Shane Howard Chief Executive Officer, Supercars
Welcome from Supercars
Dear Supercars fans,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2025 ITM Taupō Super440, as we return for a second year to the stunning Taupō International Motorsport Park.
Last year’s sellout crowd, Andre Heimgartner’s emotional victory, and the unforgettable scenes from the first-ever NZ Track to Town parade will be etched in our memories for years to come. Now, we are back for another thrilling chapter in the Repco Supercars Championship.
We have already seen incredible racing in 2025, and the competition is as fierce as ever. This weekend, we are excited to debut the new Super440 race format here in Taupō, adding another layer of strategy and intensity to an already action-packed event.
Our debut at Taupō was a landmark moment, solidifying New Zealand’s place as a key part of the Supercars calendar. Working closely with the New Zealand Government and Taupō District Council,
Louise Upston Minister for Tourism and Hospitality
we have built an event that showcases the very best of motorsport while embracing the passionate Kiwi fanbase that makes racing here so special.
This weekend also features an exciting support card, ensuring there’s something for every motorsport enthusiast.
We thank all of our event partners, broadcasters and stakeholders for making this weekend a success.
This event would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers. Their hard work and commitment behind the scenes ensure that everything runs smoothly, from track operations to fan engagement.
On behalf of Supercars, I extend my sincerest thanks to each and every volunteer who has contributed their time and effort to making this event a success.
Thank you for being part of the ITM Taupō Super440. I hope you enjoy an unforgettable weekend of world-class Supercars action.
Welcome from New Zealand Major Events
Nau mai, haere mai!
I am delighted to welcome fans, drivers and teams to the ITM Taupō Super440 2025, one of the highlights on New Zealand’s sporting calendar.
Last year was the first time Taupō hosted a Repco Supercars Champions event, and I was incredibly proud to be part of the 70,000 thousand attendees from across New Zealand and Australia who witnessed the thrill and excitement of a Supercars race weekend.
Building on the incredible success of 2024 adds to the anticipation for this year’s event. In 2025, we are not only guaranteed even more Supercars on track time, but for the first time, the event will be part of the new Supercars Sprint Cup format.
For more than 20 years, Supercars Championship events have played an important role in showcasing our beautiful country to an international audience. In 2024, the event generated significant economic and tourism benefits for the Taupō region and New Zealand. The Government is pleased to support the ITM
Taupō Super440 through to 2026, ensuring New Zealanders and our international visitors can continue to enjoy one of the most popular Trans-Tasman motorsport events.
I wish to thank all the loyal fans whose passion and enthusiasm for motorsport have made Supercars one of the most popular events in our country for over 20 years.
To all our domestic and international visitors, I hope you enjoy your stay, and that you take the opportunity to explore everything that makes the Taupō and surrounding regions a must-visit.
Lastly, I wish all competitors and crew participating in the ITM Taupō Super440 good luck, especially our New Zealand drivers, Jaxon Evans, Andre Heimgartner, Mathew Payne, Richie Stanaway and Ryan Wood. New Zealand has a long and successful history with motorsport, with many of our drivers accumulating great success in the Repco Supercars Championship. Let’s hope this year will be no different!
Official Control Tyre of the Supercars Championship since 2002
Great partnerships drive success. Dunlop has a proven track record of working with leading road and race car manufacturers. Since 2002, Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres have been the official control tyre of Supercars, tested on the toughest race tracks and street circuits across Australia and New Zealand. Supercars Stick With Dunlop Sport Maxx - so should you.
ULTRA SHIELDCERAMIC
Friday 11 April
Saturday 12 April
The stage is set for an epic encounter at this weekend’s ITM Taupō Super 440, with the list of contenders for the coveted Jason Richards Trophy extensive.
A prime candidate is reigning series champion Will Brown, who tops the series standings after claiming overall weekend honours and the Larry Perkins Trophy last time out at the Australian Grand Prix. As it was during his successful 2024 title tilt, consistency has been key for Brown, who hasn’t missed a podium on any race
weekend since joining the Red Bull Ampol Racing equipe.
Brown also has form on the board in Taupō, with his Sunday race victory last year kicking off a further five straight podiums over the next three events.
Duking it out with Brown for that win was none other than his Triple Eight stablemate Broc Feeney, who currently sits third in the standings after registering an opening race success at Albert Park.
In an era when qualifying is all-important, he smashed home a sweep of four straight
pole positions last time out, an ominous sign for the competition.
Second in the standings heading into New Zealand is Cameron Waters, the leading Ford contender, who started the season with three dominant race wins at Sydney Motorsport Park.
A highlight of that meet was Waters’ success in the Saturday night encounter, with the Monster Mustang driver outfoxing Feeney and Brown, claiming the ultimate race lead only meters from the finish line.
After a lacklustre AGP, Chaz Mostert will be looking to rebound in Taupō, with the Mobil 1 Optus Mustang driver looking to return to the form that saw him claim a podium double in Sydney.
