The 2024 Velocity News calendar has been completed, and we look forward to an incredible year of motorsport with Kiwis competing in championships all over the world.
While there’s action most weekends from mid-January, a few weekends in particular are huge.
We’ve compiled a list of six of those blockbuster weekends to help make your planning just that much easier.
The Velocity News Creme Insurance Motorsport Diary will return every Friday, detailing which Kiwis are in action that weekend and providing information on how you can follow.
March 22-24: Australian Grand Prix, NASCAR and an IndyCar $1 million shootout
The Australian Grand Prix attracts plenty of interest on this side of the Tasman, with prime viewing times and several Kiwis in action in the support classes. This year is no different, with five Kiwis set to participate in the Melbourne SuperSprint, while Marco Giltrap and Zac Stichbury will be in action in the Porsche Carrera Cup at the same venue.
In North America, Shane van Gisbergen will run double duties in NASCAR, competing in the Xfinity Series and making his first of seven Cup Series appearances at Circuit of the Americas.
IndyCar will also feature in their highly-anticipated $1 Million Dollar Challenge at The Thermal Club in California, a non-championship round where the winner receives a $1 million prize and a network showcase on NBC.
April 19-21: It’s not just in Taupo where it’s happening
The ITM Taupo Super400 is set to take New Zealand by storm over April 19-21, with Supercars returning to the country after a year of absence, joined by the Porsche Carrera Cup contingent.
While this will dominate headlines, plenty of overseas action makes up for the busiest weekend of the year on the Velocity News calendar.
Scott Dixon, Tom Blomqvist, Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Armstrong will be in action in IndyCar for the Grand Prix of Long Beach, while van Gisbergen will be getting his first taste of Cup Series oval racing at Talladega Superspeedway, also running at the same venue in the Xfinity Series.
The World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Imola will also have Kiwis in action.
With lineups yet to be finalised in several competitions, we may also be treated to Kiwis racing in the GT World Challenge Asia, IMSA Grand Prix of Long Beach and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, as was the case in 2023.
Throw in the Chinese Grand Prix, then the weekend shakes up as one not to be missed.
May 24-26: Monaco GP, Indy 500 & More
The famed ‘Month of May’ in IndyCar culminates with the 108th Running of the Indy 500 on May 26, just hours after Formula 1 takes the Streets of Monte Carlo for the famed Monaco Grand Prix.
Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans enter the business end of their Formula E season with a double-header in Shanghai, and Shane van Gisbergen runs in the Xfinity and Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
June 13-16: Le Mans weekend & more
This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans will be one not to miss. At least 19 Hypercars are set to participate in the famed event, with Kiwis, including previous winners Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber, in action across various classes.
The Le Mans Cup and Super Trofeo Europe join the bill to create a stacked event.
In Australia, Supercars will run in the Darwin Triple Crown over the same weekend, while the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia heads to Buriram International Circuit.
Van Gisbergen’s Xfinity Series campaign takes him to Iowa Speedway for a June 15 race.
July 5-7: Townsville 500, NASCAR, IndyCar, British GP
Supercars will be joined by the Porsche Sprint Challenge, featuring Clay Osborne, Ayrton Hodson and Brock Gilchrist, at the Townsville 500 and see plenty of Kiwis in action over the weekend of July 5-7. There’ll be even more competing in various competitions around the globe.
In North America, van Gisbergen returns to the venue where he took the world by storm in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, competing in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series on the Chicago Street Circuit.
IndyCar will race at Mid-Ohio, joined by Callum Hedge in the Indy NXT Championship at the same venue.
The GT World Challenge heads to Suzuka in Asia, while the Carrera Cup Asia ventures out on the Bangsaen Street Circuit in Thailand.
There’s also the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in the United Kingdom and the Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Imola if you run out of things to watch.
October 10-13: Bathurst weekend & more
Bathurst weekend- need we say more?
Five full-time Kiwis will compete in this year’s great race, with more potentially joining in co-driver roles.
Marco Giltrap and Zac Stichbury will also compete at Mount Panorama in the Carrera Cup, with more Kiwis potentially joining the fold across other classes.
It’s definitely a weekend for endurance fans, with Petit Le Mans, one of the highlights on the IMSA calendar, set to feature several Kiwis in the GTP (Hypercar) class.
Van Gisbergen’s Xfinity Series season is also at crunch time, with Playoffs continuing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ‘Roval’.
