CATEGORY MANAGEMENT THE TOYOTA 86 CHAMPIONSHIP IS AN INDEPENDENTLY ORGANISED MOTORSPORT NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND BACKING FROM TOYOTA NEW ZEALAND LIMITED. Geoff Short is the appointed Category Manager, Josh Greenland manages all technical aspects of the series and Events Manager Katrina Wardill oversees logistics and hospitality. Speed Works Ltd will be working out of a brand new purpose build facility at Hampton Downs and one that the team are very proud to be a part of. CONTACT TR 86 CATEGORY MANAGER Geoff Short P: 021 825 911 E: geoff@ toyotaracing.co.nz PUBLIC RELATIONS Mark Baker Veritas Communications P: 021 212 0607 E: veritas.nz@ xtra.co.nz 3 CONTENTS MEDIA RESOURCES CONTENTS CATEGORY MANAGEMENT 3 CONTACT 3 CONTENTS 4 MEDIA RESOURCES 5 ABOUT TR 86 4 THE CAR 5 LEASE PACKAGE 5 TROPHY CABINET 6 CALENDAR 7 DRIVER PROFILES 9 ASH BLEWETT 10 JOHN PENNY 11 REID HARKER 12 MICHAEL SCOTT 13 Ash Blewett, 2015-2016 Championship Winner. Photo by Bruce Jenkins. TOM STOKES 14 MATT LOCKWOOD 15 Toyota Racing New Zealand and the media team are available to assist with any media requests, including requests for driver interviews. CONNOR ADAM 16 Media are also encouraged to utilise the following resources: MILES COCKRAM 17 DREW RIDGE 18 JACK MILLIGAN 19 FACEBOOK TRNZ MOTORSPORT MEDIA LIST Features live discussion, up-to-the- For all media releases, qualifying updates and RYAN YARDLEY 20 minute news and race day galleries. official results; to check that you’re on the BRODY MCCONKEY 21 facebook.com/ToyotaRacingNZ list or to update your details, please email: JACOB SMITH 22 [email protected] BEN MACDONALD 23 TWITTER @ToyotaRacingNZ TOYOTA RACING WEBSITE JADEN RANSLEY 24 Features live score updates every For standings, driver profiles, live lap-timings MIKE LIGHTFOOT 25 race day and all the latest news. WILLIAM BROWN 26 RESULTS 28 YOUTUBE TRNZ APP - RACE MONITOR 29 Features highlights from the Available on both Android and iPhone; PARTNERS 2016/2017 race days includes live lap times and results. youtube.com/user/ToyotaRacingSeries 2 3 ABOUT TR 86 THE CAR Toyota’s acclaimed 86 sports coupe returns for a The series shares billing with V8SuperCars, NZ Boasting a six point FIA-approved roll cage, “The TR 86 platform lends itself to all forms of fourth championship season after making its debut Touring Cars, New Zealand’s premier motor racing integrated Motec dash, Sparco touring-car race seat motorsport and we believe the car will have excellent on New Zealand’s race tracks in 2013 using a locally championship the Toyota Racing Series, and includes and race steering wheel, the TR 86 is ideal for Toyota resale value based on its versatility,” he said. developed Toyota Racing version called TR 86. the New Zealand Grand Prix weekend at Manfeild in 86 Championship drivers. New Zealand’s leading single make championship for February 2017. • D-4S direct injection technology sports coupe cars has attracted its strongest-ever The vehicles also feature specially-tuned adjustable • 147kW @7,000rpm entry. Going into its fourth year, the championship suspension, a racing brake package and run on • 205Nm of torque @ 6,400rpm welcomes a fresh draft of talented racers expected 18-inch Speedline motorsport wheels fitted with Conceived as a stepping stone to greater things, the to make the racing at each of the six rounds a close- Michelin slick tyres. Toyota 86 Championship is an intensely competitive fought battle. six round premier-level championship that attracts “The 86 RC that forms the basis of the series cars is rising racers and some of the highest profile names a fun and challenging car to drive – very agile, with in New Zealand motorsport. impressive mid corner speed,” Category Manager Geoff Short says. LEASE PACKAGE Cars are available to lease for drivers, either to those “We know there are many drivers – especially young seeking experience in a saloon based category or as drivers – who would like the chance to try their hand in a stepping stone to the Castrol Toyota Racing Series the championship. So far we have seen people either single seaters. Cars can be leased on a dry hire basis, buy cars outright or race with the support of a team or a fully managed package through a team. and a car owner. This initiative adds a further way to get on the grid”. “Our aim has always been to offer a race series that challenges drivers and helps them develop their skills”, Toyota New Zealand Motorsport Manager Steve Boyce says. 4 5 TROPHY CABINET CALENDAR DRIVERS WILL COMPETE FOR THE COVETED TOYOTA 86 CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY, THE TOYOTA 86 MASTERS TROPHY AND THE TOYOTA 86 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TROPHY. ROUND 1: PUKEKOHE 5-6 NOV, 2016 TOYOTA 86 CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY TOYOTA 86 