Alongside him from the Walkinshaw Andretti United camp is the Mobil 1 Truck Assist backed entry of Ryan Wood, who, in only his third main game start at Taupō last year, rocked the Supercars world with a flying fourth-place finish.
Currently fifth in the standings is 2023 series champion Brodie Kostecki, who is quickly finding his feet at his new home at Shell V-Power Racing, with a pair of fourth place finishes from the opening rounds a sign of bigger things to come.
Left: Percat held off the DJR duo at Albert Park despite suffering a power steering failure.
Also sporting a special Jet Couriers livery for the NZ round will be Kostecki’s teammate Will Davison.
To date, in 2025, his best race result is fourth, which he earned on Saturday at the Grand Prix by winning a drag race to the finish line against Kostecki, while last year, he was a podium finisher in Taupō.
Meanwhile, the 2024 Taupō Sunday polesitter Matt Payne has been quietly chipping away at the opening two rounds, with the Penrite Mustang pilot not finishing worse than 11th in the six races contested to date.
The quick Kiwi finished fourth in the second Taupō race last year and sixth in the end-of-season standings – a big result this weekend would be far from a shock.
Joining Payne in Penrite colours this year is rookie Kai Allen, who brings Super2 Series winning pedigree to the squad.
Placed seventh in the points coming into this weekend is DeWalt Racing’s new recruit Anton de Pasquale, who is quickly finding his feet at Team 18, finishing either seventh or eighth in every race contested in 2025.
Next door in Tradie Beer colours, David Reynolds enters the round 22nd in the standings after an unlucky run at the opening two events.
Above: Cameron Hill was the star of the Grand Prix show, claiming his maiden podium this his breakthrough race win.
Seventh in the point score is Cameron Hill, who broke through at the Australian Grand Prix with his first podium finish in the opening race, swiftly followed by his maiden win in race two, making the Canberran the 87th different victor in ATCC/Supercars history.
The Supaglass Chevy driver showed solid pace throughout his rookie season in 2024, with he and Matt Stone Racing teammate Nick Percat proving to be a competitive combination.
For Bendix-backed Percat, the AGP returned a pair of podium finishes, including second on Friday in the team’s first one-two result, followed up by third on Saturday, which was achieved by fending off the DJR duo on the last lap after a power steering failure.
Andre Heimgartner meanwhile leads the Brad Jones Racing crew into the New Zealand battle, with the R&J Batteries pilot looking to repeat his Taupō race win from last year, with a best result of fifth from Albert Park showing that the team is in the ballpark.
Coming into 2025, there are no changes to the driver lineup in the team’s other three entries.
Macauley Jones once again carries one-off backing from Wendy’s this weekend, Bryce
Fullwood wears the colours of new sponsor Mr Unami, while Kiwi ace Jaxon Evans continues to fly the flag for SCT Logistics.
The PremiAir Racing squad returns with James Golding looking to add to his maiden podium, which was earned at last year’s Sandown 500, while joining him in the black and red racers is yet another talented New Zealander, with Richie Stanaway finding a new home at the Queensland-based squad.
From the Erebus Motorsport stables, team leader Jack Le Brocq had a trying Australian Grand Prix aboard the Tyrepower Camaro after a top ten opening to the year in Sydney.
Alongside him in the number 99 entry is Cooper Murray, who impressed many with his efforts in last year’s Supercheap Autobacked wildcard program.
Rounding out the field is the Blanchard Racing Team, with James Courtney earning some solid results from the opening two rounds aboard the Snowy River Caravans sponsored machine.
Joining him aboard the CoolDrive Auto Parts entry is Aaron Cameron, who subbed into the squad for the AGP, and is set to stay for the full season.
What does all this mean?
This weekend’s silverware is wide open for the taking. ■
Above: The most recent race at Albert Park was a non-event thanks to heavy rain.
Main: The incredible drag race to the finish in Sydney between Cameron Waters and Broc Feeney.
2025 ITM TAUPŌ SUPER 440
RYAN WOOD
Mobil 1 Truck Assist Racing Ford Mustang GT
AGE 21
FROM Wellington, NZ
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @ryanwoodracing
INSTAGRAM @ryanwood40_
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2024
ROUNDS 1
RACES 2
BEST FINISH 4th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 5th
Ryan Wood completed a rapid rise to the Repco Supercars Championship grid in 2024 by taking over the marquee #2 entry at Walkinshaw Andretti United. The New Zealander, who started in karts and Toyota 86 in his homeland, was one of the standout stars of the 2023 Super2 Series with a season-high five race wins and four pole positions, despite it being his first season in a Supercar. It sealed his graduation to the ‘main game’, validating a bold career call made 12 months earlier.
At the end of 2022, Wood had two clear options for his career going forward. An impressive rookie Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season, earning a scholarship drive in Carrera Cup. On the other hand, a sterling evaluation day aboard a WAU Gen2 Holden meant a Super2 offer was on the table. He chose the latter, and the rest is history. A highlight of his rookie campaign was a flying fourth place at Taupō, a result repeated at CARCO.com.au Raceway.
