Toyota 86 Championship to feature at V8 Supercars
For the first time the Toyota Finance 86 Championship will feature at the Pukekohe V8 Supercars weekend, which is being held from November 6 to 8 this year.
Pukekohe will be the first of six rounds for the nimble sports cars, which are about to start their third season of competition around New Zealand race tracks.
“There’s no better place to race than in front of the biggest crowd of the season,” said Geoff Short, the Toyota 86 Championship Co-Coordinator.
“The exposure for competitors, Toyota and the series itself is really positive for the class.”
Mr. Short believes the Toyota Finance 86 Championship has received “prime billing” over the Supercars weekend, with Saturday’s race in the middle of the day and Sunday’s two races just before the main V8 Supercar events.
Interest in the class is also growing with Mr. Short expecting the biggest field since the class first started two years ago.
“We have had four test days in the last couple of months for prospective drivers,” said Mr. Short. “Some have bought cars and others are leasing them for the season. It’s certainly the best response we have had in the class’s history. And being on the programme with the V8 Supercars has certainly helped.”
The Toyota Finance 86 Championship continues at Hampton Downs on November 28-29 and then supports the Toyota single seater racing series at Ruapuna on January 16-17, Teretonga on January 23-24 and the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild on February 13-14. The final round is at Taupo Motorsport Park on 26-27 March 2016. All six rounds will be televised on TV3’s CRC Motorsport programme.
