Improved Production champion Ryan Denize could be one to watch this coming season as he steps up to a full campaign in the Toyota 86 Championship.
The 17-year-old doesn’t come from a classic karting background, having cut his racing teeth in grassroots club racing taking part in time trials, dual-car sprints and multi-car sprints over the past few years before stepping up to racing with the Improved Production Category where he achieved notable success.
In a Toyota 86 racer developed by himself and his father, Ryan took overall honours and decided to step up to the Toyota 86 NZ Championship for the 2023-2024 motorsport season.
The Patetonga racer will be part of the MacKenzie Motorsport squad and went well at the recent two day Hampton Downs pre-season test. The Hauraki Plains College student has also secured backing from Dayle ITM to help make his first championship campaign possible.
He’ll be one part of the biggest ever field assembled in Toyota 86 Championship history at 25 cars when the six round championship takes to the track for the first round later this month at the Taupo International Motorsport Park.
Ryan will be up against most of the country’s rising motorsport stars looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Dixon, McLaughlin and Van Gisbergen and make a name for themselves on the national and international motorsport scene.
“It’s going to be really competitive out there but I believe I can go well and carry on the improvements I have made over the last few seasons. It’s down to driver skill and consistency in this championship and I’ll be focussing on being at the top of my game in both of those areas.”
It all begins for Denize and 24 other racers in the Toyota 86 Championship later this month at Taupo before an early summer holiday ahead of the second round at Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon in January. The championship then heads to the South Island for two rounds there, including the 68th New Zealand Grand Prix. The final two rounds will be in the North Island.
2023/24 Toyota 86 Schedule
| Rd 1 | November 17-19 | Taupo |
| Rd2 | January 26-28 | Manfeild |
| Rd 3 | February 9-11 | Ruapuna |
| Rd 4 | February 16-18 | Highlands |
| Rd 5 | March 15-17 | Hampton Downs |
| Rd 6 | April | TBC |
Header Image: Ryan Denize could be one to watch this season. Picture Bruce Jenkins
