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The full unedited release that appeared in my inbox:

4 March 2011

V8SuperTourers confirm Hampton Downs and Greg Murphy for 2012’s opening round
New Zealand motorsport fans have their first chance to see the all-new V8SuperTourers in action at the country’s newest circuit, Hampton Downs, over the weekend of 17 to 19 February next year.

The opening V8SuperTourers’ round is also set to feature Kiwi race star Greg Murphy as a driver and/or team owner.

From his Melbourne base, Murphy says: “I’ve been lucky to have some great success in New Zealand and I love racing at home. The overall level of competition and quality of racing in New Zealand has always been high, but V8Supertourers has caught my attention because they are real race cars and the package gets my heart beating pretty fast. This is something that I have to be a part of – either as a driver or a team owner!”

Sixteen of the new V8SuperTourers are scheduled to line up on the starting grid for the opening round at Hampton Downs. A new race format is in development for the new series with round one comprising practice, qualifying and sprint races. The V8SuperTourers will race on the current 2.8km track and are expected to reach speeds in excess of 260km/h on the unique 1km-long front straight leading across the finish line.

Tony Roberts, managing director of Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, is delighted that that the first-ever ground-breaking V8SuperTourers event will be held at Hampton Downs.

“The Hampton Downs team is very excited about hosting the first round of the V8SuperTourers at our new facility, and it’s also been confirmed that we’ll host rounds four and six. This is a demanding circuit with rise and fall, tough braking and blind corners, but the new V8SuperTourers will certainly be man enough for the job,” says Roberts.

With facilities at Hampton Downs continually being completed and upgraded – like the recently-completed pit garage facility – the V8SuperTourer teams can take advantage of working from the most modern racetrack facilities on offer in New Zealand.

Murphy, in his role as a V8SuperTourers ambassador, believes that fans and sponsors will flock to the first event with the prospect of witnessing the best touring car drivers and teams in the country battling for the first-ever race and round win at Hampton Downs.

“It’s going to be a history-making weekend at Hampton Downs and it’s the perfect place to have the inaugural V8SuperTourers event. They have put in a massive effort over the last couple of years to build this amazing facility and I reckon it will produce superb racing!” says Murphy.

Other than the regular New Zealand V8Supercar events in which Murphy has enjoyed great success, the Kiwi hero hasn’t been involved in a local motor racing series since winning the Grand Prix and Gold Star Championship for single seaters in 1993.

The seven-round V8SuperTourer series visits Hampton Downs for three rounds in 2012, namely: round one from 17 to 19 February, round four from 18 to 20 May and round six from 21 to 23 September.

Additional information regarding the race formats and the other four rounds will be released in the coming weeks.