NZ Performance Car – September 2019

NEWS

You know it’s a pretty big deal when an email hits

your inbox announcing that the powers that be at

the New Zealand Drag Racing Association (NZDRA)

and International Hot Rod Association New Zealand

(IHRA) have set aside their differences to host a joint

National Drag Racing Series for the 2019–’20 and

2020–’21 seasons. The long-running disagreement

regarding rules and regulations, which has divided

the two drag racing governing bodies, finally appears

to be settling, with both the racers and spectators set

to benefit from the resolution.

The existing NZDRA National Series and

IHRA NZ National Series will be replaced by

the new joint venture, which will comprise eight

events, culminating in the New Zealand Nationals

to be held at Meremere Dragway and the finals at

Masterton Motorplex, both in March 2020.

The news is a major step forward for the sport

of drag racing in New Zealand and should mean far

better racing for everyone involved. We’ll keep you

updated on who will run what as a result — you can

count on that!

If it’s not the multibillion-dollar companies that sell it

to us hiking the price any time the oil value changes,

then it’s the government slapping a fresh round

of taxes to take its cut. As of 1 July, we’ve seen

another 3.5 cents a litre added at the pump, thanks

to a law passed under urgency that implements the

second of three annual increases to the fuel tax.

The tax increase comes at a time when prices

were already heading northwards, with a litre of

91 octane costing an average of $2.28, according to

AA Petrolwatch, while 95 octane is $2.37 and diesel

$1.68 pre the July hike.

AA spokesman Mark Stockdale said that the

higher fuel prices won’t be welcomed by the public.

“Last year’s increase came at the worst

possible time; fuel prices were at record highs, and

then we had a tax increase at the same time and

that was not popular. This won’t be popular, either,

but it’s not uncommon. We’ve had regular tax

increases virtually every year to go towards funding

our land transport system ... [but] people are going

to wonder what we are getting for our money,”

said Stockdale.

Information about the third tax increase has

yet to be released.

FUEL

PRICE

HIKES

3 0 NOV. 2019 — SUPER STREET NATIONALS, TOKOROA

29 DEC. 2019 — SUMMER NATIONALS, TAUPO

11 JAN. 2020 — NATIONAL SERIES, ROUND THREE, MEREMERE

26 JAN. 2020 —NATIONAL SERIES, ROUND FOUR, CHRISTCHURCH

1 FEB. 2 020 — NATIONAL SERIES, ROUND FIVE, MOTUEKA

15 –1 6 FEB. 2 020 — CENTRAL NATIONALS, ROUND SIX / AUCKLAND INVASION, MASTERTON

7 –8 MAR. 2020 — NEWZEALAND NATIONALS, MEREMERE

2 1–22 MAR. 2 020 — NATIONAL SERIES, FINAL, MASTERTON

NZDRA AND IHRA UNITE

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