Supercars Kicks Off the First Leg of New Zealand Double-Header

This week, Supercars teams and drivers make their way across the Tasman as the Repco Supercars Championship gears up for its inaugural double-header in New Zealand, kicking off with the ITM Taupō Super 440 on the North Island.

The championship will feature six races over the span of eight days, with Taupō followed by the first-ever Christchurch Super 440 at Ruapuna Raceway.

Following a month of intense logistics to move cars and equipment, the competitors are eager to hit the track once again.

Broc Feeney is determined to regain momentum after a significant crash during the final race of the Melbourne SuperSprint, which saw him lose his early-season championship lead.

The 23-year-old has already secured three victories in 2026, bringing his career total to 29, but he is yet to clinch a win outside of Australia.

The Taupō event also signifies a notable achievement for Dick Johnson Racing, which celebrates its 1100th race start.

This storied team, established by Dick Johnson, has had a remarkable journey over four decades, marked by numerous championships and triumphs at the Bathurst 1000.

Brodie Kostecki leads the championship standings heading into the double-header, having matched his victory count from 2025 with three wins already this season.

Driving the No. 17 Ford, Kostecki aims to extend his lead while also contributing to the team’s milestone celebration. Meanwhile, rookie Rylan Gray is gaining confidence in his debut Supercars season after winning the 2025 Dunlop Super2 Series title.

On-track activities begin with practice on Friday, followed by two 120-kilometre races on Saturday and a 200-kilometre feature race on Sunday.

Throughout both Taupō and Christchurch, drivers will vie for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, awarded to the highest points earner across the rounds in honour of the cherished Kiwi driver who lost his battle with cancer in 2011.

The ITM Taupō Super 440 kicks off this Friday – ticket purchases can be made here via Ticketek.

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Schedule

Friday 10 April

11:50am – 12:15pm: Practice 1

12:30pm – 12:55pm: Practice 2

Saturday 11 April

8:15am-8:47am: Boost Mobile Qualifying (Race 8)

9:10am-9:42am: Boost Mobile Qualifying (Race 9)

10:55am: Race 8 (37 laps)

2:05pm: Race 9 (37 laps)

Sunday 12 April

9:40am-10:12am: Boost Mobile Qualifying (Race 10)

10:35am – 11:05am: Boost Mobile TTSO (Race 10)

1:05pm: Race 10 (60 laps)

All times are in AEST

See the complete event schedule

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Support Categories

Toyota 86 Championship NZ

Central Muscle Cars

TA2 NZ

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Entry List

Erebus Motorsport

#9 Chevrolet Camaro – Jobe Stewart

#99 Chevrolet Camaro – Cooper Murray

Walkinshaw TWG Racing

#2 Toyota GR Supra – Ryan Wood

#1 Toyota GR Supra – Chaz Mostert

Blanchard Racing Team

#3 Ford Mustang GT – Aaron Cameron

#7 Ford Mustang GT – James Golding

Matt Stone Racing

#4 Chevrolet Camaro – Jack Le Brocq

#10 Chevrolet Camaro – Zach Bates

Tickford Racing

#6 Ford Mustang GT – Cameron Waters

#55 Ford Mustang GT – Thomas Randle

Dick Johnson Racing

#17 Ford Mustang GT – Brodie Kostecki

#38 Ford Mustang GT – Rylan Gray

Brad Jones Racing

#8 Toyota GR Supra – Andre Heimgartner

#14 Toyota GR Supra – Cameron Hill

#96 Toyota GR Supra – Macauley Jones

Team 18

#18 Chevrolet Camaro – Anton De Pasquale

#20 Chevrolet Camaro – David Reynolds

Grove Racing

#19 Ford Mustang GT – Matthew Payne

#26 Ford Mustang GT – Kai Allen

PremiAir Racing

#31 Chevrolet Camaro – Jayden Ojeda

#777 Chevrolet Camaro – Declan Fraser

Triple Eight Race Engineering

#888 Ford Mustang GT – Will Brown

#88 Ford Mustang GT – Broc Feeney

SCT Motorsport

#11 Ford Mustang GT – Jackson Walls