Don’t push the fire extinguisher!  – SVG’s advice to Feeney

Supercars race winner and runner up in the 2024 championship, Broc Feeney, is in town to compete in the 69th running of the New Zealand Grand Prix.  Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell plays host to the fifth and final round of the 2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship and Feeney joins Red Bull Ampol Racing Supercars teammate Will Brown on the grid for the three-race weekend.

Former Supercars teammate Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) had the opportunity to compete in the 2021 NZ Grand Prix, which he went on to win. So did van Gisbergen give him any advice.

“Don’t push the fire extinguisher, is what he said to me,” commented Feeney.

The comment refers to when van Gisbergen accidently pushed the fire extinguisher in his FT60 just before he was to take to the grid of the 2021 NZ Grand Prix at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park.

This resulted in him missing the pit lane window to exit and thus, was forced to start from the pit lane after his team completed a hasty cleaning out of his car, his overalls, his boots and a replacement fire extinguisher.  In an extraordinary drive, he became the first driver to start a Grand Prix from the pit lane and win.

What other advice has Feeney received, particularly from will Brown who competed in the first two rounds of the Toyota FR Championship?

“We’ve spoken a little bit and he’s given me a few ideas,” commented Feeny.  “Most of the people I have talked to have said that for the slow speed corners it’s a race car.

“It’s more the high-speed stuff I am trying to learn.  My biggest thing is trying to hang on to it, being so close to the wheel.  I feel like SVG (Shane van Gisbergen) in a NASCAR driving this thing.

“It’s been hard work and still lots to learn.  Luckily I have had a few mates who have driven these cars so it has been a matter of getting everyone’s opinion but until you get out there you don’t know what to expect.”

“And what of his expectations for the weekend?

“It’s going to be awesome.  The only thing I have said to Will is don’t run into me as we are paying the damage bill this weekend.

“The biggest thing for me is to have fun and learn as much as possible.  It’s really hard to come in (to a series) on week five at the Grand Prix and set the world on fire.  I’ll try and do my absolute best but for me it is a learning experience as I have a lot to learn. 

“The big one for me is going to be Race 1 (Saturday afternoon).  I’ve done two practice starts in these and still got a lot to learn.  Getting off the line in Races 1 and 2 will help set me up for the Grand Prix.”

Feeney went fastest in the third practice session on Friday ahead of Brown, both being on new tyres.

2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship – Friday Practice 1

1	5	Patrick Heuzenroeder	mtec Motorsport	AUS
2	3	Zack Scoular	mtec Motorsport	NZL
3	87	Will Brown	Giles Motorsport	AUS
4	15	Nicolas Stati	Kiwi Motorsport	AUS
5	77	Enzo Yeh	M2 Competition	TPE
6	41	Alex Crosbie	Giles Motorsport	NZL
7	22	Jett Bowling	Kiwi Motorsport	USA
8	32	Shawn Rashid	mtec Motorsport	USA
9	69	Sebastian Manson	M2 Competition	NZL
10	9	Nicholas Monteiro	mtec Motorsport	BRA
11	93	Broc Feeney	mtec Motorsport	AUS
12	23	Michael Shin	M2 Competition	KOR
13	17	Nikita Johnson	M2 Competition	USA
14	8	Matias Zagazeta	M2 Competition	PER
15	4	Arvid Lindblad	M2 Competition	GBR
16	88	James Lawley	Kiwi Motorsport	CAN
17	13	Barrett Wolfe	Giles Motorsport	USA

2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship – Friday Practice 2

1	87	Will Brown	Giles Motorsport	AUS
2	5	Patrick Heuzenroeder	mtec Motorsport	AUS
3	23	Michael Shin	M2 Competition	KOR
4	32	Shawn Rashid	mtec Motorsport	USA
5	4	Arvid Lindblad	M2 Competition	GBR
6	15	Nicolas Stati	Kiwi Motorsport	AUS
7	3	Zack Scoular	mtec Motorsport	NZL
8	69	Sebastian Manson	M2 Competition	NZL
9	22	Jett Bowling	Kiwi Motorsport	USA
10	9	Nicholas Monteiro	mtec Motorsport	BRA
11	41	Alex Crosbie	Giles Motorsport	NZL
12	93	Broc Feeney	mtec Motorsport	AUS
13	17	Nikita Johnson	M2 Competition	USA
14	77	Enzo Yeh	M2 Competition	TPE
15	8	Matias Zagazeta	M2 Competition	PER
16	88	James Lawley	Kiwi Motorsport	CAN
17	13	Barrett Wolfe	Giles Motorsport	USA

2025 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship – Friday Practice 3

1	93	Broc Feeney	mtec Motorsport	AUS
2	87	Will Brown	Giles Motorsport	AUS
3	23	Michael Shin	M2 Competition	KOR
4	3	Zack Scoular	mtec Motorsport	NZL
5	17	Nikita Johnson	M2 Competition	USA
6	32	Shawn Rashid	mtec Motorsport	USA
7	5	Patrick Heuzenroeder	mtec Motorsport	AUS
8	9	Nicholas Monteiro	mtec Motorsport	BRA
9	69	Sebastian Manson	M2 Competition	NZL
10	4	Arvid Lindblad	M2 Competition	GBR
11	15	Nicolas Stati	Kiwi Motorsport	AUS
12	41	Alex Crosbie	Giles Motorsport	NZL
13	8	Matias Zagazeta	M2 Competition	PER
14	22	Jett Bowling	Kiwi Motorsport	USA
15	88	James Lawley	Kiwi Motorsport	CAN
16	77	Enzo Yeh	M2 Competition	TPE
17	13	Barrett Wolfe	Giles Motorsport	USA