V8 Ute Racing Series

The V8 Ute Racing Series is an Australian motor racing series for utilities, derived from the Australian Production Car Championship. It was conceived in 2000 by PROCAR chief Ross Palmer, V8 Ute Patron Ian McAlister and current category manager of SPHERIX Craig Denyer and launched March 2001, as V8 Brute Utes, at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. The series was instantly popular, in part because of aggressive driving style of competitors, a style encouraged by the use of reverse grid racing, but also because of its very fan friendly marketing which included gimmicks like referring to each of its drivers by a nickname.

Presently, entry into V8 Utes racing is via a franchise, which has been limited to 32 in number, 16 specifically to be Ford Falcon XR8 Utes, 16 Holden SS Utes. All the rounds are shared with V8 Supercars, Australia's top motorsport championship.

Holden driver Rod Wilson was the inaugural series winner. Sydney's Warren Luff, took back to back victories in 2002 and 2003. Holden again returned to form in 2004 with Damien White taking the series title, before defecting to Ford and taking the title again in 2005 by a narrow margin to Melbourne's Marcus Zukanovic.