[Mark Petch]

The Series Organiser's Group, SOG's, grew out the 'ashes' of both the V8 Supertourers Company and Motorsport New Zealand as the former failed promotors of the so called Tier One events.

A group of categories, namely New Zealand Touring Cars, Ssangyong Actyon Sport Racing and both the TRS and 86 Toyota Racing Series, resolved to collectively work together to rebuild a new Premier Summer Series.

The Chairman of the combined V8 Touring car's category [New Zealand Touring Cars] Peter Johnson [PJ, and also the Chairman of the NZ Rally Commission] was asked to convene a meeting of all the various categories that have historically supported some, most, or all of the former Tier One Summer Series, along with representatives of MSNZ.

The most biggest single challenge of the new organisation was how to fund the free to air TV coverage of the Premier Series, as it was obvious that with out television coverage the proposed new Series, would struggle to achieve recognition.

Both Toyota and Ssangyong representatives agreed to combine their Corporate support to the new Series by jointly agreeing to underwrite the TV production costs of all 9 rounds of Premier Series events, with contribution's from NZ Touring Cars, NZV8 Utes, Central Muscle Cars etc.

Following the inaugural SOG's meeting MSNZ agreed to support SOG's initiative, and a joint decision was made to appoint a suitable promotor of what would now be known as the Premier Summer Series. HRC [Historic Racing Club] was the only viable organisation to submit a proposal, based on having no responsibility to provide the new Series with Television coverage.

HRC's proposal was eventually accepted after much debate and endorsed by MSNZ, who also provided a formal mandate to SOG's, with respect to its Championship Categories, to organise the new Premier Summer Series and the dates and Venues there of etc.

SOG's recognised the difficulty that the Toyota Series faces with respect to the 5 international TRS rounds run back to back over 5 meeting and were possible will work with Toyota to ensure these 5 meeting's have strong support categories.

Whilst I have no formal spoke-person's role with SOG's, as the representative of Ssangyong Actyon Sports Racing and a founding member, I can say that any motor racing category organisation that can appoint a representative with a mandate to speak on that categories behalf is welcome to become a member of SOG's and thus have a voice at the table, so to speak.

Formula Ford has recently been invited to appoint a representative to SOG's and we SRS look forward to working with the Formula ford category in the interest of New Zealand motor racing as a whole.