The origins of ‘Kaos’
Peter ‘Kaos’ Ward is not only the Founding Director of Ward Demolition, but an active racing car driver. Peter has competed in the NZ V8 Utes from 2007 and was one of the founding six members of the category. Peter is the 2022 Ryco 24.7 V8 Ute racing series Champion, taking home the victory in his final season in the category. In more recent years Peter purchased a 1977 Torana SLR 5000 and joined the Central Muscle cars racing series. From 2022 onwards Peter will be competing in the Muscle car category in the hopes of bringing home another title. His nickname ‘Kaos’ was earned due to his very enthusiastic driving in the early days of his race career in the Utes. He would cause all sorts of ‘kaos’ during a race resulting in crashes and consequently wrecking his ute, in true demolition style. Now over 15 years later, Peter has much improved. Despite his decline in incidents and increase in podiums the nickname has stuck with him.
Peter enjoys the single focus motorsport requires, and his passion is contagious. “I’m just out for a good time. That’s why I do racing. I enjoy it. Once I get behind the steering wheel I can’t think about the next job or anything because I’ll crash. I wish I’d started 20 years earlier.”
You can keep up to date on his racing Facebook page HERE.
the ‘Founding six’ of the NZ V8 Ute Racing Series
The NZ V8 Ute Racing series was based off the Australian V8 Ute Racing Series (2000-2017) at the time the Aussie series was hugely successful, second only to Australian V8 Supercars in both TV audiences and spectator attendances. In 2005, this caught the eye of the late Ash Cairns and the Manfeild Park Trust. In February 2006 a boat load of Aussie V8 Utes were packed up and loaded off to the Manawatu - resulting in the biggest motor sport event ever to be held at Manfeild.
The huge success of this event grabbed the attention of a number of adventurous Kiwi's - as all the XRS Falcons that were at Manfeild were to be replaced for the next Australian 2006 series - a half dozen of these race Utes were purchased by the 'Foundating Six' shareholders: Peter Ward, Ash Cairns, Alan Butcher, Bob Grove, Graham and Simon Beirne. These six raced their Utes in the Manfeild Winter Series of that year marking the birth of the NZ V8 Ute Racing series.
From there 10 more shareholders were brought onboard, 8 Holdens and 8 Fords were built in Aussie and shipped to New Zealand. By 2008, twenty competitors battled it out in a 6 round, nation wide racing season. Over 15 years later and the V8 Utes are still one of the most exciting Motorsport Categories in New Zealand. Leaving the category in 2022 was a tough decision but we look forward to the potential of one of the next generation of Wards possibly returning to the series in the future. For now the team has moved on to it’s next adventure in the Muscle car series.
To find out more about the NZ V8 Utes check out: www.v8utes.co.nz/peter-ward
Racing in the Bathurst 1000
One of Peter’s many career highlights includes racing with the Australian V8 Ute series at the Bathurst 1000. First competing in “the Great Race” in 2012 alongside a record field of 36 Utes, Peter won the Bathurst Challenge trophy as the fastest newcomer of the weekend. From watching the Bathurst 1000 every year since childhood to competing in the event himself, it was truely a dream realised for Peter and his Team.
“It just puts a lump in your throat when you line up on the line and then you take off with the rest of them and you’re screaming across the top of the hill and then you come down over through Skyline, and you nearly have a couple of woops moments, it’s just honestly…I can’t even describe it, you’ve got to do it!” - Peter Ward on racing at Bathurst
Rolling into the Central Muscle Car Racing Series
Peter has always been a devoted Holden enthusiast so it made sense that in 2018 he purchased a 1977 Holden Torana SLR 5000. After over 10 years in the Ute series Peter was wanting something different to compete in alongside continuing in the utes, he’d long admired the Central Muscle Cars category for it’s huge range of cool cars with plenty of horsepower. The real push came from the persistent encouragement from his good friend the late Sean Fowler (1965-2020) who would joke “When are you going to buy a real car” later selling him the Torana he himself had raced for many years. Sean was a great driver, mentor and friend, it is an honour to continue to race the car that brought him so much joy.
Specs on the 1977 Torana SLR 5000:
393 cubic inc Engine
G-Force GSR Gear Box
Ford 9inc diff
AP6 Pot front and AP4 Pot Rear Brakes
Simmons FR 17x10.5
The Central Muscle Cars has a huge class here in New Zealand, which Peter has managed to hold his own in. In 2020 Peter took home 3rd overall at Hampton Downs in the pouring rain, his best result so far. Whether it boils down to Peter’s competitive nature or the many years racing a hard to handle ute, there’s no denying his talent behind the wheel. It is Peter’s ambition to one day compete overseas in the Australian Muscle Cars Series and return to his all time favourite event, including the Bathurst 1000.
For more information on the NZ Central Muscle Cars see: https://www.centralmusclecars.co.nz
Motorsport and Brand Exposure
Not only has Peter’s racing been immensely entertaining, it has created immeasurable brand exposure. The racing footage has produced hundreds of hours of TV times across New Zealand and Australia, thousands of spectators have visited the sign written cars in the tents for poster and photos and the racing trailer has been a giant mobile billboard, traveling the length of the country countless times.
