A mock-up of a proposed Team Kiwi Racing livery from 2021 (for illustrative purposes only).
Speedcafe can reveal that the David John-run team will host an evaluation at Winton Motor Raceway on Wednesday with three Kiwi drivers.
Super2 Series winner Chris Pither, GT World Challenge Australia race winner Brendon Leitch and TA2 racer Brent Collins will test with the team.
At the end of Wednesday’s evaluation, Team Kiwi Racing will settle on its driver for Bathurst, who will get a test day to themselves on Thursday at Winton.
The car they will drive is an ex-Erebus Motorsport Holden ZB Commodore engineered by Terry Wyhoon.
The plans were hatched as part of 25th anniversary celebrations since their first full V8 Supercars season in 2001.
The team made its V8 Supercars debut in the 2000 Bathurst 1000 with the late Jason Richards and Angus Fogg in a Holden VT Commodore.
“I’m excited to announce that Team Kiwi Racing will be returning to Bathurst. It’ll be 25 years since we first campaigned our full season in V8 Supercars with Jason,” John told Speedcafe.
“To have a Kiwi team, Kiwi car, Kiwi crew, Kiwi driver back on the grid at Bathurst, albeit via the Super2 Series, is pretty exciting for everybody that’s involved with Team Kiwi Racing – the drivers that we are providing the opportunity to, the sponsors, and New Zealand supporters.”
John labelled the Bathurst drive a “life-changing” opportunity for the selected driver.
Brendon Leitch with Cameron Crick. Image: Rhys vanderSyde
The candidates are all in very different stages of their career. Leitch has established himself as a GT gun-for-hire who has flirted with a Supercars berth.
He tested with Matt Stone Racing at Sydney Motorsport Park and has remained on the fringe of the scene, racing against Supercars drivers in GT World Challenge Australia.
“Brendon is obviously a world-class driver,” said John.
“We had obviously been watching for a number of years, as everybody has.
“When we reached out and said there’s an opportunity he said, ‘I’ll be on the next plane back from America and I’ll see you at Winton’.
“He hasn’t driven a Supercar at Bathurst as yet, but he has driven the GT cars there, of which he’s had success with pole position.
“He’s a very talented New Zealand driver on the international motorsport stage, which is really what Team Kiwi Racing is all about with providing those opportunities to move from domestic to international – and here’s something new for Brendon.”
Chris Pither last drove for PremiAir Racing in Supercars. Image: Supplied
Pither is a Super2 Series winner who last raced in Supercars in 2022 with PremiAir Racing and wants to return to the co-driving fold.
It’ll be something of a reunion for Pither and John, who started his Supercars career with Team Kiwi Racing in 2006.
“Chris has driven with the team previously and has always kept in contact,” said John,
“He’s a talented driver in his own right, but he wants to secure the opportunity for co-drives in the main game.
“This opportunity provides that option for him to show other teams in the main game that he deserves a seat, so I’m happy to have Chris involved
John described Collins as a “wildcard” by comparison.
A racing all-rounder in his own right, ‘Bones’ won the inaugural Toyota Racing Series in 2005 but never made the leap overseas for lack of opportunities, according to John.
“I’ve had a lot of people in New Zealand say they will support him with such opportunities over the years, but none of those actually were followed through with,” John explained.
“We have made that commitment that we will put him in the car.
“He is the inaugural winner of the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and has had considerable success in New Zealand championships in touring cars as well as truck racing.
“We’re happy to provide that opportunity to local, homegrown talent such as Brent as he goes head-to-head with Brendon and Chris.
“We’ll see at the end of the day who fits the bigger picture and we’ll make a decision to move them forward to Thursday’s sole test day.”
Team Kiwi Racing alumni include Shane van Gisbergen, Andre Heimgartner, Fabian Coulthard, Paul Radisich and Craig Baird.
The latest effort by Team Kiwi Racing comes after an ill-fated attempt in 2021 to get on the Bathurst 1000 grid.
A livery is set to be revealed on Wednesday.