Champion Alex Little of Lower Hutt is gunning for his sixth successive Mobil Delvac 1 Trophy win at Teretonga Park.
Little first won the trophy, fought out at Teretonga Park each year, in 2018 and has won it every year since, apart from 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the nationwide lockdown.
King House Removals sponsor the round and Little in his Freightliner 3 Series will face stiff opposition from South Canterbury driver Brent ‘Bones’ Collins (Freightliner), Shane Gray of Wellington (Kenworth) and Dave West of Pukekohe (Freightliner Argosy). Former four-time Champion Ron Salter of Auckland is also in the field in a Scania while 2006/07 and 2013/14 Super Truck Champion John Hepburn of Timaru is entered in the Flying Farewell as is a former three-time Champion – Malcolm Little, father of Alex Little – and local favourite Garry Price, now based in Cromwell.
The Historic Vintage Racing Association races feature some quality entries with Mosgiel driver Leon Hallett at the wheel of his ex-Greg Hessler A/Sedan Boss Mustang while Stacy Lines of Invercargill will pilot the ‘Mighty’ – the Falcon driven by American Keith Davidson at the recent Ascot Park Hotel Classic SpeedFest. Gary Johnstone of Rolleston returns in his Jaguar XJS while the winner of the prestigious Brian Crosbie Memorial Trophy at SpeedFest, Mark McGuinness of Wellington, is back for more in his Alfa Romeo. Some quick Mini’s are also part of the action with Angus Fogg rumoured to be steering one of the them.
Dean Evans of Hamilton will be one of the frontrunners in the MX5 Heritage Cup battles while several Southlanders, including Stu Mitchell, Doug North, John Smolenski and Garry Price, now domiciled in Cromwell, will take the battle to Corey Ross in the Pre 65 Saloon races which will run in conjunction with the NZ 6 Saloons.
A good field of Noel McIntyre Drainage Club Saloons has also been assembled as the season comes to an end at Teretonga Park.
A weekend pass at the gate over the weekend of the event is $50. A single day pass for either Saturday or Sunday is $30 per day while children 14 & under are free throughout the event as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
The action starts at 10.00am on Saturday (16 March) and at 9.30am on Sunday 17 March.