AARON CAMERON
CoolDrive Racing
Ford Mustang GT
AGE 25
FROM Melbourne, VIC
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @AaronCameronRacing
INSTAGRAM @aaroncameronracing
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2025
ROUNDS N/A
RACES N/A
BEST FINISH N/A
PODIUMS N/A
BEST QUAL N/A
The latest addition to the Repco Supercars Championship field, Aaron Cameron made his solo debut at the recent Australian Grand Prix event, replacing Aaron Love aboard the CoolDrive Auto Parts entry out of the Blanchard Racing Team.
A journeyman of the motorsport ranks, Cameron graduated from karting to Formula Ford in 2016 and has subsequently raced in categories such as V8 Utes, SuperUtes, MARC cars, Hyundai Excels and Toyota 86s.
Cameron became a mainstay of TCR Australia competition, finishing second in 2021, before representing Australia in the FIA Motorsport Games in France in 2022. In the open wheel S5000 class, he claimed the Tasman Cup in 2021 and 2023, plus the overall title in 2023.
Last year, he raced in his first full season of Super2 for Kelly Racing, winning two races and finishing second overall, while also impressing in his maiden Supercars endurance race campaign aboard a BRT Mustang.
4
CAMERON HILL
Supaglass Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
AGE 28
FROM Canberra, ACT
LIVES Canberra, ACT
FACEBOOK @cameronhill11
INSTAGRAM @cameron_hill4
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2024
ROUNDS 1
RACES 2
BEST FINISH 11th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 6th
Cameron Hill will look to build on a strong sophomore season in the Repco Supercars Championship in his third campaign with Gold Coast-based outfit Matt Stone Racing.
The Canberran won a host of state and national titles in karting before graduating to Formula Ford, winning the national title in 2015 before a switch to sedans with the Toyota 86 Racing Series. Success in the one-make class led to an opportunity in Porsche Carrera Cup, culminating in a dominant run to title in 2021.
While all those successes came in cars run by his family team, his shift to Super2 for 2022 came with leading squad Triple Eight. An impressive rookie season in the second tier netted him a ‘main game’ move to MSR for the start of the Gen3 era in 2023.
Hill quietly impressed alongside proven race winner Nick Percat last year, finishing just outside the top 10 in points, before claiming his maiden victory last time out at the Australian Grand Prix.
BE RYCO READY
OFFICIAL FILTRATION PARTNER OF SUPERCARS
Ryco is proud to be the Official Filtration Partner of the Repco Supercars Championship.
Along with being engineered, developed, and tested at its Melbourne Laboratory, Ryco’s range of GEN3 Control Parts deliver outstanding filtration and extended engine life without compromising flow or performance.
So, when your everyday passenger, 4x4 or commercial vehicle needs the same protection as a Supercar, be Ryco Ready.
THESE ARE THE GEN3 SUPERCAR CONTROL PARTS
Technology proven in Supercars, available for your daily drive.
SCAN TO FIND FILTERS FOR YOUR VEHICLE.
Z5000RP Fuel Filter Mustang & Camaro
JAMES COURTNEY
Snowy River Racing Ford Mustang GT
AGE 44
FROM Penrith, NSW
LIVES Gold Coast, QLD FACEBOOK @JamesCourtneyRacing INSTAGRAM @jcourtney
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2006
ROUNDS 16
RACES 43
BEST FINISH 2nd
PODIUMS 4
POLES 1
Former Repco Supercars Championship winner James Courtney might be entering the twilight of his decorated career, but he showed flashes of form last year in his first season with the expanded Blanchard Racing Team.
A two-time karting world champion, Courtney served his apprenticeship in Europe and was on the road to Formula 1 until a 306km/h testing crash at Monza in 2002 changed the course of his career. After three successful seasons racing in Japan, he turned an endurance races debut in 2005 into a full-time Supercars switch in 2006.
Courtney claimed the 2010 Supercars title against the odds in a dramatic finale at Homebush for Ford icon Dick Johnson Racing, then crossed the floor to the Holden Racing Team for a nine-year stint that netted Adelaide 500 overall victories in 2014 and 2015.
The former Dancing with The Stars contestant is already taking steps towards his post-racing career as a licensed real estate agent on the Gold Coast.
8
ANDRE HEIMGARTNER
R&J Batteries Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
AGE 29
FROM Auckland, NZ
LIVES Perth, WA
FACEBOOK @AHRacing
INSTAGRAM @andreheimgartner
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2015
ROUNDS 6
RACES 16
WINS 1
PODIUMS 3
BEST QUAL 3rd
Now in his fourth season with Brad Jones Racing, André Heimgartner has cemented his place as one of the of Repco Supercars Championship’s new generation of stars.
