The Tony Quinn Foundation is proud to announce Supercars race winner Ryan Wood as the recipient of a $40,000 grant to contest next year’s Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy (CTFROT), the premier category of the NextGen NZ Championship.
The news was announced today at the Hampton Downs International, where Wood is competing in an Audi GT3 car.
Ryan joins Louis Sharp as one of two recipients of the 2025 Tony Quinn Foundation CTFROT grant, adding his name to an esteemed list of previous beneficiaries, including Callum Hedge, Liam Sceats, and Zack Scoular, who each launched successful campaigns in the category with the Foundation’s support.
Tony Quinn Foundation Trustee and longtime mentor Greg Murphy said the opportunity was one Ryan had been eager to pursue for some time.
“Ryan wanted to follow in the footsteps of what Will Brown and Broc Feeney did last season in CTFROT. He loves driving, and he loves new challenges, and he sees this as a great opportunity to keep learning and broadening his skill set.
He knows the competition is incredibly tough, but that’s exactly why he’s doing it — to stay sharp and continue developing before another Supercars season.
He was one of our supported drivers a few years ago, so it’s great to have him representing the Foundation again.”
Ryan said he was thrilled to reconnect with the Tony Quinn Foundation and was looking forward to the challenge of returning home to race.
“I’ve always been eager to compete in CTFROT ever since I first watched it back in 2014. We came really close in 2021 before COVID, so it’s awesome to finally get a deal done this year with great backing from the Tony Quinn Foundation and so many others.”
He said the chance to contest the country’s most iconic race was a dream come true.
“To be competing in the New Zealand Grand Prix is a real bucket-list race for me. I never thought I’d get the opportunity, so it’s super special to be racing in New Zealand’s most iconic event.
“It’s also really cool to link back up with TQF — I’ve been lucky enough to have their support before, but to now be racing in New Zealand at Tony’s circuits with TQF backing is super special.”
He also highlighted the benefits of gaining valuable mileage in a completely new type of car.
“Driving the FT-60 will be a whole new experience — I’ve only driven an open-wheeler twice before — so learning something new will really help me in Supercars.
“Doing it in a Toyota before transitioning into the Supra for 2026 makes this an exciting way to start that relationship. Ultimately, it’s about learning and making myself a better driver on and off the track for 2026 and beyond.”
Ryan’s rise through the ranks has been rapid. After early success in karting, he was awarded the Toyota 86 CareVets Scholarship for the 2019/20 season, which supported his first car-racing venture and debut in the Toyota 86 Championship.
He impressed immediately in his rookie campaign, finishing 10th overall in the standings and showing strong progression throughout the season. Returning for a second season in 2020/21, he emerged as a genuine title contender, collecting six pole positions, six wins and ten podiums to finish third in the championship after a dramatic finale.
He then transitioned into GT racing, dominating his class in the 2021 South Island Endurance Series aboard a Porsche 991 Cup Car — a campaign that helped pave the way for his move to Australia the following year.
In 2022, he shifted across the Tasman to chase his Supercars dream, joining Earl Bamber Motorsport / Team Porsche New Zealand for the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, where he claimed the most poles, race wins, and podiums of any driver to finish second in the championship — just 19 points off the title.
His standout form earned him the Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship for the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, though he instead seized the chance to fast-track his pathway into Supercars.
With Walkinshaw Andretti United returning to Super2 in 2023, Ryan chased a drive, first completing an evaluation day with the team before securing a full-time seat for the season.
He immediately made headlines by taking pole position on debut, with victories soon following across Perth, Sandown and Adelaide.
The standout rookie campaign ultimately earned him a main-game promotion alongside Chaz Mostert in 2024.
Once his Supercars season wraps up in Adelaide this November, Ryan will shift his attention to his rookie CTFROT campaign with the backing of the Tony Quinn Foundation.
He’s set to make his debut at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park from 9–11 January 2026, fronting Round 2 of the 2025/26 NextGen NZ Championship.
The CTFROT season will then unfold over four consecutive weekends, culminating in the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix at Highlands Motorsport Park from 30 January to 1 February, also part of the NextGen NZ Championship.
Header Image: Tayler Burke
