National title action returns to Baypark Speedway for the first time in two years when a 54-car field contests the New Zealand Saloon Car Championship this weekend.

The two-night event offers Tauranga's reigning national champion Chris Cowling a chance to win an unprecedented fourth title in the Saloon class and renew a rivalry with one of the strongest South Island contenders in the event.

With no New Zealand Speedway titles being contested last summer due to Covid restrictions, it was two years ago that Cowling clinched his third Saloon title in Invercargill.

It came with a late race pass and a margin of a few centimetres over Southlander George Phillips.

Phillips then reversed the order by winning the New Zealand Grand Prix at Cromwell and the pair haven't raced against each other since.

The rivalry is being resumed with both drivers having new cars for the 2002-23 season, but not having a lot of racing so far this summer.

'I started my own business last year so I haven't had time to race as much as I would usually,” says Phillips, who will be making his debut at Baypark.

'But I'd say we've done a bit more racing than has Chris has done. I'm feeling pretty confident in the new car, and I'd like to think we've got the speed to be in contention. Mark Osborne is going to be at the track with another Stealth car the same for his son Ashton and it's a bonus for us to have our chassis builder at the track.”

Cowling is in a similar situation but with more stress in the lead-up to the title.

His new CB2 car comes from the family race workshop in Tauranga and is next evolution of the car he drove to victory in 2001.

But a delayed debut and recent rainouts mean he's competed at only four meetings and this week the team have been battling to rebuild the engine that suffered damage in its most recent outing.

'It's going to be last minute to get there. Our engine builder has been busy getting the parts we need, which isn't easy over the holidays,” says Cowling.

'I've only done two meetings in Auckland, one at Kihikihi and few laps at Baypark before we blew it up.”

The Saloon title has the appeal of nationwide representation with drivers travelling from Auckland and Invercargill among a field representing 12 tracks.

Stratford racer Thomas Korff was the New Zealand Saloon Car Champion in 2020.

The Baypark hopes also include North Island champ Jarred Fletcher and Trent Amrein while former New Zealand champions Thomas Korff (Stratford), Steve Williams (Auckland) and Ethan Cook (Gisborne) are likely to be in contention.

Young Christchurch racer Ashton Osborne has been making an impression on southern tracks in the latest of the Stealth cars.

Drivers will contest two 12-lap heat races on Friday night and a third heat early on Saturday evening.

The top 16 qualifiers advance to the 25-lap final with last chances available through two Semi-main races to complete the 20-car grid.

Formula 2 Midgets and Six Shooters feature on the support race programme both nights with Mini Stocks appearing on Friday and Sprint Cars on Saturday.