The IRC Summer of Thunder National Motor race series is back at Manfeild having started the 7 round series here in October last year. What the IRC lacks in glitz and glamour of events like the Grand Prix and the new V8 Supertourers, it makes up with good old fashioned club racing with good quality fields and great variety of cars.
For Motorsport Manager Julian Hardy, the IRC series is of equal importance to Motorsport Manawatu as all the other events it runs throughout the year.
“In 2010 we managed to get all 11 clubs involved with this level of the sport in one room with a plan to secure and safeguard every club and its members; The spin-offs from this meeting and security has meant that we no longer have to wait until May to confirm calendars, and that it also creates a marketable series of events across the North Island from October to April each year” states Mr Hardy.
For this round, 6 in a series of 7, Motorsport Manawatu have invited the Superkarts to join the series for the first time, so we can all experience a new face in the series, and it also helps brings the public back and see a new dimension to the show that is being put on over the 2 days.
The IRC has a core set of 10 classes that must supply 20 cars, a requirement of membership of the IRC series. This purpose is two-fold, the first to make sure the racing is entertaining and the second to secure the financial security of the clubs that are running the event, in this case Motorsport Manawatu. In return for this security, the gate take is now owned by the IRC, and the money raised from the all the clubs activities goes into a pool to help assist, develop and promote the meetings and the series further.
The IRC also places no priority on the classe’s, each is respected for its own racing and rules, and are free to make a race series that suits their members and cars. This means that no matter how fast or slow, each class gets a equal billings, as the main purpose of the IRC series is the racers and making sure they have fun.
The cut –throat pressure of corporate sponsorship and TV plays no part in the IRC makeup, it simply relys on bringing lots of colour and variety and hope that the public that attend enjoy the show and return to both events it runs at Manfeild in a year.
The IRC also places a lot of value if family entertainment at affordable rates, this weekend entry prices are $10 for adults each day and children under 17 are also free. Everyone gets a free race day program at the gate on entry as well. Racing starts at 9am both days, and we encourage as many people as we can in to see the great variety the IRC has to offer.