Progressing through Formula Ford, Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and the Dunlop Super2 Series, Heimgartner’s Supercars debut came as a wildcard with Super Black Racing in the 2014 Bathurst 1000 ahead of a full-time gig, but he was dumped before 2015 was out and, after a year with tailenders Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport, found himself driveless for 2017.
But a last-minute call up to replace an injured co-driver at BJR allowed him to turn in two sterling drives at Bathurst and the Gold Coast, earning him a full-time return with the team now known as Grove Racing in 2018. He took his first Supercars win with them in 2021 and has added another since joining BJR: an emotional triumph on home soil in the championship’s first race at Taupō Motorsprot Park last year.
NICK PERCAT
Bendix Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
36
FROM Adelaide, SA
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @nickpercat
INSTAGRAM @nickpercat
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2014
ROUNDS 8
RACES 22
BEST FINISH 4th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 6th
Nick Percat enjoyed one of his best Repco Supercars Championship campaigns in 2024 in his first season with Matt Stone Racing.
Percat is a fourth-generation General Motors employee; his elders worked on the line at Holden’s Elizabeth plant. Ushered up the ranks by Walkinshaw Racing, Percat won the Bathurst 1000 as a rookie in 2011 alongside Garth Tander at the Holden Racing Team.
He has fought hard for lasting Supercars success since. Dumped by WR after 2012, Percat rebuilt via Carerra Cup and snared a full-time Supercars debut with WR in 2014, only to lose his seat amid a restructure. Again he rebuilt, this time with minnow squad Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport and then Brad Jones Racing, winning races with both teams.
After a failed return to Walkinshaw Andretti United, Percat’s move to Matt Stone Racing quickly bore fruit with wins at Albert Park and Symmons Plains that helped him finish eighth in the championship.
JAXON EVANS
SCT Motorsport
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
28
FROM Levin, NZ
LIVES Gold Coast, QLD
FACEBOOK @jaxonjevans
INSTAGRAM @jaxonevans_
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2024
ROUNDS 1
RACES 2
BEST FINISH 10th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 17th
Jaxon Evans embarks on his second season as a full-time Repco Supercars Championship driver at Brad Jones Racing. He debuted in the championship last year with substantial international pedigree, the Kiwi having spent the past few seasons as a Porsche factory racer.
Born on the Fijian island of Rotuma, Evans was adopted as a baby by John and Deborah Evans; the latter was also a racer and is part of the Lester clan that was the driving force behind New Zealand’s Manfeild Park circuit.
Evans moved to Australia with his family when he was nine and raced karts and Formula Ford, but made his name racing Porsches. He dominated the 2018 Carrera Cup Australia and won the annual Porsche Junior Programme Shootout in France, earning a €225,000 scholarship and a drive in the F1-supporting Porsche Supercup in 2019. He parlayed that into a role as a Porsche factory driver in sports car racing around the world – including driving in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
BRYCE FULLWOOD
The first full-time Repco Supercars Championship racer to hail from Darwin, Bryce Fullwood continues to do the Northern Territory proud in his fourth season with Brad Jones Racing.
Fullwood took his first step onto the Supercars ladder right here in Adelaide in 2015, the kart racer making his Dunlop Super2 Series debut at the tender age of 16.
After a few learning years, everything clicked for Fullwood in 2019 and he took a dominant win in the second-tier series with MW Motorsport, a victory that secured graduation to the ‘main game’ with Walkinshaw Andretti United in 2020.
Very much in the shadow of WAU’s star signing Chaz Mostert, Fullwood quietly went about settling in before a series of mid-season qualifying performances captured attention.
While unable to recapture that form in his second year with WAU, a shift to Albury for 2022 and pairing with veteran engineer Phil Keed has built Fullwood into a solid contender.
ANTON DE PASQUALE
DEWALT Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
29
FROM Melbourne, VIC
LIVES Gold Coast, QLD
FACEBOOK @antondepasquale86
INSTAGRAM @antondepasquale
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2018
ROUNDS 4
9
FINISH 3rd
2
QUAL 3rd
Anton De Pasquale will begin a fresh chapter of his Repco Supercars Championship career in joining Team 18 for 2025. De Pasquale is one of several current Supercars drivers to have chanced their arm in Europe, notching impressive results in junior formulae but running out of funding to keep moving up the ladder towards Formula 1. He returned home in 2016 determined to break into Supercars. Bathurst-winning veteran Paul Morris took him under his wing, and two impressive Super2 seasons led to a full-time ‘main game’ drive with Erebus in 2018. Amid a steady rookie campaign, De Pasquale stole the show by qualifying third in the Top 10 Shootout at the Bathurst 1000. De Pasquale matched well against teammate David Reynolds and claimed a maiden race win in 2020 before securing a move to DJR for 2021. He stormed to a string of poles and race wins in his first two seasons but, amid DJR’s Gen3 struggles, claimed one race win in Townsville and last year’s Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.
