The 2021 TCR New Zealand champion will be awarded free entry into any remaining TCR Australia round this year.
The three-round inaugural New Zealand competition is set to kick off at Timaru next month, with the national touring car title up for grabs.
Across the ditch, the second season of the Australian TCR championship has just completed its opening round at Tasmania.
The category has attracted some of Australia’s most prominent names in touring car racing, including a crop of current and ex-Supercar drivers. Chaz Mostert, Lee Holdsworth, Michael Caruso, James Moffat, and Michael Caruso were all part of an 18-car grid at Symmons Plains Raceway.
With the New Zealand series wrapping up at Highlands Motorsport Park in April, this year’s champion will be eligible to compete for free in a round at either Sydney Motorsport Park, Morgan Park, Sandown or Mount Panorama for the Bathurst International.
“TCR New Zealand is about breading talent and providing pathways for New Zealand drivers,” TCR New Zealand category manager Lindsay Dodd said.
“Having a strong connection with TCR Australia is naturally going to be beneficial to our drivers and open up opportunities for them to advance their careers.
“This prize, worth around $5,000 AUD, will remove one of the cost barriers to competing in what could be one of the biggest TCR events globally should they chose the Bathurst International event.”
Gene Rollinson is the only driver so far confirmed to race in the full New Zealand championship. The 36-year-old will be behind the wheel of the Racer Products Hyundai i30N.
This year’s TCR New Zealand Championship will also run alongside the new Super Production Series, open for high-performance factory-built production race cars. They will compete for the Production Racing Championship, which was last awarded in New Zealand back in 2011.
Main Image: Tayler Burke