Motorsport Plus Magazine. Issue 004

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FEBRUARY 2015

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RHYS MILLEN: MOTORSPORT PLUS INTERVIEW In a Motorsport Plus exclusive, we talk to one of the Motorsport industry’s modern day legends, Ryhs Millen.

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The Four Second Hero, Anthony Marsh We sit down with media sensation and gives us an insight into the day in NZ 2015 DVS driver, Renee Gracie as she Drag racing history few will forget. prepares for a big year ahead.

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We introduce you to Taylor Cockerton, one of the new rising stars in the motorsport scene.

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12 NEWS PLUS FEATURE: 16 MOTORSPORT 4 SECOND HEROES PLUS FEATURE 18 MOTORSPORT RHYS MILLEN. PLUS Q&A 24MOTORSPORT RENEE GRACIE PLUS Q&A 28MOTORSPORT TAYLOR COCKERTON PLUS FEATURE 30MOTORSPORT RATTLA MOTORSPORT.

COVER SHOT: RHYS MILLEN/RHYS MILLEN RACING. EDITOR Ayrton Brant editor@motorsportplus.co.nz INSTAGRAM: @Motorsportplus_Ayrton DESIGN + IMAGING Ayrton Brant ADVERTISING COORDINATOR(S) sales@motorsportplus.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Maria Panova Photography, Anthony Marsh, RATTLA Motorsport, Rhys Millen, Rhys Millen Racing, Taylor Cockerton, Renee Gracie.

PUBLISHER Motorsport Plus Ltd (09) 239 3495 PRINTERS PMP MAXUM Ltd. (09) 928 4200

Motorsport Plus goes behind the scenes with RATTLA Motorsport.

Disclaimer MotorsportPlus Ltd. has a copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission of the publisher. Neither editorial opinions expressed or facts stated in advertisements are necessarily agreed to by the editor or publisher. Whilst all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility will be taken by the publishers for inaccurate information or for any consequences of reliance on the information.

PATETONGA, NEW ZEALAND

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Going from debuting the brand new Clark Performance CP3Quarter at a low key test day near Auckland to 3NZ in a matter of weeks, West Aucklander Danny Keene can understandably be excited for things to come during the remaining Speedway events.

For more info on Clark Performance, check out Facebook.com/clarkperformancenz

MEREMERE DRAGWAY, NEW ZEALAND

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The sight of the MOUNT SHOP/MARSH MOTORSPORT & Fish Family Racing Top Fuel Dragster duo heading down the 400m circuit is one that has to be experienced first hand.

Luckily for you, March 14/15 2015, you may get the chance to do so. Check out Dragway.co.nz for more info.

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK, AUSTRALIA

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With a matter of weeks to the inaugural round of the 2015 V8 Supercar championship kicks off, Andre Heimgartner and the crew are hard at work preparing for their debut.

With limited experience in the COF, look to mid season before business starts to pick up from the PRA supported team.

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Canadian sensation Lance Stroll will have fond memories of his recent trip to New Zealand, with the Montreal, QC native taking out both the Toyota Racing Series and the coveted New Zealand Grand Prix.

With the Ferrari Driver Academy backing, the Canadian kid is well on his way to international superstar status.

DIXON CHAMP OF DAYTONA 24

Dixon totalled more than seven hours behind the wheel of the Target/Ford EcoBoost Riley prototype, giving team-mates Kyle Larson, Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray, and Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan little to worry about as they watched him close out the victory.

“We had such a good group of guys driving - an awesome team,” McMurray said.

“It’s about Scott Dixon to me. It’s really hard to appreciate the talent that guys have from other series until you race with them, and it’s crazy the pace that Scott is able to have in the car. It’s so much fun to sit up there and watch it.”

It was the second win for Dixon, who was part of the 2006 victory with Casey Mears and the late Dan Wheldon. “I don’t know what to say, man,” the New Zealander said.

“The whole last part of that race is so horrible because you think something’s going to break or you’re going to go off in a corner or something.”

“I’m just stoked for the whole team.” It was the first Rolex win for McMurray, Kanaan and Larson.

Dixon later went on to post on his site about his feelings on victory in greater detail. “I’ve had a lot of fun coming to Daytona over the years, but I’ve only had the chance to win it once before. Everybody pulled their weight and did what they needed to do. That’s what gets you through those 24 hours.

Everybody kept the car in one piece. You have to be there in the end. You have to try to look out for the car so you have the speed in the end to try to compete for the win and we definitely had some obstacles.”

