Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

After a frantic few weekends, the action begins to wind down overseas as the end-of-season break approaches.

Shane van Gisbergen wraps up his year in the United States at Phoenix Raceway this weekend. Four drivers, including his Kaulig Racing teammate AJ Allmendinger, remain in title contention.

Brendon Leitch, Tim Miles, and Jaxon Evans round out their GT World Challenge Australia campaigns at the Bathurst International. Meanwhile, Blake Knowles makes his TCR Australia debut at the same venue.

Enjoy the last of the overseas action before the northern winter, and our own summer of motorsport swings into action!

Viewing times and information can be found below.

Shane van Gisbergen: NASCAR Xfinity Series

• Where? Phoenix Raceway, Arizona, USA
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Sunday 10.00 am
  • Race: Sunday 1.00 pm
• How to watch: Three Now (race only)

And just like that, Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie campaign comes to an end. The three-time race winner is only running in the Xfinity Series this weekend, having wrapped up his 2024 Cup Series commitments last week.

Following 5116 laps over 32 races, the title will be decided between four contenders in the Sonoran Desert, with reigning champion Cole Custer joined by Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier and van Gisbergen’s Kaulig Racing teammate AJ Allmendinger in a winner-take-all showdown at Phoenix Raceway.

Brendon Leitch, Tim Miles & Jaxon Evans: GT World Challenge Australia

• Where? Mount Panorama, Bathurst
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 10.15 am
  • Race 1: Saturday 2.45 pm
  • Race 2: Sunday 4.55 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream (races only)

The GT World Challenge Australia wraps up this weekend at the Bathurst International with three Kiwis in the field.

Arise Racing’s Jaxon Evans and co-driver Elliott Schutte (Ferrari 296 GT3) are in third in the standings. They are only four points behind Will Brown and Bathurst local Brad Schumacher, but 36 behind their championship leading teammates Chaz Mostert and Liam Talbot.

The Kiwi pairing of Brendon Leitch and Tim Miles (Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo) enter the round in fifth, a further 11 points behind Evans and Schutte. It will be Leitch’s first time racing at Bathurst.

Blake Knowles: TCR Australia Series

• Where? Mount Panorama, Bathurst
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Saturday 11.10 am
  • Race 1: Saturday 4.05 pm
  • Race 2: Sunday 12.05 pm
  • Race 3: Sunday 4.10 pm
• How to watch: Free live stream (races only)

One month after featuring in the Heritage Revival class at Bathurst, New Zealand Formula Ford Champion Blake Knowles returns in the mountain. He takes it on in 99 Motorsport’s Audi RS3 LMS SEQ, the same car that Ben Stewart drove at Queensland Raceway in July.

Knowles in no stranger to TCR machinery, having finished as runner-up in the recent Racer Products South Island Endurance Series 1-Hour Class 4 Championship in a Hyundai i30N TCR.