[Guss]

From Racenews.com


Team Kiwi Racing
Jun 27 2005
TEAM KIWI RACING MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER


Team Kiwi Racing boss David John says he is more determined now than he has ever been to see Team Kiwi Racing win races in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship after the Kiwi team’s recent podium finish in front of a global audience of 75 countries and over 700 million homes worldwide at the recent 5th round of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in Shanghai, China.

Team Kiwi Racing and their sponsors (many of whom have been with the team from the very start) are very excited with the development of New Zealand’s very own V8 Supercar team over the last four years to now see the All Black TKR machine a front-running competitor in the highly competitive Australian V8 Supercar Championship.

From day one John and his team said it would take four years of hard work and determination to put together a competitive New Zealand V8 Supercar team.

If this year’s results to date are anything to go by, then John and his team are right on track with that prediction.

“The last four years have all been about learning the race tracks, the characteristics of a V8 Supercar, knowing what to spend money on and what not to, raising the skill level of our staff, securing the right technical partnerships and putting together the best possible package to represent New Zealand on the international stage’’ said John.

To his credit, John has stood firm on achieving the goals he set out 4 years ago despite the rising costs of competing in the Championship that have doubled in recent years and is determined to see his initial commitment to the New Zealand public, sponsors and team members achieved with great success.

He has sold 25% of the TKR business to raise the additional funds to allow the team to purchase the very best equipment they could possibly do so this year, and to secure the services of Dual-World Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich, who is regarded as one of New Zealand’s best-ever motorsport drivers.

Such a decision to sell 25% of the TKR business and REINVEST the funds directly back into the team means John wont see any of the sale proceeds end up in his own pocket but has definitely seen TKR achieve their commitment they set four years ago.

“David is very focused on achieving the high goals he has set himself and is a person who does not back down from a challenge” says team driver Paul Radisich.

“I first saw David’s drive and determination first-hand when I put to him what I required to be secured prior to me joining TKR, and for what would have taken most Team Owners months, if at all to put in place, David had all I asked for in place within a week to my absolute surprise”.

John and Radisich obviously have a healthy respect for each other.

‘’Paul has definitely made a big difference to what TKR has been able to achieve, he has kept up his side of the deal by providing the strong results so far this year in return for everything he asked to be put together prior to his signing with TKR” commented David John.

“It is a real pleasure to be involved with a driver who understands that any relationship is a two way street which shows Radisich’s maturity as a professional racecar driver. He sets such a high standard which in return has seen myself more determined than ever to provide Radisich and the rest of the team with whatever it takes to continue our success in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship as the series expands globally’’.

Team Kiwi Racing have achieved a Pole Position, numerous Top Ten results in both qualifying and races, and have also stood upon the podium this season even before the team’s new engine development and new technical developments have arrived, which are yet to be added to the TKR machine between now and the years end.

“Paul, Bernie, the teams sponsors, and I would love to win races consistently and give ourselves the best possible chance of winning the Australian Championship’’

‘’We have come a long way over the last four years and the future is very exciting for Team Kiwi Racing and our sponsors especially with the renewed level of determination to be the first ever Kiwi V8 Supercar team to not only win a race in the Championship but to be the first ever Kiwi V8 Supercar team to win the Australian V8 Supercar Championship outright, in the same way Team New Zealand won the Americas Cup” says John.

John and his team have obviously set themselves extremely high goals to achieve but if past history is anything to go by, TKR are a team that would be worth putting a few dollars on that they will achieve whatever goals they set themselves.