Teens aim to light up series
Two Kiwi teenagers are expected to be among the ones to watch as they seek more vital track experience after adding their names to the 2021 Castrol Toyota Racing Series (TRS).
Billy Frazer, 17, and Matthew Payne, 18, are the latest drivers confirmed for the three-round single-seater championship that gets under way at Hampton Downs from January 22 to 24.
Frazer, pictured above, from Pukekohe, started his motorsport journey racing karts in 2012 and is a graduate of the 2018 MotorSport New Zealand Elite Academy.
His first taste of single seaters came in 2016 in Formula First and he went on to take third in the National Formula First Championship in 2018-2019.
Frazer enjoyed further success when he clinched the 2020 New Zealand Formula Ford Championship with eight race victories, including winning six of his six races in the South Island Formula Ford Championship.
The teen says he is looking forward to the TRS, which has a goal for him since he started in karting.
“It is a clear rung in the career ladder for me and launch pad as I look for international opportunities,” he explains.
“Although this year’s championship will be shorter, at three rounds with nine races, it is still key in terms of my own career progression and the value of it doesn’t really change.
“Kiwis have always been near or at the front even when the field has been packed with internationals so I am confident that if I go well then it's representative of where I would be in a normal year.”
Fresh talent
Joining him on the grid will be Payne, pictured below, who is regarded as one of the best young racers to come out of New Zealand karting in recent times and will swap his KZ kart for a TRS FT60 car.
Nicolas Caillol, category manager, says: “Matthew truly represents what this series is all about. We are committed to finding the next New Zealand world champion and he is definitely part of that next wave of talent.”
The talented youngster has been based in Europe for the past two years and finished with a series ranking of 30th in the 2019 European FIA Karting Championship.
In the same year he also won the Kartsport NZ National Sprint Championship in the KZ2 class and took victory in a round of the Australian championship at his first attempt.
Payne says the TRS will give him valuable experience in a “highly professional and competitive series”.
“That’s experience I will take into Australia next year where I will race for Earl Bamber Motorsport with the support of Porsche New Zealand in the 2021 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup series,” he explains.
“Next year’s going to be big for me and I can’t wait to get started with the TRS campaign. Testing has gone well and I am starting to get the feel of the wings and slicks.
“There are only three rounds in the series so for the drivers there will be no time to ease into it … it will be all go right from the start.”
Castrol Toyota Racing Series
Round one: Hampton Downs, January 22-24
Round two: Hampton Downs, January 28-30
Round three: Manfeild, February 12-14
