Dunedin's Steve Ross loves his blast-from-the-past racers and after many successful years in the F5000 series, he has turned his attention to the South Island's OSCA championship.
The anything goes category will feature one of the most powerful grids this weekend, packing a tens of thousands of horsepower punch at Highlands Motorsport Park today and tomorrow.
Ross’ 2000 Jaguar XK8 Tranzam was built for New Zealand’s former premier Tranzam race series, which ran in the late 1990s and 2000s. The space-frame cars were ‘‘a bit like NASCAR’’ with V8 engines and plenty of get up and go. His Jaguar is powered by a 6-litre, Ford V8 engine, with Ford running gear and a 5-speed dogbox. Although he hasn’t had it on a dyno, Ross estimates the ‘‘no frills, factory-based race car’’ is putting out around 700hp.
It joins OSCA’s field, which is made up of the country's finest home built and engineered racers, as well as machines previously used in series such as the NZV8s.
Other categories racing in the Speed Works Motorsport weekend include the Central Muscle Cars, South Island Porsche, South Island NZ 1600, Mazda Pro 7 and Toyota 86s.
- by Catherine Pattiosn
Photo: Ron Veint