MATT PAYNE
Penrite Racing
Ford Mustang GT
22
FROM Auckland, NZ
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @matthewpayne.racing
INSTAGRAM @matthewpayne_7
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2024
ROUNDS 1
RACES 2
BEST FINISH 4th
PODIUMS 0
POLES 1
Matt Payne is on the fast track to Supercars stardom despite 2025 marking only his third Repco Supercars Championship season.
One of the fresh crop of New Zealand talent to cross the Tasman, Payne signalled his arrival at the 2023 Adelaide 500 with a dominant drive in the Sunday race to take his maiden Supercars race win and become the 14th driver to win the event overall.
A star in karting, he graduated to car racing at home in the Toyota Racing Series, winning the 2021 title and earning a scholarship to race in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia.
Impressive performances in the Porsche led to him becoming the foundation driver of the Grove Junior Team. The team guided his rise to Supercars; after a plan to rush him into Supercars in 2022 foundered, Payne raced Super2 for 18 months before graduating to the ‘main game’ in 2023. He’s also proven his Adelaide win was no flash in the pan, with a win in Townsville and poles at Albert Park and Taupō in 2024.
DAVID REYNOLDS
TRADIE Energy
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
39
FROM Albury, NSW
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @davidreynoldsv8supercar
INSTAGRAM @daffidreynolds
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2009
ROUNDS 12
RACES 41
RACE WINS 1
PODIUMS 3
POLES 1
Acclaimedas the ‘larrikin’ of the current Supercars grid, it’s easy to forget that David Reynolds is one of the category’s most formidable racers.
A Bathurst 1000 win headlines a career that is filled with success, with national titles in Formula Ford and Carrera Cup paving his path to Supercars. However, it was his move to Ford Performance Racing in 2012 that launched Reynolds into a contender.
Four seasons with FPR netted wins and pole positions, but he found himself on the outer after 2015, leading to a move to Erebus. The unlikely pairing of Reynolds and Betty Klimenko’s self-proclaimed ‘team of rejects’ proved a masterstroke. In addition to winning Bathurst in 2017, Reynolds emerged as a regular threat for race wins, but departed the squad at the end of a difficult 2020 season.
A shift to what is now known as Grove Racing revived his career. Reynolds broke through for his first pole position in four years at the 2023 Newcastle 500 then his first win in five years at that year’s Gold Coast 500.
KAI ALLEN
Penrite Racing
Ford Mustang GT
19
FROM Mount Gambier, SA
LIVES Mount Gambier, SA
INSTAGRAM @kaiallen.26
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2025
ROUNDS N/A
RACES N/A
BEST FINISH N/A
PODIUMS N/A
BEST QUAL N/A
Kai Allen is the latest bright young prospect to graduate from the Dunlop Super2 Series.
Allen began karting at eight years old and won a pair of Australian titles and raced overseas across a six-year span. He began his graduation to car racing in 2021 with a move to the Gold Coast; Paul Morris took him under his wing at the Norwell Motorplex and guided Allen towards competing in Hyundai Excels before a handful of appearances in Toyota 86s. He claimed a record 11 of 12 pole positions on debut in Super3 in 2021 but lost the title with a crash in the final race of the season.
Allen made no such mistakes upon graduating to Super2 in 2022, winning the title with a come-from-behind performance in the finale, and he contended for the title again in 2024. He has already made a handful of Supercars starts via a Bathurst 1000 wildcard with Dick Johnson Racing, enduro drives with DJR last year, and filling in for a concussed Richie Stanaway for Grove Racing at Adelaide last
JAMES GOLDING
PremiAir Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
29
FROM Warragul, VIC
LIVES Gold Coast, QLD
FACEBOOK @JamesGoldingMotorsport
INSTAGRAM @jimmygolding
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2018
ROUNDS 4
RACES 9 BEST FINISH 5th
PODIUMS 0 BEST QUAL 9th
James Golding enjoyed a breakthrough Repco Supercars Championship season in 2024, earning his first pole position and first podium with PremiAir Racing.
An accomplished karter, the Warragul-raised racer Golding graduated to Formula Ford in 2013 and was narrowly beaten to the national title in 2014. But he’d attracted the eye of renowned talent spotter Garry Rogers, who gave him the chance to contest the final round of the 2014 Dunlop Series at Homebush. He impressed on debut, so much so that GRM granted him a second-tier drive for the next few seasons.
He graduated to the ‘main game’ with GRM in 2018 but ended up on the sidelines for 2020 when the team elected to pull out of Supercars. Golding rebuilt his career through racing S5000 and with Bathurst co-drives at Team 18, his strong performances earning a call-up from PremiAir midway through 2022. A series of eye-catching performances across the tail of the season secured a full-time drive for 2023.
