Transtasman rivalry reaches fever pitch this weekend when the V8 Supercars make their annual - and only - foray across the ditch, racing at Pukekohe over the next three days. Motoring writer Catherine Pattison asks and answers some questions.
What is happening?
The ITM 500 Auckland event is the fifth round of 15, and the top Kiwis will be desperate for glory on home soil. They will have four chances to claim victory, the first of which is in the 100km opener today. There will be two 100km races on Saturday, and one 200km race on Sunday.
Who is top of the V8 Supercar points table?
Craig Lowndes 701 (AUS)Mark Winterbottom 673 (AUS)Fabian Coulthard 658 (NZ)James Courtney 609 (AUS)Jamie Whincup 606 (AUS)Any other Kiwis, besides Coulthard, in the top 10?Shane van Gisbergen is sixth on 549 points and Scott McLaughlin is 10th on 406.
What are the New Zealanders' chances of a win this weekend?
McLaughlin won his first V8 Supercars race in the first outing at Pukekohe last year, while van Gisbergen won the Sunday race on the Hamilton street circuit in 2011.
Coulthard is the only one of the three yet to win a V8 Supercar race on home turf. His best result in New Zealand remains a third in last year's first race at Pukekohe. However, Coulthard is in good form this year, and wona championship race at the fourth round in Winton this month.
The other two are on fire in 2014, too. McLaughlin was first in the final race at the Australian Grand Prix and van Gisbergen won the other three races there.
What's different about the race programme?
Today will be the first time in the 55-year history of the Australian Touring Car Championship/V8 Supercar Championship that a race has been held on Anzac Day.
Any distinctive silverware at stake?
The coveted Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the late New Zealand V8 Supercar star, who died in December 2011, will be awarded to the driver accumulating the most points over the weekend.
Who has the most wins at Pukekohe?
Greg Murphy still holds the record with nine, and while he may no longer be competing in the championship full-time, he will be in action this weekend in the national V8 SuperTourers Series category, which supports the ITM 500 Auckland.
Is there anyone in the V8 SuperTourers who can give Murph a run for his money?
Zero-to-hero driver Angus Fogg is looking for more glory when the SuperTourers race for the second consecutive meeting at Pukekohe. The Aucklander became the only driver to beat 2013 champion Murphy so far this year when he decisively won race two at Pukekohe last month. He is an all-or-nothing driver, beginning his season by totalling his car into a wall at the opening round at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Three young guns, Ant Pedersen, Simon Evans and Andre Heimgartner, who are second to fourth respectively on points, will be seeking to keep their elders (Murphy and Fogg) on their toes.
Are the V8 SuperTourers much slower than the V8 Supercars?Last year, at separate meetings, Kiwi star Shane Van Gisbergen found his V8 SuperTourer was only 1sec slower around the extended Pukekohe circuit than his Supercar.
What is the V8 SuperTourers format for the weekend?
After the four 50km races, the ''sprint'' champion for the 2014 season will be named, as this meeting marks the culmination of the four sprint rounds.
