HEPBURN READY FOR CHALLENGE

Timaru driver John Hepburn say's he is ready for the "challenge from hell" as he prepares for the opening round of the BNT V8s Championship at Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend.

Hepburn heads to his first V8 outing with his own team at a circuit he has never raced at before. However while he faces a steep learning curve this weekend he is positive about the challenge ahead saying, "the day you stop learning is the day they put you in the ground!" 

During the winter months Hepburn purchased the Holden Commodore raced in the early part of last year's championship by Wellington driver Darryn Henderson. The purchase was made after Hepburn had made a small number of outings in a similar car at the end of last year's series. Hepburn is setting himself realistic goals as he looks forward to his first season in the country's premier motor racing championship. He has set himself a five year plan with the aim of a top fifteen championship placing along with some top ten race finishes as the season progresses.

While he has set himself an extremely tough mission there is no doubting Hepburn's motorsport pedigree. He originally made his name in motorcycle racing, winning a host of titles in New Zealand before travelling to the famous Isle Of Man TT where he collected a World Record two silvers and four bronzes from six starts. In 1992 he won the Golden Handlebar Championship awarded to the Best Allround Motorcycle Racer of the year. The award takes into consideration all motorcycling codes in New Zealand including trials, speedway, moto-cross and road racing. Eight years later Hepburn set a New Zealand motorcycle land speed record of 191.08 mph, a record that still stands today.

Success has followed Hepburn onto four wheels too. He has won several class titles in Super Truck racing and in 2007 won the New Zealand Super Truck Championship. His experience in cars has been short but he quickly became a frontrunner in the Kumho Sport Saloon Series in the South Island finishing third in the championship in 2007 while earlier this year he won his class in the South Island Endurance Series.

However despite those successes Hepburn is under no illusions as to the challenge ahead.

Hepburn will take part in two test sessions at the Taupo circuit on Friday afternoon before qualifying commences at 11.30am on Saturday. The first race of the series takes place over 12 laps at 3.35pm that afternoon with two races scheduled for Sunday - a 16 lap race at 10.10am and a reverse grid event over 20 laps at 3.36pm.

Lindsay Beer

on behalf of Johnny Hepburn Racing

021 351 499

To contact John Hepburn - phone 0274 326 934