CareVets ready to supercharge one young driver’s career again this year
The CareVets Scholarship programme - which boosted the careers of drivers like Callum Hedge, Ryan Yardley and Brock Gilchrist – returns once more to give a flying start for one rising star in New Zealand motorsport.
The 2026 CareVets Scholarship annual shootout will be held at Hampton Downs on April 1st and will put the skills of drivers to the test under the scrutiny of experienced engineers and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing NZ staff.
As in 2025 the final driver selected at the end of the day will win use of a Toyota TR86 for the four rounds of the 2026 Toyota TR86 Trophy Series and along with that, the services of an experienced mechanic and engineer to make the race weekends as productive as possible for the winner. The driver will only be responsible for entry, running and any repair costs.
Applications for the 2026 CareVets Scholarship open today – February 16th - and will close on Friday March 6th. Prospective drivers must provide a photo and a current Curriculum Vitae of their motorsport career to date. All applications will be review the week of 9-13 March with the final selection of drivers invited to take part in the on-track assessment on the 1st of April.
Drivers must be a NZ passport holder, 25 or younger and entry will be limited to those who have competed only at grassroots level in codes of the sport such as karting, stock cars, speedway, hill climbing, club rallies or accredited MSNZ series which include the Mazda, BMW, Formula Ford and Formula First categories.
This year judges are also keen to hear from SIM racers keen to switch from virtual racing to the real thing.
Drivers must also hold a relevant current motorsport licence reflecting their participation in grassroots motorsport or be of the age that they are able to apply for the relevant motorsport licence.
“The CareVets Scholarship is synonymous with Toyota 86 racing in NZ and we are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity, with thanks to Keith Houston,” said Category Manager Amanda Tollemache.
“The scholarship offers a real pathway for those coming up through the sport, with not just the Trophy Series but also then the next step into the GR86 Championship. We’re looking forward to seeing the next exciting batch of names come through, all looking to become NZ’s next world champion.”
Submit your Entries to https://www.toyota.co.nz/toyota-racing/gr86-championship/carevets-scholarship-application/