THOMAS RANDLE
Monster Castrol Racing
Ford Mustang GT
29
FROM Melbourne, VIC
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
FACEBOOK @thomasrandle49
INSTAGRAM @thomasrandle
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2022
ROUNDS 2
RACES 5
BEST FINISH 12th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 7th
Thomas Randle has stepped up to the challenge of helping lead Tickford Racing as he enters his fourth full-time season in the Repco Supercars Championship. The Melburnian came on strong in the second half of 2023, taking his first pole position at The Bend and finishing all three races on the podium, then claiming another podium on Saturday at the Adelaide 500.
Last year he formed part of a focused two-car attack from Tickford and performed strongly alongside team leader Cam Waters, claiming his first top five championship finish but falling agonisingly short of netting a maiden race win.
A star in karts and a Formula Ford title winner, Randle raced open-wheel in Europe before carving out a Supercars career at home. His trajectory was briefly paused by a battle with testicular cancer in 2020, but he still claimed the Super2 title that year. His efforts earnt him the prestigious Innes Ireland Trophy for courage and sportsmanship from the British Racing Drivers Club.
RICHIE STANAWAY
PremiAir Racing
Ford Mustang GT
33
FROM Tauranga, NZ
LIVES Melbourne, VIC
INSTAGRAM @richiestanaway
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2018
ROUNDS 3
RACES 6
BEST FINISH 6th
PODIUMS 0
BEST QUAL 7th
Richie Stanaway begins another chapter of his Repco Supercars Championship career in 2025 in joining PremiAir Racing.
Stanaway debuted as a co-driver and won the Sandown 500 in 2017, before a frustrating full-time season with Tickford in 2018. A move to Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2019 proved little better, leading him to quit motorsport and return home to New Zealand.
A lifeline came from longtime backer Peter Adderton, who funded a 2021 Bathurst 1000 wildcard for he and Kiwi legend Greg Murphy. A strong run netted a co-drive with Triple Eight last year, winning Bathurst with Shane van Gisbergen, leading to a full-time return to the championship last year with Grove Racing.
His international racing pedigree belies his results in Supercars; his pursuit of F1 was paused by a back-breaking 2011 crash, but he returned to win in GP3 and GP2, including at Monaco, and race for Aston Martin at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
96
MACAULEY JONES
Wendy’s Racing
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
AGE 30
FROM Albury, NSW
LIVES Albury, NSW
FACEBOOK @officialmacauleyjones
INSTAGRAM @macauleyjones96
SUPERCARS IN NZ STATS
DEBUT 2019
ROUNDS 3
RACES 7 BEST FINISH 13th
PODIUMS 0 BEST QUAL 14th
Macauley Jones is in his seventh full-time Repco Supercars Championship season in 2025, all with Brad Jones Racing.
The son of team owner and former driver Brad, Jones is another youngster who rose through karting into national Formula Ford. He won the category’s Rookie of the Year award in 2012 and was fourth overall in 2013. He moved into what is now known as the Dunlop Super2 Series that same year. While he was unlucky not to take several pointspaying wins during his four full-time seasons in the category, Jones did win the non-points Bathurst 250km race in 2017. He served as a co-driver for the Albury squad prior to joining the championship full-time in 2019.
Outside the cockpit, Jones co-hosts the Brad Jones Racing Run Down podcast with team manager Chris Westwood. He also set the Guinness World Record for doing 870 burpees in one hour in 2019, a mantle he held for almost two years.
RACE WINNERS
Jason Bright, 2013
Jamie Whincup, 2017
THE BIG V8 BATTLE
Mixing together an eclectic mix of cars from various parts of the world, the Super V8s are sure to please
From the early ‘60s through to today, V8s have been at the forefront of saloon car racing in New Zealand.
The SP Tools Super V8s Series ticks all the boxes with a wild mix of thunderoussounding naturally aspirated V8 race cars. With big wings, huge horsepower and the best of modern-day technology, these cars turn on the action for the fans.
The category consists of three distinct classes.
The Open and Extreme V8s are where anything goes, as long as it’s based on a naturally aspirated saloon car, meanwhile, the TA2 Class is the fastest-growing controlled V8-powered category in New Zealand.
Currently leading V8 Extreme with two rounds to go is the amazing Kiwi-built Chevrolet Corvette Tranzam of Grant Brennan, with stiff competition sure to come from the speedy Kerry Jones.
Elsewhere, in the Open Class, there will be some incredible battles with the highly modified V8 SuperTourer of Brady Wild leading the standings.
However, the challengers at this round are lining up, with the likes of Ryan Jarmey in the Corvette Tranzam, plus Tim Edgell, Nick Chester and Rob Wallace all in highly modified Holden Commodores.
Added to the mix will be a spot of Trans-Tasman rivalry with Scott Pye in the lightning-fast NASCAR-powered Toyota
Camry, along with young gun Cameron McLeod in the IRC GT Car, with the duo no doubt set to make the Kiwis work hard for the win.
Then there is super close competition in the TA2 Series, with current leader Peter Ward having his work cut out for him to keep the machines of Andrew Turner, Maurice Shapley and NZ Sprintcar Champion Jamie McDonald at bay.
