Team Kiwi Racing
| File:Tkrlogo.jpg | |
| Manufacturer | Ford |
|---|---|
| Team Principal | David John |
| Team Manager | Martin Collins |
| Race Drivers | 021. TBA |
| Chassis | Ford BF Falcon |
| Debut | 2000 |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Round wins | 0 |
| Pole positions | 1 |
| 2006 position | 15th (1235 points) |
Team Kiwi Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team that competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia.
Although the majority of races in the V8 Supercar series are run in Australia, Team Kiwi Racing continue to be based in Auckland, New Zealand to remain true to their roots.
Since their conception, TKR have use Holden Commodores as their cars until the end of the 2006 season. TKR are currently a single car team.
TKR has currently had one Pole Position in their 7 seasons. They won it at the 2004 Winton event in a damp session. They also had only one podium in the 2005 Shanghai round, claiming 3rd.
During the 2006 Bathurst 1000 endurance race at Mount Panorama, driver Paul Radisich crashed at around 200 km/h head on into a tyre barrier, flipping the car on the roof. The roof had to be cut off to be able to get Radisich out and he was taken to hospital where he was in a serious but stable condition. The car was so badly damaged that it was written off and TKR was unable to race at the Indy 300 round at the Gold Coast. The team leased the chassis that was used by Paul Morris Motorsport earlier in the season as car #39.
Joining Ford
It was announced in August last year that Team Kiwi would join Ford to try and boost sales and compete with the popular Holden Commodores. TKR struck a deal with Ford Performance Racing and Prodrive Australia so that TKR could use Jason Bright's 2006 car and technical data. TKR has thefore been grouped with FPR due to the technical alligence. Paul The Rat Radisich will still drive with the team but is not driving at the Clipsal 500 as he is still recovering from his injuries sustainted in the 2006 Bathurst roll over.
Ford Performance Racing terminated its contract to supply and service the TKR Falcon on 31 May 2007. Paul Radisich said he had terminated his contract with TKR following the team's fallout with Ford Performance Racing (FPR) that ran the car on behalf of TKR. "TKR is in breach of contract and I have therefore terminated my contract with immediate effect."[1]
Trivia
- There have only been two non- New Zealand drivers to drive for Team Kiwi Racing. Allan Gurr is one as an endurance driver in 2005. Adam Macrow is the second non-New Zealand driver to drive with TKR, replacing Paul Radisich at the Clipsal round as Radisich was still recovering from his injuries.
- Team prinicpal David John is actually Australian born. He has lived in New Zealand for more than 15 years though.
References
"TKR rewarded for hard work". Team Kiwi Racing. 2006-08-18. Retrieved 2006-10-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
"Team Kiwi car-less". TVNZ. 2006-10-09. Retrieved 2006-10-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)