Media release
McNee makes successful comeback to the track in TR86 at Highlands
Wellingtonian Jamie McNee is back behind the wheel after an almost three year hiatus spent studying at Victoria
University.
The 20-year-old returned to the track at Highlands Park raceway last weekend in a Toyota TR86 race car, finishing 2nd
overall.
His last outing was almost three years ago when he finished 3rd to Mitch Evans in a Toyota Racing Series wings and
slicks race car.
McNee says it was great to be back in the driver’s seat.
“I felt a bit rusty early on, taking a couple of sessions to get to grips with the new car and the new track, but I was
really happy with the end result.”
He says the deal to race the Tony Richards Toyota car was only signed up one week prior to the event. The quick
turnaround meant there was not even time to get his sponsor Talley’s name on the car before racing.
McNee, who ended the weekend in second place to Angus Fogg, says he is looking forward to the next round at Pukekohe at
the end of this month.
In terms of his individual race results, having qualified fifth, McNee finished fifth in race one.
In race two, with a reverse grid top eight, he made a flyer off the initial start, then again from a restart, to lead
early and grow that lead, setting the fastest lap for the race and winning by over seven seconds.
In the final race of the weekend McNee once again started fifth. He made a stunning move down the outside of the track
at yet another restart to make up two places into third place, then made another move up to second. He chased down Fogg,
but couldn’t quite muster the speed to challenge the veteran for the win.
The TR86 is a new race car class, created to showcase the talent of New Zealand’s up and coming saloon car drivers. It’s
a one make class with equal equipment, and is part of the Motorsport New Zealand National Championship series.
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