Yet another talented young New Zealand driver, Richie Stanaway from Tauranga, joins the Toyota Racing Series for the International round at Hampton Downs this weekend.
Already a proven TRS winner after two fine debut drives at the Hamilton Street race last season, Stanaway joins Trevor Sheumack’s ETC team running alongside Aucklander Andrew Waite.
This late breaking news and the‘ late braking on track action’ in the two opening rounds at Teretonga and Timaru in the South Island has produced a thrilling prospect for the first FIA International calendar race meeting at the new Hampton Downs circuit this weekend.
Stanaway will be under the guidance of Andy Neale and Jim Hewlett, the Christchurch race engineers who took Andy Knight to the TRS title in 2008.
The 18-year-old, who beat Mitch Evans to last year’s Formula Ford Championship title, has been frustrated by European weather that has delayed testing for his 2010 season in Germany.
His late inclusion in the entry for Hampton Downs and the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild the following weekend adds more excitement to a battle that is already running hot.
The promise of the most competitive Toyota Racing Series action yet is being fulfilled during the 2010 International Series which culminates in the two North Island rounds over the next two weekends.
At the mid-way point of the International series Earl Bamber (Wanganui) and 15-year-old Mitch Evans are taking it to the overseas drivers with racing action that has brought the sixth TRS season alive.
After the two opening rounds in the South Island there had been four different winners from six races; and less than the points for a single win separate the top five.
Estonian driver Sten Pentus holds a slender lead over Evans and Bamber after six races Pentus has 379pts, Evans is on 374pts and Bamber has 352pts. Within striking distance are Daniel Jilesen (Taumaranui) on 333pts, the young Brazilian Lucas Foresi on 310pts and Waite on 301pts.
New Zealand’s best young single seater prospects have gone head-to-head with an ideal mix of overseas drivers. Pentus brings high level European experience and race craft, while 17 year-old Foresti provides South American flair from Brazil.
Both drivers signaled their intentions with good wins at the opening round at Teretonga; Mitch Evans (Auckland) responded with a couple of his own fine wins and the stage was set.
Then Bamber emerged overnight at Timaru as a bold threat. Two wins in tricky damp conditions transformed his performance and signaled a strong threat for the title.
Adding to the intensity, Jilesen has stepped up his game in his second TRS season and consistent podiums see the 26-year-old ready and waiting for his first outright win.
The Team’s Race is also tight with Bamber and Webling’s new Triple X Team suddenly threatening the previous dominance of Steve Giles Motorsport. Andy Neale is finding real speed for both of his regular season drivers Waite and young Wellington Rookie Jamie McNee ,and a fifth winner could have been added had Waite not been penalised for a jumped start in the final race at the Teretonga round.
The pace has been exceptional with lap times that are regularly under existing TRS records and the field have been qualifying and racing closely within a few tenths of the pace setters.
Alistair Wootten is showing what a family ‘privateer’ team can achieve with some solid results and Rookies Stefan Webling and 16-year-old Jamie McNee have also been in amongst the action and showing the potential that could see them close the gap to their more experienced opponents.
The Brand New state of the art Hampton Downs circuit will add to the intrigue and the second half of the International series will undoubtedly be a thriller.
