Sam Cotterill drove a race car for the first time only a few months back.
Now, the 27-year-old Aucklander is gearing up for his race debut when he joins International Motorsport for the Toyota 86 series.
“Literally zero [experience]. No karting or anything,” Cotterill said.
“I’ve always had an interest in the sport. When the opportunity came along to get involved, I thought ‘why not?’
“The Toyota 86 Championship seemed like the right place to start.”
The International Motorsport outfit has some family ties with the Cotterills.
“My dad actually raced with them back in the day, so there is a nice family connection there.”
Preparing for a first season of circuit racing is challenging for any rookie. Trying to get up to speed in the middle of a pandemic and between lockdowns is even more onerous.
“I think you can never have enough track time and it has been hard,” Cotterill said.
“I’ve been able to get a few good sessions in at Hamptons, Pukekohe and Taupo with the team on various test days, so have at least had something earlier in the year.
“More recently there’s been a lot of staying at home and washing my hands. I’ve watched ‘Talladega Nights – The Ballad of Ricky Bobby’ about 50 times.”
As for results, Cotterill intends to approach this summer as a season of learning.
“My objectives are pretty clear: to get better every race, learn everything I can, enjoy the series and if I end up somewhere mid-pack I’ll be extremely happy.”
Series organisers have also confirmed the start of the championship is now at Highlands Motorsport Park over January 14-16.
The season now concludes at Hampton Downs in late April.
Updated 2022 calendar:
| Rnd | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highlands | Jan 14-16 |
| 2 | Ruapuna | Jan 21-23 |
| 3 | Hamptons | Feb 11-13 |
| 4 | Pukekohe | March 4-6 |
| 5 | Taupo | March 25-27 |
| 6 | Hamptons | April 22-24 |
Main Image: Andy Kruy