“People have asked me a lot about the pressure in that last three and a half hour stint to bring the car home, and it’s not easy whatsoever. I felt the load just as much as any of my teammates. Pressure is what you make of it, and as long as you get out of the car and you know you’ve done the best that you could, you should be happy with that. I think for all of us, the best that we did was good enough to get the victory.”

PADDON’S 2015 HYUNDAI UNCOVERED Kiwi star Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard’s #20 Hyundai will carry backing from the Korean giant’s affiliate company Mobis in the 2015 World Rally Championship.

The German-based Hyundai Motorsport operation revealed the livery that will be consigned to the squad’s N entry.

After missing the opening event recently in Monte Carlo, Paddon will make his 2015 debut in Sweden from February 12-15 before taking part in the remainder of the WRC. Hyundai also announced that test driver Kevin Abbring will be entered for four WRC rounds for the Mobis-backed Hyundai operation.

The Paddon and Abbring i20s will be serviced by the huge Hyundai base which houses the team spearheads Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo in the Shell-backed i20s.

Team principal Michel Nandan said: “While Thierry and Dani will rally for the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, as they did in Monte Carlo, the second team will allow some of world rally’s rising stars the chance to showcase their talent on a competitive stage, something we as a WRC manufacturer take very seriously.”

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CLAUSON CLASS AS TEAM V&V SHINE With the New Zealand leg of the POWRi Series over, the open wheel stars headed to Queensland, Australia, as the fight for the championship rolled on.

Vernon & Vazey Motorsport ‘s dream team has continued their form, with new recruit Michael Pickens taking over the 97 CP3 Esslinger for the 2015 Chili Bowl Champ, Rico Abreu.

Pickens would take second overall, with fellow kiwi Hayden Williams taking the third spot.

Come the main event, it was the 56USA CP3 of Riverside California’s Darren Hagen who would continue his skyrocketing form, leading the feature race for over half the event.

Unfortunately, a flat left rear tyre would see American retire, leaving the 39USA King chassis of Bryan Clausen to take over.

The next week would see the crews head to Lismore Speedway to round out the Australian tour of the POWRi series. When the A Main rolled around, it was all Michael Pickens early on in the Vernon & Vazey Motorsport CP3 Esslinger. Unfortunately though, another tyre failure would see the team drop another feature event, with the 97 machine sent rolling with mere laps to go. The United Truck Parts King chassis of Clausen would hold off a charging Darren Hagen to take the victory and 2014/15 POWRi Series.

Take over he did, despite Michael Pickens’ best efforts, the 2014 Chili Bowl champ and Road to Indy star would hold on to bring the win home for the Insley Fabrication crew.

With the international series over, the teams return to New Zealand with the NZ Midget car title on their mind, then the return to Western Springs Speedway on the 28th of February.

OSBORNE DROPS 1NZ, RETAINS NZGP Former Motorsport Plus feature and driver of the HyperMac McDonalds/SADT Super Saloon, Mark Osborne, has recently experienced the epitome of the phrase ‘peaks and troughs’ after a tough month of January. The Christchurch local rolled to Wellington on a string of great recent outings, ready to defend his 1NZ title and after a positive first night, everything was looking up. But on the night of the Main event, a blown differential early on would put pay to any chance the Osborne team would have of retaining the title.

2015 will see the former 3NZ, Steve Flynn, take over as New Zealand title holder – with Mark Grocott and Ian Burson filling out the podium.

But it wasn’t over for the McDonalds/SADT crew, as a week later it was total domination at Huntly Speedway for the NZ Super Saloon Grand Prix. The now 16C Hypermac would claim the victory by half a lap to reinstate themselves as the one of the teams to beat throughout the country.

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JAKE LEWIS BACK ON THE ROAD TO WORLD SUPERBIKES

The team at Motorsport Plus Magazine are stoked to see Motorsport Plus Feature Athlete, Jake Lewis Racing, getting the opportunity to advance his career further with one of the premier teams in the WSBK Super Stock 600cc series. The SS600 series is only one step away from one of the major leagues in motorcycling, the World Superbike Championship, so it’s fair to say Lewis is on the verge of stardom.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be going back to Europe this year and competing in my 2nd season in the European Superstock 600 Championship alongside the Superbike World Championship.” Lewis explained on his social media site.

