Toyota announces race car lease package for Toyota Finance 86 championship

06 November 2014  /   Series Development

Aspiring racers will have a new way to contest the Toyota Finance 86 Championship as it enters its second season next month with today’s announcement of a new lease package from Toyota New Zealand.

The Championship is New Zealand’s premier one-make sports coupe race series and aims to foster young New Zealand drivers and welcome returning racers back to the sport. It attracted 18 racers in its inaugural season last year.

With some of those drivers already confirmed to return, and others moving on to the next step in their racing careers, Toyota New Zealand Motorsport Manager Steve Boyce said the time was right to make the Championship accessible to more racers.

“Our aim has always been to offer a race series that challenges drivers and helps them develop their skills, and we know there are many drivers – especially young drivers – who would like the chance to try their hand in the championship. So far we have seen people either buy cars outright or race with the support of a team and a car owner. This initiative adds a further way to get on the grid,” he said.

The lease option can be ‘dry hire’ or a fully managed package through a team. It is expected to appeal equally to racers keen on an ‘arrive and drive’ experience; to young drivers aiming for a race career in various saloon championships in New Zealand and overseas; and to drivers looking to gain race experience before moving into the ‘wings and slicks’ Toyota Racing Series.

“Our lease option creates an affordable pathway for racers to experience a premier one-make championship in a purpose-built racing car,” he said.
Details of the lease package have now been released to racers and teams that have expressed interest in the coming season, and are available from Toyota Racing New Zealand.

The 2014-2015 Toyota Finance 86 Championship is open to New Zealand-built TR 86 race cars and will be contested over six rounds. It has its own TV package and features races at V8 Supertourer, Toyota Racing Series and independent race events on circuits from Invercargill to Auckland.