Australian invasion adds extra firepower to 17-car TA2 Championship field at Taupō

The TA2 New Zealand Championship heads to Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, 13–15 November, with a strong 17-car field set to battle for honours, as Christchurch teenager Chris White looks to extend his early championship advantage.

Adding further excitement to the weekend will be the arrival of Australian racers Tyler Cheney, Jarrod Hughes and Declan Fraser, bringing additional experience and international competition to the growing New Zealand category.

Leading the championship charge is 19-year-old Chris White, who made an immediate impression on his TA2 debut at Hampton Downs.

The reigning Toyota GR86 Champion wasted little time adapting to the more powerful TA2 machinery, topping qualifying, collecting two race wins and leaving Hampton Downs with a 50-point advantage at the top of the championship standings.

However, White’s rivals have already demonstrated they have the pace to challenge the young Christchurch driver.

Dylan Grant emerged as one of White’s closest competitors at Hampton Downs, qualifying second and finishing runner-up in the opening race before claiming victory in the final encounter of the weekend.

Grant will be looking to carry that momentum into Taupō and reduce White’s early championship advantage.

Toby Elmiger also demonstrated his pace at Hampton Downs, securing a podium finish, while Jamie McDonald, who also podiumed, will be another driver to watch as the championship battle begins to take shape.

Adding another dimension to the Taupō weekend is the arrival of several high-profile Australian competitors, led by 2025 Australian TA2 Muscle Car Series Champion and rising Supercars star Jarrod Hughes.

Hughes will make his New Zealand TA2 debut at Taupō, using the opportunity to gain valuable circuit experience ahead of the 2027 Supercars Championship, which will again visit the New Zealand venue.

No stranger to TA2 and Trans-Am machinery, Hughes brings considerable experience in the powerful V8 category and will look to make an immediate impression against the established New Zealand front-runners.

Fellow Australian Tyler Cheney is also returning across the Tasman, bringing his Mustang to contest the remaining rounds of the championship.

Cheney is already familiar with Taupō, having competed at the circuit during the Supercars Championship event in April aboard a Challenger TA2.

Despite Cyclone Vaianu forcing the cancellation of much of the race programme, Cheney secured an impressive fourth-place finish in the only race completed that weekend.

Returning to the circuit, Cheney will look to put that experience to good use as he takes on the New Zealand field.

Australian Supercars driver Declan Fraser will also join the Taupō grid aboard a Mustang, adding further depth and experience to what is shaping up as a highly competitive weekend.

The arrival of Hughes, Cheney and Fraser highlights the growing appeal of the New Zealand TA2 Championship, with the category continuing to attract interest from Australian drivers looking to compete on this side of the Tasman.

The 17-car field features a strong representation of all three American muscle car marques, with six Mustangs, six Camaros and five Challengers set to take to the Taupō circuit.

The Mustang contingent includes championship leader Chris White Jnr, Toby Elmiger, Andrew Turner and the three Australian visitors, Tyler Cheney, Declan Fraser and Jarrod Hughes.

The Camaro challenge will come from Jamie McDonald, Peter Ward, Karl Gains, Mark Pitcher, Lance Gerlach and John Roberts, while Dylan Grant heads the Challenger line-up alongside Elton Wichman, Leo Bult, Maurice Shapley and newcomer Callum Pratt, the reigning Mazda Racing Series champion making the step up to TA2 competition.

With a mixture of established championship contenders, promising newcomers and experienced Australian racers, the 17-car field promises plenty of close racing throughout the weekend.

The championship will feature three races across the Taupō weekend: two 10-lap encounters followed by a longer 12-lap race, giving drivers plenty of chances to battle for valuable championship points.

Round 2 of the TA2 New Zealand Championship takes place at Taupō International Motorsport Park, 13–15 November 2026.

Round 2 Entry List:

1. #20 NZ                 Dylan Grant                       Dodge
2. #74 NZ                 Toby Elmiger                      Mustang
3. #88 NZ                 Chris White Jnr                 Mustang
4. #71 NZ                 Jamie McDonald             Camaro
5. #69 NZ                 Peter Ward                         Camaro
6. #61 NZ                 Karl Gains                          Camaro
7. #77 NZ                 Elton Wichman                Dodge
8. #11 NZ                 Mark Pitcher                      Camaro
9. #38 NZ                 Lance Gerlach                 Camaro
10. #98 NZ                 Leo Bult                               Dodge
11. #24 NZ                 Maurice Shapley             Dodge
12. #5 NZ                    Andrew Turner                  Mustang
13. #143 NZ               John Roberts                     Camaro
14. #3 NZ                    Callum Pratt                       Dodge
15. #51 AUS              Tyler Cheney                     Mustang
16. #777 AUS            Declan Fraser                  Mustang
17. #118 AUS            Jarrod Hughes                  Mustang

Header Photo: Supplied