“I’m really excited about this new opportunity with the competitive MVR Racing Team, where I will be back onboard the amazing Yamaha YZF R6 that I have had previous success on here in the NZ Superstock and Supersport Championships. This is a fantastic opportunity and I’d like to thank MVR Yamaha for taking me onboard in such a high profile team.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to the world championship and I’d like to say a very big thank you to everybody for their ongoing support to help me make this opportunity become a reality! And especially to my sponsors, Stadium Finance, Race Supplies NZ, Charlton Hurrell Drainage, Arai Helmets, RST, and Stadium Cars.”

As always, further support would be gratefully accepted, so if you’re keen on backing someone that’s one step away from the heights that Aaron Slight achieved, check out his Facebook page (facebook.com/Jakelewisracing29) and get in touch!

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CASSIDY TO FORMULA 3 JAPAN Three-time New Zealand Grand Prix winner, Nick Cassidy, has been signed to drive for iconic Japanese motorsport team, TOM’s Toyota, competing in the full 2015 season of Japanese Formula 3 championship.

Following his success within New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series, Cassidy went on to cut his teeth in European Formula 3 last year and was picked by the British Racing Driver’s Club as a BRDC Rising Star for 2015, but it was a commanding drive in the 2014 Macau Grand Prix which saw him securing a podium finish, that cemented this opportunity. TOM’s, a perennial favourite at Macau understands what is required from a driver to achieve a result at Macau and invited Nick to test for them in December.

TOM’s General Manager, Susumu Koumi was all too happy to secure the talented Kiwi for his team. “We are very pleased to have Nick in our F3 team for the 2015 Japan F3 Championship.

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It will be his new challenge this year not only in racing, but also working in a completely different culture and environment but these will be his asset for his future career as many of exTOM’s F3 drivers have been proving. We are quite excited to see the opening round in April.” Said Koumi.

“In the end, the opportunity to race for a team like TOMS doesn’t come along that often. In the past, drivers like Marcus Erikson, Adrian Sutil, Robert Kubica, Jacques Villeneuve and even V8 Supercars driver James Courtney have driven for the team.” Cassidy explained.

“I’m delighted to be asked to drive for a team as respected and successful as TOM’s and look to make the most of this opportunity in 2015. I’m ambitious and take in a lot of confidence after my result in Macau last year, it’s been the culmination of a lot of support. A big thank you to everyone that has helped me in my career to date.”

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he Nitro Shootout at Meremere Dragway, saw Anthony Marsh write another chapter in New Zealand motorsport history when he drove his Mount Shop, Marsh Motorsport Top Fuel Dragster to New Zealand’s first ever 4second pass, covering the quarter mile in 4.98 seconds at 288mph (465kph).

In the third and final round of the ROCK FM Nitro Shootout against Reece Fish, Marsh took his nitromethane-burning machine to a 4.985 elapsed time at 288.27 mph (463.92 kmh), making him the first Kiwi to run the distance in NZ in under five seconds. Interestingly, Reece Fish in his Fish Family Racing Top Fueler actually won the match race, in spite of his car’s supercharged Hemi engine blowing up just before the finish line, yet still ran 5.044 seconds at a much slower 243.68 mph (392.16 kmh). It would be the quickest and fastest side by side pass on any drag racing surface in New Zealand history.

“The main aim was to get a four-second pass,” says Anthony.

“Now that we’ve done that, we want to go 300mph.

That’s a big thing in drag racing because not a lot of people do it.”

For those motorsport fans who were fortunate enough to witness the day, January 10th 2015, will remain with them for a very long time.

“Now that we’ve done that, we want to go 300mph. That’s a big thing in drag racing because not a lot of people do it.”

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MOTORSPORT PLUS’ INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC NAMES IN MODERN DAY MOTORSPORT, RHYS MILLEN.

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I remember the first time I saw the name Rhys Millen, watching ESPN as a kid on the family television early in the morning, witnessing a red Rhys Millen Racing Mitsubishi Evolution take out the showroom class at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. From then on, you’ve created an empire, but can you take us back to the early stages of RMR and how you branched off from the success you had running the Rod Millen Racing factory?

Racing the Mitsubishi Evo 6.5 was one of my highlights of my career at Pikes Peak. Some of the last years of a full dirt course and first time running a program for a manufacture for both stage rally in the US and Pikes Peak. Prior to this I had taken over a failing division (based on poor management) of my father’s company that was aftermarket parts and accessories.

A word of advice from my father was “focus on the business and treat racing as a hobby”, if you are able to turn your hobby into a career - then you have achieved something special”. I did this and only raced one event- Pikes Peak for 6 years building the company back up to a successful company.