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TROPHY ROUND 2: TAUPO 10-11 DEC, 2016 At the Annual MotorSport New Zealand Awards The title of 86 Rookie of the Year will be awarded to Function the overall winner (highest overall points the driver with highest overall points. ROUND 3: RUAPUNA 14-15 JAN, 2017 scorer from all Rounds of the Championship) will be To be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award, drivers awarded the Toyota 86 Championship Trophy. Note: ROUND 4: TERETONGA 21-22 JAN, 2017 must have entered and competed in no more than three Note: The Toyota 86 Championship Trophy will be rounds of any previous Toyota 86 Championship and must ROUND 5: MANFEILD 11-12 FEB, 2017 presented first for promotional purposes at the Toyota have entered and competed in no more than three rounds of any equivalent or higher level category within the last 12 86 Awards Function which takes place after the final months. Toyota Racing New Zealand Management reserves ROUND 6: HAMPTON DOWNS 11-12 MAR, 2017 Round of the Championship. the right to approve eligibility. The intention is that this trophy will be awarded to a driver of limited relevant experience at this level of motorsport. TOYOTA 86 MASTERS TROPHY The title of 86 Masters will be awarded to the driver aged 40 years of age and over with highest overall points. PUKEKOHE TAUPO RUAPUNA TERETONGA MANFIELD HAMPTON DOWNS 6 7 DRIVER PROFILES Auckland’s Ash Blewett returns to the championship he Auckland’s John Penny returns for his second season in dominated in 2015-2016 looking to put his undeniable the championship. In 2015-2016 he stepped from a V8 driving talent on show once more. and Porsche racing career into the Toyota Finance 86 #1 #3 Championship. Fresh from a run in the Australian 86 series at Bathurst, JOHN PENNY ASH BLEWETT Ash returns to New Zealand’s leading single-make John first raced in 2005 in Formula Challenge, a single- Auckland series aiming to put his West City TR 86 on the podium. Auckland seater category. Born: 6 June 1990 Born: 21 December 1966 The 26 year old was second in the inaugural Coming from the brute force of the NZ V8 Supertourer Team: West City Motorsport championship, third overall in 2014-2015 and then Team: Neil Allport Motorsports series in 2015 he traded a sledgehammer for a scalpel, won in 2015-2016. moving into a premier single-make championship that places emphasis on finesse and judgement and rewards Ash began racing karts in 2004 and switched to single- a fine touch on every control available to the driver. make series in 2007, moving up from BMWs to the 86 championship when it made its debut in 2013. His The reward: a no-holds-barred battle to the final extensive experience in one-make racing meant he chequered flag, wheel to wheel with Ash Blewett and was immediately at home in the high intensity cut and Callum Quin at every round. With podium finishes at thrust of the Toyota series, which uses purpose-built every round, John won the second race of the Manfeild racing versions of Toyota’s award-winning 86 sports round and was third in the championship. coupe. He is back this year with a new car, aiming to win the championship outright. Ash says the TR 86 rewards judgement, balance and finesse. Because the racing is very close, one small error John is sponsored by Penny Homes and Aqualine can cost a driver dearly in qualifying or races. Roofing Products. A mechanical engineer by profession, Ash wants to combine his passion for motorsport with a career with a top race team. https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/ashley-blewett https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/john-penny 10 11 Albany-based Reid Harker is starting his second season Michael Scott made his Toyota 86 debut as one of two in the Toyota 86 Championship. drivers awarded CareVets Racing scholarships for the 2015-2016 Toyota Finance 86 Championship. #4 He has risen through karting, beginning in 2009 #5 and a year later winning the Top Half Series Junior A leading competitor in recent Formula Ford REID HARKER 100cc Yamaha class and the North Island Sprint Kart MICHAEL SCOTT championships, Michael also contested the Toyota Albany Championship Junior 100cc Yamaha class outright. Te Puke Racing Series for two seasons, fitting his single-seater Born: 22 August 1995 Born: 2 December 1994 commitments into a busy academic life studying The following year, he won the Formula Junior class at mechanical engineering at Canterbury University. Team: Ascent Motorsport the Kartsport NZ Schools Championship and the junior class at the Arai Rotax Max Challenge. Micahel’s karting career started in 2007 and includes no less than 18 major events and championships, with More recently he has raced Formula Ford and the BMW a best result of fourth overall coming in the 2011 single make series.