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John McIntyre hands V8 drive to rookie Mark Gibson

14 January, 2014

 


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V8 SuperTourer driver and team owner John McIntyre announced yesterday that he’s handing an opportunity to drive his Blackwoods Protector race car for the 2014 race season to Taupo-bred and Auckland-based Mark Gibson.

The decision, and the teams livery for the coming seven round campaign, were revealed at the John McIntyre Racing team’s season launch, held at its Taupo Motorsport Park located workshop.

In making his decision to put 21-year-old Gibson in the FG Falcon V8 SuperTourer, Nelson-based McIntyre says the move is about creating opportunity for both new talent and his team.

“It’s a recipe that works well internationally — where the team is run by championship winning personnel that shapes raw talent into a professional result. For the team to win I need to drive it and not the car. That’s where putting the next generation in my place allows me to concentrate on all aspects of the team properly, and ultimately improve our team performance,” says McIntyre.

Having contested 17 New Zealand championships, won three NZ V8 titles (2006/2007, 2007/2008, and 2010/2011), the 2012 V8 SuperTourer sprint title and competed consecutive seasons since 1992, McIntyre says he will continue to race.

Gibson will contest all seven rounds of the series as the primary driver with McIntyre co-driving at the three endurance races that carry the majority of the season’s championship points. McIntyre will also participate during the practise sessions at the sprint rounds.

“It’s a great fit for Mark to spend four rounds surrounded by elite competition in identical specification cars to prepare him for the endurance portion of the season. That’s the one we’re really looking at being at the front of,” adds McIntyre.
The V8 SuperTourer endurance title was won last season by Hamilton’s Ant Pedersen and Australian V8Supercar driver Chaz Mostert, while the overall title winner was V8Supercar stalwart Greg Murphy.

Gibson finished the course in the top three of 11 drivers selected from the Asia Pacific Region, and set fastest times during on-track testing. He earned selection by being the top performer at the MotorSport New Zealand run Elite MotorSport Academy in 2012.

Also a certified yacht designer, having spent four years completing a degree at Auckland’s Unitec, Gibson says his current focus is on being a professional V8Supercar driver.

McIntyre says Gibson brings a high level of achievement and potential to the team as he was in New Zealand’s golf academy for two years and then represented New Zealand at the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) organised Young Driver Excellence Academy.

“After an injury stymied my golf career I took to car racing and instantly fell for the passion of competition and its challenges. Last year’s Young Driver Excellence Academy put me much further ahead on that road to being a professional driver and in front of V8Supercar and CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) representatives,” commented Gibson.

“Now with the opportunity John has offered for 2014 it provides the perfect stepping-stone to compete at the highest level in New Zealand alongside V8Supercar drivers. Best of all I get the full attention and resources of a driver and team that has won championships.

“I can go to the first round as a rookie, be nervous and know the car and team are 100% – the perfect way to move my career forward.”

The team’s third season contesting the premier V8 SuperTourer series, action starts in a little over a week’s time when they head south to the recently established Highlands Motorsport Park, located near the central Otago township of Cromwell, January 25-26.

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

18 October, 2026

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

16 October, 2026

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.