Thrown into the equation are the young stars of the future with Connor Adam and Ayrton Hodson mixing it up with NZ’s top motocross rider Amie Roberts.
All told, the Super V8 formula makes for some fierce racing, with machinery that resonates with the race fans. ■
FAST AND FUN
A new-generation of Toyota GR86s is fostering the next crop of New Zealand’s rising motorsport talent.
As the cars line up for the sixth and final round of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, the on-track action has been nothing short of epic.
Featuring the new-generation Toyota GR86 model, the formula fosters tight racing, allowing the future stars of the sport to shine.
In 15 races to date in a season that stretches back to November, at least ten drivers have claimed race victories, and more than 12 have been on the podium.
The racing is fast and furious and showcases the very best of New Zealand’s rising talent and future Supercars heroes, and importantly, this weekend, they get to strut their stuff in front of the who’s who of the business.
Hayden Bakkerrus currently leads the race to the title ahead of the hard-charging Hugo Allan, with rising stars Chris White Junior –the top rookie – and Joshua Bethune in hot pursuit.
With the field often covered by under one second in qualifying, the winner this
weekend could come from any of the top 20 qualifiers.
The weekend format presents ample opportunities - qualifying determines the grid for the first race, and then the top ten finishers in that race are reversed to form the front of the grid for the second.
The fastest times in races one and two are combined to form the grid for the feature race, meaning that even those down the order in either of the earlier races are still in 100 percent attack mode.
The GR86 is purpose-built for racing by the team at Toyota Gazoo Racing, with the new model more refined in the handling department, while additional engine output has placed a greater emphasis on a driver’s right foot control.
Now in its 12th season overall, the category continues to provide a level playing field, which remains within the financial reach of aspiring racers.
Who will the future stars of the sport be?
Keep watching this class to find out. ■
HEAVY METAL
The cars that made you fall in love with motorsport continue to thrill in the Central Muscle Ccars.
What started as a group of likeminded enthusiasts all wanting to create a class catering to classic heavy metal from the 1960s and ‘70s, the NAPA Central Muscle Cars has become a fan favourite whenever they enter the racetrack.
Since 2003, the category has brought together both American and Australian muscle cars of the past, taking current-day race fans on a walk down memory lane.
The Central Muscle Cars cater to production vehicles manufactured between 1958 and 1978, with a minimum production run of 1,000 identical units within a 12-month period.
The series is divided into two main groups, with Group 1 featuring highly modified muscle cars equipped with powerful engines, advanced suspension systems, and enhanced braking components.
Group 2, meanwhile, comprises vehicles that retain more of their original specifications, with a focus on authenticity and historical accuracy.
The ITM Taupō Super 440 marks the conclusion of the 2024/’25 season, where
after four rounds, a title fight between Nick Ross and Craig Boote will conclude when the checkered flag falls on Sunday afternoon’s race.
One notable entry is Tony Quinn, the owner of Taupō Motorsport Park and co-owner of Triple Eight Race Engineering, which fields the Supercars entries of Will
Brown and Broc Feeney.
While it is only Quinn’s second meeting since taking ownership of his stunning Pontiac Firebird, he is sure to count on his lifetime of experience in the motorsport world to put on a good show.
Get down to fences, you don’t want to miss this. ■
OFFICIALS OF THE EVENT
NATIONAL SPORTING AUTHORITY
Motorsport New Zealand Inc
PROMOTER / ORGANISER
Supercars Australia Pty Ltd
