Sky to screen more racing
Speed Works Events has confirmed a three-year broadcasting deal that will see qualifying and races for major categories shown live on Saturdays and Sundays on Sky Sport.
Sky also broadcasts the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, NASCAR, MotoGP, Bathurst 12 Hours, FIM Superbike World Championship, IndyCar, British Superbikes and SkySpeed, a weekly in-season magazine show. It also recently announced a new sports channel line-up, which includes Sky Sport 5.
Director of sport, Tex Teixeira, says: “We’re excited to be adding Speed Works Events to our growing portfolio of coverage. It’s important we continue to help support and grow local sport events.”
It’s the first time in more than10 years that there has been a major step forward in TV coverage of the country’s premier motorsport championship series. The news the racing will be live also comes at a time when there’s increasing interest in Kiwi motorsport.
The introduction of the TCR New Zealand Series – the local incarnation of an increasingly popular global touring car formula – is generating plenty of interest.
Likewise the new-look Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS), which is now effectively a regional F3 series for Australasia – has also fuelled anticipation of the season ahead. The addition of D1NZ at three of the season’s weekends has added another dimension to the summer’s top events.
“This is fantastic news for the sport and for fans, drivers and teams alike,” enthuses Speed Works’ Geoff Short. “Sky is committed to motorsport news and coverage, and having the top domestic championships broadcast live in their entirety should be welcomed by everyone.”
Speed Works’ calendar for the 2019/20 season begins in November at Pukekohe before moving to Highlands in January for its second event – the first weekend of the TRS season and first New Zealand event for the TCR class.
January also includes the third event in the calendar at Teretonga before the series moves to the North Island for the Denny Hulme Trophy meeting at Hampton Downs, the Motor Cup meeting at Pukekohe, and the final round of the TRS series, the New Zealand Grand Prix, at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon. The final weekend of the summer championship series takes place at Hampton Downs in March.