At first I was the fabricator, machinist and tech, doing all the installs in the evenings, while selling parts on the phone all day.

I had worked for my father surrounded by some of the most talented guys in the racing world, so had picked up a pretty good skill set but my passion for driving was still my focus. The reward was landing that first big sponsorship with Mitsubishi.

After the success with the Mitsubishi Motor Company, you secured a deal with GM/Pontiac, which arguably, helped put the RMR brand in the highest echelon of racecar preparation and construction.

At the same time, drifting was just making it into the mainstream and the RMR Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro instantly set the mark for builds in the sport. After a championship crown, the GTO gave way to the Pontiac Solstace/GXP, pushing the boundaries of the ruleset that was in place at the time, all the while breaking records at Pikes Peak in the 2WD Time Attack class. Obviously having a team dedicated to advancing the boundaries of motorsport is a key component to RMR, what do you feel has set you apart some of the others in the industry?

RMR enjoyed great success with Mitsubishi with many wins, championship titles in rally and world records at Pikes Peak.

In 2003 all the manufacturers who had invested in stage rally in the US pulled out as SCCA Pro Rally folded due to insurance complications. RMR was forced to look for a new marketing avenue for our product development and a means to feed to addiction of competition.

This came in the form of drifting, as I witnessed a drift demo at Irwindale speedway in 2003. It wasn’t so much the driving that impressed me as it was the reaction from the crowd and I knew immediately that this was a home for both a business marketing approach and a new challenge in my driving career.

I won the first big local event and then put on the thinking cap as to how to get a manufacture involved and be creative over and above the current cars in competition.

Enter GM. I spoke to GM for several months and finally set up a meeting in Detroit, to pitch the Pontiac brand on the newly branded Pontiac GTO, into the sport of Drift. What I focused on was the response from the torque of the V8, as all other cars in the sport were mainly 4 cylinder turbos that required a lot of clutch kicking and high revs to keep the tires spinning. In 2004, RMR introduced the first auto manufacture to back a drift team and were the first to enter a drift event with a V8, winning the final round that year and following it up with the championship in 2005. RMR was also responsible for the first dual calliper hydraulic hand brake system, many aerodynamic aids and the current tire to weight rule.

RMR then went on to develop the Pontiac Solstice, that was a page straight out if the pure race car build book, light weight, loads of traction, 14.1/4 compression turbo charged 4 cylinder, running on ethanol. Effectively the same power and torque numbers as the V8 but with the chassis balance and weight perfectly placed to produce the platform of what is still the foundation of drift cars today. In 2008 RMR finished 3rd in the championship after missing one round and won the Red Bull Drifting world championships.

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Factory backing, either from Mitsubishi, GM and more recently Hyundai, seems to be a common denominator within the RMR framework. What do you believe attracts big manufacturers to the RMR brand? Is this key to RMR’s success within the elite motorsport field?

The key to this is paying attention to the market, what forms of racing are “Hot” and what models do manufactures have the “launch budget” for that might be a perfect fit. It also helps to have had a successful past with manufacture support that enable trust and confidence with a new manufacture.

It really comes down to business at this point, put a side your personal goals and interests and focus on providing a service first.

In the case of drifting I was in it far longer than I ever believed I would but it was a perfect fit for Hyundai with a new rear drive sports car in the Genesis coupe and a great transition for me back into Rally where my true passion lies.

The Hyundai era brought in arguably one of the more iconic machines to both come out of RMR and enter Pikes Peak, the PM580. Could you give us the run down on the processes it took to get such a machine onto the legendary grounds of the Colorado mountain?

With the changing road surface up at Pikes Peak from a 100% dirt surface to that of a split Tarmac and dirt, RMR set out to build a car that was designed to take advantage of the evolving race surface. We designed a sports prototype style vehicle, low, sleek and light weight (1850 lbs) but made it four wheel drive. The vehicle was successful finishing second overall, but had a major issue with the transmission design from an unnamed source, that after two years witnessed the project being shelved. The cost to completely engineer the vehicle from scratch was not feasible to Hyundai.

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While you had continued success in the drifting game in the Genesis, Formula D started plateauing it seemed.

Just as this was occurring though, Rallycross hit the scene with a bang, riding a wave of success from Europe. How was it going back to your roots of sorts and becoming a pivotal player in RallyCross USA’s success?

