Summerset Backs GT New Zealand Championship

Summerset Retirement Villages has been announced as the naming rights partner for the GT New Zealand Championship which kicks off at Taupo Motorsport Park in November.

“We’re thrilled to have a company like Summerset lend its support and engage with the GT New Zealand Championship,” says GT NZ Category Manager, Grant Smith.

“The Summerset GT New Zealand Championship will be the premiere motorsport class in New Zealand this summer, and it will be quite a spectacle seeing up to 30 of these GT cars at a variety of circuits around the country.”

With 36 villages around the country, Summerset is one of New Zealand’s largest retirement village operators, with more than 7,500 residents enjoying resort-style facilities in secure, vibrant and welcoming communities

“Summerset is proud to be naming rights partner of the Summerset GT New Zealand Championship”, says Kay Brodie GM of Marketing.

“As a brand that is about retirement being a time for new adventures and the freedom to pursue your hobbies and passions, partnering with motorsport was a perfect fit.”

The Summerset GT NZ Championship will consist of two classes within one field – An Open class featuring 911 GT3 Cup, Ferrari Challenge, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo, and the popular GT4 class featuring GT4 category vehicles.

With entries still rolling in ahead of the green flag at Taupo in November, up to 14 cars will contest the GT4 class from leading manufacturers such as McLaren, Ginetta, Aston Martin, AMG and Porsche. The open class will see no less than ten machines from Porsche, AMG, Ferrari and Lamborghini line up.

The 2023/24 Summerset New Zealand Championship will consist of a five-round series over five months commencing November 17-19 at Taupo Motorsport Park in Taupo.

This will be followed by the second round at Manfeild on 26-28 January 2024 before heading to Ruapuna on 9-11 February.

This will be followed a week later with the New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands on February 16-18.

The final round will be at Hampton Downs on March 15-17.

Each round of the Summerset GT NZ Championship will feature two 30-minute races along with one 60-minute race with a compulsory pit stop. There will be the option of one or two drivers per car with the 60-minute race also worth extra points.