TKR pleased with 16 year olds debut in Adelaide

Team Kiwi Racing driver Andre` Heimgartner has made an early name forhimself after completing three races at the season’s opening CityIndex Carrera Cup Australia in Adelaide over the weekend, where hebecame the youngest driver to compete in the series.

Claiming two fourth places in the opening races, Auckland Year 12 highschool student Heimgartner then took a taste of life down the fieldwhen he had to pit to change a flat tyre in the Sunday afternoonfinale, finishing in 15th position.

“Andre` had an amazing start to what is a big step incompetition,” says team boss David John of the young driver he’sentered in to the eight-round championship.

“He’s well and truly settled in to racing the brand new #21 allblack TKR Porsche competitively – far in a way beyond what we’drealistically expect given the calibre of professional drivers inAustralia.“Certainly with the team members and funding we have our 12 yearjourney is set to continue for a lot longer.

“That has been one of the biggest changes in the team, where notonly they are all New Zealand based, but all the best in what they do.We’ve seen the effects of how team dynamics can affect performancein the past and this weekend shows what a well oiled team is capableof.

“When we looked at running the Porsche I asked Craig Baird who weshould get on board to run it. Without hesitation he said ToddBickerton and Ian McNabb, who’d just finished up withmulti-championship winning Triple X Motorsport.

“They were happy to join, and keep TKR true to its name, as a NewZealand based team who can take young talent to the internationalstage and do well. We proved that this weekend.

“The best thing is when you have the right crew involved it allowsyou to focus on the bigger picture and provide further opportunitiesfor drivers like Andre` Heimgartner, as TKR has done for many driversbeforehand.”

Heimgartner said he’s still awed at his debut performance, despitethe final race mishap:“Even from the first time I drove the car on Thursday, I could havenever imagined we’d do as well as this. To be so close to the laprecord time set in the second race – everything about it has been ahighlight.

“Of course the mistake I made in today’s race when I clipped thewall should be considered a low point, but the learning to race likethat, making a mistake, having to do a pit stop, it was all an amazingexperience.

“Now we’ve just got to keep punching out these results – andwith the generosity of Team Kiwi, we’re in for the long haul.

Looking forward to the next round at the Melbourne Grand Prix 15-18March, Heimgartner will return to school for the coming weeks beforenext racing the #21 TKR Porsche.

“The car is wonderful to drive, but has peculiarities I still needto come to grips with. Not driving anything between will be anadvantage so I can get straight back in and carry on where I left off.