25 September 2003
TKR Overwhelmed By Public Support

Team Kiwi Racing have been overwhelmed by the support of the New Zealand public, as the all Kiwi team tour New Zealand in preparation to take on the best teams' Australia has to offer - at Bathurst, Mount Panorama on the 12th October 2003.

This Bathurst will mark a significant milestone in Team Kiwi Racing's short but action packed career, as it will mark the 3rd year since they first debuted in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship, at Bathurst in 2000.

Team Kiwi Racing's decision to tour throughout New Zealand stopping at 24 cities and towns on their way to Bathurst, is in answer to the many phone and email requests over the last 6 months, as to when the team would be next touring the country.

The decision to tour throughout New Zealand in the build-up to the biggest race of the year has received an added bonus this year, with the team offering the New Zealand public the opportunity to sign the actual V8 Supercar bonnet that will run on the All Black 021 TKR V8 Supercar at Bathurst.

"It is great for TKR to have this one on one contact with our supporters throughout New Zealand, but more importantly it is great to see the reaction on everyone's face knowing that their signature and name will be part of our Bathurst campaign this year, tearing around the race track at over 300kms per hour."

"Not everyone can be at Bathurst with us in person, but as we have seen on this tour, there are plenty of people who are with this Kiwi based team in spirit, which counts for a lot."

Team Kiwi Racing are less than a third of the way through their tour schedule but already the bonnet of the TKR V8 Supercar is looking very full.

"We will have to start using the roof of the TKR 021 All Black Holden Commodore before the end of the tour, which is very humbling," says Team Owner David John.

"We never expected this amount of support on this tour, but it is great to know how appreciative the fans are of the teams decision to remain New Zealand based, while competing in the toughest Touring Car Championship in the world," he adds.

Team Kiwi Racing have been to Bathurst three times before, finishing 16th on debut in 2000, 16th in 2001, 11th last year.

This year the all Kiwi team have their sights firmly set on a top-10 finish and retaining their 100% finish rate at Bathurst, Mount Panorama.

14 September 2003
TKR Robbed Of Top-10

At today's round of the Australian V8 Supercar series at Sandown Raceway, Melbourne, Team Kiwi Racing had a dream start extinguished after an early race incident.

Starting from 16th on the grid, Team Kiwi Racing driver Craig Baird made a cracking start to overtake four cars by the first corner.
Within the next 2 laps the All Black 021 TKR Commodore had moved up in to 10th place for the second race meeting in a row.

However the damage sustained on lap 12 in a racing incident, where the two DJR cars spun in front of Baird, resulted in the TKR car being shunted from behind into the second of the spun Shell Helix cars.

The damage to the TKR car resulted in the air-intake being squashed close to the engine, and the radiator being damaged. It was always going to be a simple matter of time before the car was going to expire.

Regardless, Baird pushed the TKR as hard as he could realising he was loosing 10kms per hour down the straights due to the redesigned aerodynamics of the front bonnet. The TKR car overheated on lap 54 of the race at which time Baird was still holding down 18th position.

Team Kiwi Racing now focus on Bathurst knowing that they have a very good race package.

13 September 2003
TKR Inhouse Development Pays Off

Team Kiwi Racings' decision to bring their development inhouse has paid off at the latest round of the Australian V8 Supercar championship, held this weekend in Melbourne, at the Sandown Raceway.

TKR have just missed out on the top-15 shootout after sitting inside the top-15 qualifying results for much of the session today.

Ending up 16th fastest out of 35 cars, the result has been the best for the team so far this season.

“This result is great for the team, sponsors and supporters. And is as a direct result of some hard decisions, and long hours put in by the teams' own personnel to develop a car and engine package inhouse, capable of reaching their goals this season,” says Team Owner David John.

Craig Baird is looking forward to tomorrow's 500km race as he know's he's got good speed in the car.

“Although I would have loved to have been in the top-15, the result here today sets TKR up for a strong performance tomorrow,” said Baird.

9 September 2003
TKR Ready For Showdown At Sandown

Team Kiwi Racing go to Sandown this week confident of a good showing at the first of two endurance rounds.

After drivers Craig Baird and Mark Porter completed testing during the week in the teams' V8 Supercar, both drivers and crew are ready for the challenge ahead.

"After our practice day in Melbourne this week, I am confident the TKR package will be very strong all weekend," said driver Craig Baird.

"We were able to match the lap times of Jason Bright in the Holden Factory Backed Team Brock car at Winton on Monday and have made a number of changes to our cars set up since then.

"Sandown is a 500km sprint race which also doubles as a shake down for Bathurst 1000km race in mid October.

Gone are the days when endurance races saw one driver able to take it easy while the other drove at 110%. Now both drivers are at 110% for the entire race.

During the race there will be two compulsory pit-stops. One is for fuel and the other is to change brake pads as well. Tyres are changed at both compulsory stops and with all going to plan, the drivers will change at each compulsory stop also.

The Sandown circuit is 20 minutes from the Melbourne CBD and is a high speed, technical track that runs around the outside of a horse racing track - similar to the way in which it does at Pukekohe Park Raceway.

TV coverage of this event has been rescheduled for next weekend on Shell Helix Motorsport due to the time differences and late finish of the race in Australia.

3 September 2003
TKR Test Day Goes Well

Team Kiwi Racing have completed a full test day at Winton raceway on Monday in the teams All Black Holden V8 Supercar as they prepare for the upcoming Sandown endurance race.

Driver Craig Baird completed 75 laps and endurance co-driver Mark Porter completed 25 laps on the twisty and technical Winton circuit, located 2 hours out of Melbourne.

The TKR crew tried a few new pieces of equipment and different set ups on the car to ensure they are maximising its full potential.

"The TKR car is now very strong with the development we have been doing in house to get us back on the pace over the last couple of months," said team driver Craig Baird.

"All we need now is a clean run for us to be right on the pace at Sandown, which will be great for our legion of Kiwi fans, supporters and sponsors."

For Porter it was his first drive in the TKR V8 Supercar.

"The TKR car is certainly different from the car I drive in the Konica series, it is a step up in terms of braking ability and engine horsepower, which is great to experience, and the TKR crew were great to work with," said Porter.

Baird and Porter will contest the Sandown 500 endurance race as the Team Kiwi driver pairing. The race will be held on the 14th September at Sandown Raceway, approximately 25kms from Melbourne's City Centre.

The Sandown 500 is billed as a lead up to the Bathurst endurance race and is a shared two-driver 500km race.