Organisers of New Zealand’s V8SuperTourers class have struck a deal with local television network TV3 that will see the category’s inaugural season enjoy extensive free-to-air coverage.

The agreement, announced today by series spokesman John McIntyre, features a mix of live and delayed Sunday afternoon coverage for each of the seven rounds on TV3’s Gillette Motorsport program.

The four sprint rounds, to be run between February and May, will receive delayed coverage of Races 1 and 2, prior to a live broadcast of the weekend’s third and final race live.

The category’s three single-race endurance rounds, run between August and October, will be broadcast live and in full.

McIntyre lauded the announcement as a significant moment for the first-year class.

“We have been working on a suitable package since April this year, so it’s very pleasing to have signed with TV3, which has truly established itself as New Zealand’s ‘home of motorsport’,” said McIntyre, who will enter two Falcons in next year’s series.

“It’s tremendously exciting to now be working with the Gillette Motorsport team to put this broadcast package together.

“Our teams’ sponsors and the series’ sponsors will benefit greatly from the exclusive element of our broadcast with a minimum of three commercial hours being screened from each of the seven rounds of our first season of V8SuperTourer racing.”

Gillette Motorsport host and TV3’s motorsport reporter Shaun Summerfield says he’s just as excited as the V8SuperTourer drivers to have the new series feature on the show in 2012.

“The V8SuperTourers add another dynamic racing series to our existing local line-up,” says Summerfield. “To have so many talented drivers in the new series means we know we’re going to get some brilliant racing to enjoy throughout their first-ever season.”

The confirmed competitors in the seven round 2012 V8SuperTourers series are: Greg Murphy (Melbourne), John McIntyre (Nelson), Andy Booth (North Shore, Auckland), Paul Manuell (Pukekohe), Kayne Scott (Hamilton), Craig Baird, MNZM, (Gold Coast), Andre Heimgartner (Howick, Auckland), Ant Pedersen (Hamilton), Andy Knight (Christchurch), Eddie Bell (Christchurch), Daniel Gaunt (Melbourne), Scott McLaughlin (Gold Coast), Colin Corkery (North Shore) and Richard Moore (Auckland).

The series will kick off at Hampton Downs on February 17-19 and conclude at Powerbuilt Tools Raceway on October 26-28.