Jaden Ransley is the second driver confirmed for this year’s winner-takes-all TCR New Zealand Championship round.
The Cantabrian will steer a Hyundai i30N TCR for the round at Highlands Motorsport Park in April. It is the same car he drove in the latest South Island Endurance and New Zealand Endurance Series.
Ransley had plans in the pipeline to contest the TCR Australia Championship last year. However, those plans were stalled amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
He will still have the opportunity to race across the ditch later this year, with the New Zealand Series winner awarded free entry to any remaining TCR Australia event.
Ransley’s Kiwi backyard has been competing in the Toyota 86 championship both here and in Australia. But he says he is excited about the opportunity TCR presents and is eager to make the most of it.
“It’s an awesome car,” Ransley said. “As a front-wheel-drive, it’s completely different to the rear-wheel-drive TR86. It’s fast in qualifying, where I expect others to be quick and has really good race pace.
“The one round title decider is a great concept. The pressure will be on everyone to perform at the round as one bad race may well put you out of contention.”
The winner-takes-all round will be held at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell, a circuit Ransley knows well.
“Highlands is really cool,” he said.
“It is probably the best track in New Zealand. So, it will be awesome to have all the TCR cars there competing against each other.”
Ransley’s entry is the second Hyundai i30N car to join the grid. Gene Rollinson confirmed his place on the grid in February.
Like Ransley, Rollinson will also be behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30 N.
The Highlands event will take place over April 23-24.
Main Image: Bruce Jenkins