Motor Sport With Mike

Mike Pero Mortgages are the sponsor of the 2010 NZ V8 Ute Series. And, naturally we’re backing Mike Pero who will be racing the Mike Pero Mortgages V8 Holden Ute.

Mike (a six times national motorcycle road racing champion) is passionate about Motorsport. He raced in the NZV8 Touring Car Series series on snf ogg bryerrn 2001 and 2005 and more recently switched to utes.

“The V8 utes are a real fun class - they're 1.8 tonne trucks which are fair dinkum Kiwi and Aussie brutes. They handle like waterbeds but they sound great. I’ve raced motorbikes, jetskis, V8 touring cars, road cycles but these things really take the cake,” Mike says.

“They wallow and slide and provide a challenge for any driver. That said we’re still clicking over 200kmh at most circuits, slower than the V8 touring cars, but a full 600cc o adrenalin!”

Drawing marbles decides the position on the grid for the field of up to 20 utes.

The 2009/2010 NZ V8 Ute race season kicked off at Taupo at Labour weekend and concludes at Timaru in the last week of March.  This year, outside of the championship series is the Hamilton 400 over the weekend of 18 April - that will be a world first test match - Aussies vs Kiwis: Holden vs Ford.  Watch it live or be tuned into TV3 that weekend.

If you are ever around at a meeting pop down and meet Mike and the team in the pits and ask Mike for a poster or a photo.  If you can't be at the track then tune in to TV3 on Sunday afternoons for Motorsport.

Mike Pero Racing Facts

First race:

• 1977 (Motorcycles @ age 17) Cars V8s 2001

Favourite circuit:

• Powerbuilt Raceway (Ruapuna)

Best moment in racing:

• Winning first ever car race LK Drivesafe 500 V8 Class 2001

Worst moment in racing:

• Pile up at Manfeild on my RD400 at 160km/hr – Ouch! 3 months recovery

Pre-race habits:

• Check the bonnet is clipped, kick the tires and double check the fuel.

NZ's V8 Ute Racing Series 2009-2010 Calendar

Proposed calendar as of 22nd September 2008.