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Phil Shaw, Gary Lathrope, Rachael Murray, Craig Finlayson, Shanelle Barrett
SUPERCARS OFFICIALS
VCS STEWARDS
Chris McMahon (Chair), Steve Lisk, Adam Simmons
VCS RACE DIRECTOR
James Taylor
VCS DEPUTY RACE DIRECTORS
David Mori, David Stuart
CLERK OF THE COURSE
Craig Finlayson
SECRETARY OF THE EVENT
Gary Lathrope, Rachael Murray
MEDICAL DELEGATE
Dr Carl Le
HEAD OF MOTORSPORT
Tim Edwards
STARTER
James Delzoppo
DRIVING STANDARDS ADVISOR
Craig Baird
TIMING CO-ORDINATOR
Alex Harkness
Rob Andrews
Mark Armstrong
Karl Askew
Gregory Avison
Elias Bayless
Elizabeth Bell
Ben Bettridge
Tiaan Beukes
Anushka
Bhandari
Mike Black
Adrian Bond
Gavin Bowater
Kylie Bowater
Gavin Boyne
Jacky Braid
Laurie Brenssell
Margaret Brenssell
Jade Briggs
stephen christini
Garioch Clunie
RECOVERY CO-ORDINATOR
Alistair Walker
MEDIA MANAGER
Paul Glover
SUPPORT EVENT OFFICIALS
ASSISTANT CLERKS OF THE COURSE
Haylee Wallace, Gary Lathrope
SUPPORT CATEGORY STEWARDS
Janet Phipps (Chair), Mark MacLean, Martin Fine
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
Gary Lathrope
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS
Caitlin Day
CHIEF OBSERVER
Peter Ellis
CHIEF TIMEKEEPER
Jacky Braid
COURSE CAR DRIVER
Pritesh Dheda & Paul Roberts
SUPPORT SAFETY CAR DRIVER
Brian Hamilton
SUPPORT SAFETY CAR OBSERVER
Judy Hamilton
CHIEF STARTER
Paul Slight
ASSISTANT STARTER
Craig Olive
CHIEF MARSHAL
Vince Holub
DEPUTY CHIEF MARSHAL
Vijay Dheda
Paul Fallon
Marie Farrelly
Greg Coffey
Max Colman
Gilbert Corin
Donald Crawford
Jerrod Crosman
Aeneas Davidson
Caitlin Day
Helen Degarnham
Darren Dempsey
Louise Devonport
Peter Devonport
Jasmine Dheda
Jaya Dheda
Keira Dheda
Pritesh Dheda
Robyn Dheda
Uneal Dheda
Vijay Dheda
Linda Dubbeldam
Fred Dykes
Pete Ellis
Stuart Falconer
Alex Fenn
Carl Fenn
Craig Finlayson
Michael Fitzell
Andrew Fraser
Cody Fraser
Shenay Fraser
Sam Frickleton
Haley Galecki
Gail Garlick
Colin Gibson
Richard Gladden
Aaron Graham
Murray Graham
Brendon Green
Jason Green
Kelly Green
Les Green
Lorraine Green
Daniel Haigh
Brian Hamilton
Judy Hamilton
Jason Harris
Mitchell Haydon
Robert Hirst
Vince Holub
Peter Honeyman
Ezra Hughes
Wayne Hughes
Dawn Irwin
Darryl Jackson
Jodez Jackson
Trevor Jackson
Mark Jackways
Hailey Jenner
Manu Jensen
Hokimoana Jerry
Heiko Jonkers
Jaydeep Karve
Kathy Lane
Peter Lane
Belinda Linton
John Lougheed
Russell Mann
Tangiora Manuel-
Hepi
CHIEF OF RECOVERY
Ryan Turner
DEPUTY CHIEF OF RECOVERY
Peter Elliot
CHIEF FIRE MARSHAL
Dean Wills
DEPUTY CHIEF FIRE MARSHAL
Malcom Clunie
CHIEF PIT LANE & GRID MARSHAL
Adrian Bond & Greg Avison
DEPUTY CHIEF PIT LANE & GRID MARSHAL
David Wicken, Amy Ormiston
CHIEF PADDOCK MARSHAL
Paul Fallon
DEPUTY CHIEF PADDOCK MARSHAL
Laurie Brensell
MEDICAL COORDINATOR
Neil Thistlethwaite
Rebecca Marsden
Bart Martyak
Sharon Maxwell
Tayla-rose
Maxwell
Louise McCoy
Michelle McGill
Hunter McLean
Chris McMahon
Darryl McManus
Perdita Meikle
Monique Metcalfe
Wendy Metcalfe
Denise Mexted
JJ Meyer
Catherine Mikkelsen
Gary Moore
Graeme Morrow
Rachael Murray
Colin Nyhane
Craig Olive
Amy Ormiston
Cliff Ormiston
Joel Patterson
Oriana Paul
Tania Paul
Phillip Pawley
Ben Perkins
Craig Perkins
Bryce Platt
Steve Plester
Jordis Pomare
Troy Poppe
Trina Purcell
Sandra Reihana
Peter Rennie
Blair Richardson
Bruce Riley
Paul Roberts
Scott Runciman
Pene Rye
Barbara-Louise
Schaare
Jason Schutt
Jessica Shand
Kellie Shellard
Tony Simmons
Lewis Slight
Cheyne Smith
Jason Smith
Peter Smith
Peter South
Graeme Spence
Hendrikus Staal
Richard Stephens
Nathan Stewart
Loren Stockley
Matt Strang
Jason Sykes
Alan Symes
Caitlin Symes
Kai Taylor
Richard Taylor
Denis
Tereshchenko
David Thompson
Brandon
ThompsonGorniski
K-Dee Thomson
Dene Thorburn
Kaitlyn Vazey
Haylee Wallace
Donald Welsh
Rex West
Damian White
Rachael White
James Whitlock
David Wicken
John Wigston
Alex Wilkinson
Keith Williams
Monica Williams
Paul Williams
Ray Williams
Anne-Maree Willis
Dean Wills
Helena Wilson
Kerry Wilson
James Winterbourne
Melvin Yee
CHAMPIONSHIP MAJOR PARTNER
BROADCAST PARTNER
CHAMPIONSHIP PARTNERS
EVENT PARTNERS
STRATEGIC