Rallycross is the future in my mind and I’m happy to be back to my roots. Take all the best ingredients of motorsport, pour them into a pot, stir once and you have the perfect motorsport entertainment.

Standing starts, side ways action, jumps, door to door racing, short heats - this is rallycross. The perfect stadium style sport with immediate fan appreciation. While drifting is very entertaining to watch it is very single dimensional vs rally cross and with a platform of vehicles that can handle multiple terrain the sport can continue to evolve.

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This year you had fellow Kiwi, Emma Gilmour, over for the Rallycross season. With a PB of seventh place at the final round, success is hard to come by in the cutthroat world of Rallycross, but she was one of the fan favourites.

Was there anything specific that Emma brought to the RMR stable over the season? Do you think the Rallycross scene is a stepping stone for fellow New Zealanders looking to break out of the rally scene down here?

2014 was great to have Emma part of the program. Ultimately it was Hyundai USA that had the wish list of a female driver but I had the final say on who it would be.

Emma did an amazing job, respected the vehicle and drove really well. Rallycross is very unique, with the set up of the cars and driving style mainly being a dominant road racing style, but throughout the course of the season she adapted well showing her speed and achieving several first for a female in the final round.

While the sport offers many a place to show case their skills it always comes down to the mighty dollar, let’s face it, while Rallycross ticks all the box’s - it ain’t cheap!

The 2014 Rallycross season was one of both triumph and tribulations, with multiple victories including Daytona and Los Angeles. Can you give the reader’s insight into the final rounds and how the mid season upgrades played the critical role in the performance improvement?

The RMR program is the smallest in the field compared to other manufacture programs. Along with this, our program is year to year, making offseason development not an option, as all assets run idle till the sponsors sign on - always last minute.

After sitting out all but one event in 2013, we were given the green light from Hyundai for the 2014 season, only 3 months prior to the start. Several basic upgrades were performed, but we knew we were going into the first half of the season using it as a testing venue, rather than a competition season.

Mid season, after several set up changes to balance the chassis to the new radial spec Yokohama tire, we found the perfect combination. This didn’t come in new parts, more power or lighter weight but in good old test time, chassis and differential set up. I started to question myself if I had the pace, as we were always close, but were always missing the final tweak. The first couple of events were back to back and left no option for testing, but when we finally got to test prior to Daytona I knew we have found a special combination. The car was so well balanced on turn in, mid corner and corner exit, I jumped out of the car after the test and told the team, don’t touch it - it’s perfect.

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We went on to win Daytona, place 4th in LA one after a driver error and win two LA events. The remaining events we set the top 3 overall fastest lap times proving the cars were fast and the team was back on top on any surface and track set up.

Your motorsport life prior to moving to the USA involved a fair bit of biking. Can you tell us about your twowheeled antics? Is there a spot where the Rhys Millen name remains legendary amongst the fraternity?

Prior to moving to the US at the age of 17 I raced mountain bikes, winning multiple down hill and cross country events in New Zealand. This is the foundation for competition that lead me into motorsport and the balance from riding is what I attribute to my success behind the wheel. I still ride weekly in the US and value the time on the bike for fitness training and hand eye coordination.

How about 2015? With the recent withdrawal of Hyundai’s manufacturer support for the rallycross season, is there anything on the horizon for the team at RMR that we could elaborate on?

This is a frustrating time indeed, with Hyundai being in and out, the team working so hard to produce a winning vehicle and now to pull out again it leaves me with my hands in the air.

The answer this time around came so late, we have nothing on the table for 2015, no sponsors, no racing and the difficult decision for me to let half of my staff go. We have a couple of options, but neither will see me personally behind the wheel in 2015 in rally cross and I’m pretty bummed about it.

We cannot thank Rhys enough for the opportunity he has given us. For more info on Rhys Millen Racing, check out http://rhys-millen-racing.myshopify.com/ or search Rhys Millen Racing on Facebook.

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MOTORSPORT PLUS Q&A

RENEE GRACIE F U J I T S U R A C I N G F G FA LC O N

Renee! Introduce yourself to the fans, although you’re already a pretty big deal abroad, some of your new Kiwi fans may not know too much!

Just turned 20 and have been racing for about 6 years now with four years in go karting. I competed all around Australia in the Jmax class and was lucky enough to be a part of the Fujitsu Cool Driver Program which has given me the opportunity to get to where I am today.

I’ve raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia series for the last two years and have just taken the jump to the V8 Supercar Development series.

