Australian driver Jack Smith could be set to become a contender as round three of the BNT V8’s gets underway at Ruapuna this weekend.
With tricky and wet conditions conditions greeting competitors and Smith on his debut at round one at Pukekohe, the 2017 Kumho V8 Touring Car Champion came to grips with his new car and new championship at Taupo’s round two in December.
In just his second event he achieved P2 in qualifying followed by two third placings and a fifth. 
With two rounds now under his belt, Smith says he’s feeling much more confident for the rest of the season.
“Taupo was definitely a step forward for us. I managed to come to grips with the car and track a bit quicker and the dry conditions was definitely a nice change. I also really enjoyed the circuit,” says Smith.
Adapting to the ‘kiwi’ V8, Smith says exit corner drive is important to getting consistent lap speed out of the car.
“The cars here are more different than I first expected them to be, the engines are different and require a slightly different technique.
“I believe the exits are crucial, the engines are very strong down low and require good drive in order to get to full throttle quickly, particularly at tight tracks like Taupo.”
Looking ahead to Ruapuna this weekend, Smith is mindful that he hasn’t raced at the Canterbury but is confident his experiened Hamilton Motorsports team will enable him to get on top of track set up quickly.
“I’ve never been to the track, but I’ve done a bit of research and it looks quite fun. Working with all the guys from Hamilton Motorsport has been great and they know how to get the most out of the cars.”