Spurred on by a top five result in last year’s New Zealand Toyota 86 Championship, Justin Allen has one target for the 2022/23 season.
First joining the Toyota 86 Championship in 2018/19, Allen has rapidly emerged as a frontrunner and heads into the upcoming season high on confidence in the NAPA Auto Parts entry.
“I love this category because it’s super, super tight and close, which is why it’s the most competitive category in New Zealand for tin-top racing,” Allen said.
“I’m happy to be here and compete in one of the top tier classes in New Zealand motorsport.”
Allen revealed a new livery for his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 86 at the non-championship event supporting the Supercars Championship at Pukekohe Park Raceway, the final blast around the circuit before its closure next April.
“We’ve gone for a deeper blue, with a bright yellow mimicking the European-style honeycomb texture, which is sure to pop and stand out on the track both on-track as well as on television,” Allen described.
The field at Pukekohe was one of the largest in category history featuring previous champions Callum Hedge and Peter Vodanovich. Although it’s a non-championship affair, to become the last driver to win at the Auckland-based circuit is a tantalising prospect as the event also provides a preview of this year’s title.
Allen provided some insight into the Toyota 86 category.
“The Toyota 86 Championship here in New Zealand is the closest and most competitive category to contest in the country,” he explained.
“There were 20 entries for the meeting at Pukekohe Park supporting the Repco Supercars Championship and it was a weekend of hard, fast racing.
“It was quite a humble meeting here in Auckland as it is the last time many of us will ever race at Pukekohe Park Raceway as it is closing down in April.”
Allen is a regular user of the NAPA Know How Motorsport Academy online portal providing a variety of helpful hints and tips to rising stars of the sport through the guidance of four experienced mentors, led by Supercars driver Bryce Fullwood.
“The NAPA Know How Motorsport Academy is designed to bring up some grassroots drivers through an online portal where you can learn via four mentors covering everything from how to gain sponsorship through to nutrition and even driver coaching as well,” Allen explained.
“The advantage of the NAPA Know How Motorsport Academy is the advice on the page is free and will aid you in all aspects of your future aims in racing.”
The New Zealand Toyota 86 Championship begins at Hampton Downs in January and Allen has only one target, which is to be victorious as he harbours ambitions to race across the ditch at the hallowed Mount Panorama circuit.
“I’m aiming for the number one spot after last year’s top five result in the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 86,” he stated.
“Winning this year would mean the world to me and hopefully this will lead me to getting a Wildcard in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia Toyota 86 Racing Series at Bathurst, which is my aim for the foreseeable future.”
Allen finished fourth in the Toyota 86 - Supercars event – Feature Race