2014 was an epic year for you, with multiple top ten finishes over the season in the new Porsche GT3 Cup car. What do you think was the catalyst to the new found pace and achievements this Carrera Cup season?

Obviously being my second year in the series going to tracks that I knew gave me more confidence. I didn’t have to worry so much about the tracks I could focus more on myself and how I was driving. I also had some tracks I liked and enjoyed which again gave me more confidence in the car.

Do you have any particular highlight during your stint as a Carrera Cup driver?

The whole 2 seasons I did I learnt so much. It was a very intense and an enjoyable 2 years. There are lots of things I enjoyed over the time I raced the Porsche, one highlight that really comes to mind would be my very last race at Gold Coast 600. I guess it was my last time in the Porsche to really give it my all and just go for it. That Sunday was probably the most memorable and exciting day for me.

The end of the season saw you announce a change in class for 2015 to the Development Series with Paul Morris Motorsport, in an Ex-Sonic Motorsport/Triple8 Falcon.

Were your expectations of the new machine going into your first test session anything like reality?

This year is going to be hard and I’m really looking forward to it. Of course I have some goals and things that I want to achieve personally this year but 26

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I’m not really going to set my sights too high, until after my first practice at Clipsal. Once I see how I go and where I am and get comfortable being around 30 other cars, then I can really start setting myself goals and so on.

You’ve also been over to New Zealand, testing the PACE Innovations built chassis of the New Zealand Supertourers. How did you find the Supertourer chassis compared to those of the DVS? How about the Hampton Downs circuit itself?

I have only had one test day in the DVS car, and the differences weren’t too bad.

The steering was very light, it felt like I was driving a road car. They are very well balanced and the throttle was a little different to the DVS car as there is an initial bit of lag in the throttle but once I got used to it everything felt really good. I really enjoyed Hampton Downs, I had only watched some videos before I arrived and it was a great track to learn quickly, it’s fast and has got some great corners. I can’t wait to go back.

There’s a few murmurs of seeing the name Renee Gracie involved in a possible assault on the NZST series.

The next few seasons are potentially vital for your growth as a racecar driver, do you see NZST as one of the keys to success in the touring car ranks?

It is definitely something I really want to do. I think it is going to help my development massively as seat time is so important in this game. But like all things motorsport, we are trying to find a budget to put things together and hopefully do the last 3 rounds and hopefully the enduro rounds.

Recently we saw that you moving to DVS was the number two story of the year on the V8SC website.

Already in NZ, there’s talk of you promoted as being the first female to run a V8ST machine. How do you feel about situations like that?

Clearly, there’s mega amounts of publicity to be gained, but in the year 2015, do you feel the whole gender thing could be put to bed?

It was very humbling to see that I was the second story on the V8SC website, it’s just crazy to think that thousands of

people read and shared my story! It’s obviously great for me to get this sort of publicity in another country but I’m just doing something that I love and I’m extremely lucky to have the opportunity.

The gender thing to me is nothing. I’ve been dealing with it for a while now and I honestly forget I’m a female in a male dominant sport. To me I’m doing something I enjoy and love and I really don’t care what people think about the whole gender thing. It doesn’t affect me and it shouldn’t affect anyone else.

The role of fitness and gym work has become as crucial as laps around the circuit these days, with many of the elite practically living in a local gym.

What kind of fitness regimen do you partake in?

With 2015 being a new year and a very busy year ahead I have started a pretty intense training program. I am in the gym pretty much twice a day with one day a week off. Being a female I naturally have less body strength than males so I am having to work hard to keep my upper body strength strong enough to compete with all the boys.

But I really enjoy it and loving seeing my body change. I’m actually studying fitness back in Australia.

How about that 2015 DVS year ahead? Obviously, with it being the final step before the V8 Supercar series, things just get that much tougher. What are the goals for your debut season in the championship?

Yes, it’s going to be a tough year competition wise but I’m really looking forward to it. My goal this year and something I am going to be pushing pretty hard towards its getting Rookie of the Year. It would be a dream to be the first female and I think a great way to start my V8 career.

Finally, the motorsport scene wouldn’t be possible without supporters. Here’s your chance to thank them: Of course, I would like to thank Fujitsu back in Australia for their many years of help and support and I am really looking forward to getting some new sponsors and supporters over in NZ!

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MOTORSPORT PLUS Q&A

TAYLOR COCKERTON

#1NZ McDONALDS / SAFETY STEP MYGALE FORMULA FORD Taylor Cockerton, one of a string of rising stars in the New Zealand Motorsport ranks, has recently made the move from the cut-throat stepping stone of New Zealand Formula First Championship, to the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship.

