Chris Wootton ready for Trans Tasman Toyota Challenge

After taking on Asia’s best in Formula BMW Pacific, 21-year-old Brisbane racer, Chris Wootton is setting himself for his next challenge – the five round Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand, kicking off in Invercargill next weekend.

With over $100,000 (NZD) of cash and prizes being offered – including a Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup test and $10,000 (NZD) to the winner – the Toyota Racing Series is arguably the richest open-wheel racing Series in the Asia-Pacific region. There is also a $10,000 (NZD) first prize to the winner of the New Zealand Grand Prix.

Wootton is pitting himself against GP2 Asia driver and former Formula BMW Pacific Champion, Earl Bamber in the crack Triple X Motorsport team. Triple X operates machinery in both the Toyota Racing Series and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, with Craig Baird, David Reynolds and Daniel Gaunt finishing the Porsche Series in the top three for the team last year.

This will be the first full season Triple X will run cars in TRS, however proved they will be right on the pace by entering the New Zealand Grand Prix as a one off last year, with Gaunt walking away with the title.

Critically, Wootton takes his engineer from Formula BMW Pacific – former Williams F1 Team engineer, Greg Wheeler – to NZ with him.

Chris has secured support from SportsRewards.com.au – a Membership based system of discounts with over 12,000 participating outlets throughout Australia and New Zealand. For $40 you can purchase a SportsRewards.com.au card. The cards are available through Chris’ website – www.chriswootton.com or from Chris directly.

The open-wheel Toyota Racing Series cars produce a power-to-weight ratio similar to a Formula 3 car and utilise a 215-horsepower production-based Toyota 2ZZ-GE motor.

The five round Series begins next weekend at the southernmost race circuit in the world – Teretonga, with round two the next weekend at Timaru (January 22-24). A two week break and TRS fires back into action at the spectacular new Hampton Downs circuit (February 5-7), before continuing with the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild (February 12-14). The season will round out over March 19-21 at Taupo.

Overall, being alongside Bamber will provide Wootton with arguably the most difficult direct assignment of his racing career, however it is one that he’s  very much up for.

ACROSS THE DITCH WITH CHRIS:

“Having Earl as a team-mate is a great yardstick. He’s stood on the podium in GP2 Asia races and won the Formula BMW Pacific Title, so it will be a tough test.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of racing against him and hopefully beating him!

“I go in fairly blind in terms of the circuits we’ll be racing on as obviously I haven’t raced there before and I haven’t been able to get onto a computer simulation, but learning new circuits is something I enjoy and in reality, it’s part of the thrill of racing.

“The Toyota Racing Series gives us a chance to race across the summer and prepare for the remainder of the year. The schedule’s fantastic because we’re doing five events in a very short period of time.

“Getting seat time and race miles is critical to improving and the TRS will certainly provide that. Having tough inter-team competition will also ensure I am at the top of my game.

“With the test drive in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup car as the major prize – and outstanding prizemoney being offered right throughout the Series – it’s an excellent opportunity.

“We’re really happy to welcome SportsRewards.com.au on board with us too. It’s a great program with plenty of benefits available.

 “There’s absolutely no doubt it’s going to be tough. The Series from what I’ve seen is very similar to Formula BMW in that all the cars are very even, which makes for some close racing. From a sponsorship point of view, TRS is very well setup and you can take sponsors to the events and host them comfortably.”

WHO IS CHRIS WOOTTON?

Chris is a 21-year-old race driver from the Brisbane bayside suburb of Birkdale. After completing a successful stint in karting, Chris tackled the Formula BMW Scholarship Trials in 2007. He was duly awarded a Formula BMW Junior Scholarship to race in the Pan-Asia Series.

Recognising his talent and commitment to fitness, BMW granted him one of only three ‘second year’ Junior Scholarships in the world in 2009. The Toyota Racing Series is the next step in his career, where he aims to race in Formula 1. Chris’ official website and Supporter’s Club can be found at www.chriswootton.com.

WHAT IS THE TOYOTA RACING SERIES?

Now in its sixth season, the Toyota Racing Series is New Zealand’s premier open-wheel Series, run during the summer when most international motorsport programs are in hiatus. It allows competitors from Australia, Asia and the Northern Hemisphere the opportunity to race in a competitive wings and slicks Series cost effectively and in a compact time space.

TRS utilises a specially commissioned Italian manufactured Tatuus racecar. It has a 215 Horsepower Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine. Series cash and prizes total over $100,000 (NZD), including $10,000 (NZD) for the Series winner, the Chris Amon Trophy and a fully funded Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup test drive. The New Zealand Grand Prix also pays a $10,000 (NZD) winner’s bounty.


2010 Toyota Racing Series Calendar:

Round 1: January 15-17, 2010, Teretonga
Round 2: January 22-24, 2010, Timaru
Round 3: February 5-7, 2010, Hampton Downs
Round 4: February 12-14, 2010, Manfeild (NZGP)
Round 5: March 19-21, 2010, Taupo (Final)

The Official Toyota Racing Series Information Guide is attached to this release (NB: Dates contained in the document are correct for 2009, not this year). The Series website is www.toyotaracing.co.nz


- Matt Payne-