Motorsport Plus sits down with one of the contenders for the 2014/15 title.

Taylor! Introduce yourself to your new fans!

Hi guys. My name is Taylor Cockerton and I am a 17 year old hoping to make my way into top ranked motorsport. I currently compete in the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship with Neale Motorsport. I started racing karts at the age of 6 and single seaters at the age of 12. I raced Formula First for 4 seasons and this year I will be looking to win the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship in my debut year.

You have a family name that has a prestigious history within the motorsport fraternity, how has this influenced your path to success so far in your career? Does it add pressure to succeed?

Yes, it definitely adds an element of pressure, but I also use it as motivation to push even harder. I have been involved with motorsport almost my entire life and spent a good majority of my younger years following and supporting my Father, Dean, whether it be on TV or at the race track. Following and watching Dad’s success has always inspired me to live up to my family name and hopefully turn into a successful second- generation driver.

Let’s go back to the last few seasons. You took the tried and true method of New Zealand open-wheel racing, entering the New Zealand Formula First Championship. Can you give the fans the run down on the competitiveness of the class given credit for creating stars such as Dixon, Evans, van Gisbergen and Heimgartner?

Formula First is an incredibly competitive class. It is not uncommon for three or four cars to finish a race within a tenth of a second of each other. There were many occasions where I learnt this the hard way, often losing a race by a hundredth of a second or sometimes even less! Because the cars are all 1200cc Volkswagen engines with tight engine regulations, it gives almost every car in the field an opportunity to race at the front, which is great for the fans! I learnt a huge amount through this class and had some fantastic battles with some great rivals.

How did that final season go for you?

We ran with Scorpion Racecars for the 2014/15 season, a very successful team in Formula First who have had 2 championships to their name, so the 28

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pressure was definitely on! We had a great run towards the back half of the year, winning five of the last 6 races.

Unfortunately, a combination of driving errors and sheer bad luck early on cost us valuable points and we were forced to play catch up throughout the whole season. We ended up third overall for the season, a mere 4 points off second place, which was a great result considering we were seventh with four rounds to go.

You also were part of the Motorsport NZ Elite Academy, tell us about your experience there.

Wow, what a week that was! I can’t say a big enough thank you to the Motorsport NZ Scholarship trustees who accepted me into the academy.

This academy effectively ‘opened my eyes’ to the bigger picture of becoming a successful driver. We listened to some of the best mental skills trainers, nutritionists, strength and condition coaches etc. that New Zealand has to offer. This, combined with intense physical exercises throughout the week made it incredibly tough but also very rewarding. I met some awesome people and was lucky enough to be put into a great group which included Jamie Conroy, Drew Donovan, and Ryan Yardley. We had some great times and all came away pumped full of information that I’m sure will be vital for helping us on our journey through motorsport.

The 2014/15 season has seen you take the step into the Formula Ford ranks with TRS Champions, Neale Motorsport. Talk to us about the transition to Andy Neal’s team, the Mygale and all the technical advancements and freedoms you have in the class.

Andy has been a fantastic mentor for transitioning me from Formula First into a much more powerful and much better handling Formula Ford. The driving style for a Formula Ford is much different from what I have been used to. My biggest challenge has been at adapt to a much more aggressive approach, and having to drive them more like a go kart in order to maximise the pace out of them. This is where Andy has massively helped me with not only his raw knowledge but with help from the Motec data systems, which allow me to accurately pinpoint the places where I am slightly lacking in pace, which have been a huge help for me.

With a few rounds completed in your machine, how do you feel the title chases are going for Taylor Cockerton? Can you give us a rundown of the season so far?

We have currently completed two rounds of the National Championship and three rounds of the South Island championship. Unfortunately the first national round at Timaru Raceway was a bit of a disaster for us as we were caught up in a series of incidents, which was disappointing as we had great car pace all weekend. However we bounced back at Teretonga Park where we took all three victories, with the top qualifying spot as well.

The third round of the South Island championship saw us manage to claim two race wins and a lap record.

These few rounds have been a great achievement for the whole team and a credit to all their hard work in getting the car set up right. It definitely has a rocky start to the main season but it is very early and we will bounce back and end on a high note.

What about post 2014/15? What is the end game for yourself?

The ultimate goal for me is definitely V8 Supercars. To make it into Australasia’s and even one of the world’s most competitive touring car classes would be a massive achievement for me, and to be up there with names such as Scott McLaughlan, Shane Van Gisbergen and Greg Murphy would be an awesome feeling for sure. Of course that is a good way down the track and there is still a long journey ahead of me before I get to that point. We will surely be looking at an Australian series in the not too distant future, whether it be Formula 3, Formula 4 or V8 Supercars Development Series which will hopefully be able to give us the exposure and potentially get noticed by some of those main-game teams.

Sponsorship plays a key part of any motorsport programme, here’s your chance to thank the many involved in Taylor Cockerton Motorsport.

It surely does. I would like to say a massive thanks to all my sponsors who allow me to do what I love and put in their support. These are, McDonald’s NZ, Pinnacle Hill Logistics, Pearce Brothers Motor Group and Safety Step NZ. I would also like to say a big thank you to Neale Motorsport and all my extended family and supporters for the help. Your support is invaluable.

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MOTORSPORT PLUS GETS THE LOWDOWN ON ONE OF THE LEADING TEAMS IN D1NZ

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ince its inception in the early stages of D1NZ, the team at RATTLA Motorsport have been on the cutting edge of the motorsport scene.

Turning up to Hampton Downs Motorsport Park with a former circuit/

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tarmac rally spec Ford Falcon, the team decided to give the drifting game a go and ended up changing the landscape of the sport in New Zealand forever.

“When we came along, there were a few V8 engine powered chassis, but only marginally modified LS motors”, Super Stock legend and team owner, Chris Allen explained. “The Falcon was a bit

more modified, with NASCAR heads etc – it’s the biggest small block Ford you can build, cubic inch wise.”

“Shane was drifting a Nissan Skyline at the time, then he suggested we bring down the Falcon for some skids – which we did. We were simply laying rubber, destroying the tyres in seconds and the rest is history.”

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“SHANE WAS DRIFTING A NISSAN SKYLINE AT THE TIME, THEN HE SUGGESTED WE BRING DOWN THE FALCON FOR SOME SKIDS – WHICH WE DID. WE WERE SIMPLY LAYING RUBBER, DESTROYING THE TYRES IN SECONDS AND THE REST IS HISTORY.”

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Nowadays though, the Mount Shop/SP Tools backed team has developed into a two car operation based out of their Hampton Downs workshop, just south of Auckland. Purely aimed as a hobby, RATTLA Motorsport’s operation is still one of the more professional outfits in the game today, with a well-equipped workshop and a raceday fitout that could rival many V8 Supercar operations.

RATTLA original, Shane Allen – son to Chris, is the rising star of the D1NZ game, putting on a show at the recent round at BayPark Speedway. Allen, has up to this season, shared his Mount Shop Falcon with current V8 Supercar and GT Racing star, Shane van Gisbergen. For 2014/15 though, the decision to give Allen the full time ride has more than paid off so far – with the SP Tools Falcon now on the verge of

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the elite in the drifting game. A former representative of New Zealand at the World Time Attack drift competition held at Sydney Motorsport Park, Shane Allen will be one to watch during the remainder of the season.

Allen’s team mate, 2012 D1NZ Champion, Curt Whittaker is no stranger to success. Renowned for his skill behind the wheel of his Ford 410 Cubic Inch small block (that originally powered the Falcon) Autosure/AutoStop Nissan Skyline, the veteran of the sport brings years of experience to the team.

Statistically one of the highest finishing qualifiers in the history of the sport in New Zealand, Whittaker has had the role of mentoring the skill set of Shane Allen, creating a formidable team for seasons to come. Sitting in sixth place at the time of writing, the 2011 Australasian Drift champ is poised to move forward on the championship contenders with three rounds remaining.

When the season’s over, what’s next for RATTLA Motorsport? Well, if the plans Mr. Allen is scheming up for the team at RATTLA Motorsport come to fruition, business is about to pick up in the world of D1NZ, for sure. The team at RATTLA wouldn’t be able to do a thing though, if it wasn’t for the support from their sponsors.

“Hemi Toia and the team at the Mount Shop have been great to us, we really appreciate their support. The same goes to SP Tools and AutoStop, they have been huge this year, along with BOC Gasses.” “Autosure has been supporting Curt majorly for a while now, and he’s forever grateful for it. All these guys, plus our other supporters give us the chance to compete and for that we cannot thank them enough.”

For more info on the team, check out facebook.com/rattlamotorsport

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HISTORY 1st in the 4’s