This weekend will mark the start of something different for Invercargill racing driver, Jamie Conroy.
Conroy has made a name for himself in New Zealand motorsport driving single seater racing cars, winning both the New Zealand and South Island Formula Ford titles in his debut season before making a successful step up to the Toyota Racing Series (TRS) in 2015. The success continued when he won in the highly competitive category against seasoned international opposition in just his second weekend in that series.
However this weekend will see Conroy debut a Ford Falcon V8 in the BNT New Zealand Touring Car Championship at Pukekohe Park Raceway, south of Auckland. It is a change of direction for the Southlander but as he explains, “it was best to go with V8’s, the general public and sponsors know about them and can relate to them. We looked at different series but this was the best option.”
Conroy had a taste of a V8 when he raced Nathan Pilcher’s Holden Commodore in a low key meeting at his home circuit, Teretonga Park in March. At the time he described it as, “an opportunity see if it was a possibility worth pursuing.”
Since then Jamie Conroy Motorsport have purchased the Falcon of fellow Southlander Grant Molloy. After a short test the team has undertaken a massive rebuild of the car followed by a shakedown at Teretonga recently.
The Allied 24/7 Fuel Falcon is a new car and a new challenge for Conroy and added to that Pukekohe is a track he has never raced on before, so he faces a huge learning curve this weekend. “Pukekohe is a track I have always wanted to race on. It is a prestigious track and it is pretty cool. I’ve got a lot to learn about the car and the track but we will be heads down, concentrating on doing our own thing this weekend. We will definitely be aiming for the top spot at both Pukekohe and in the championship overall but this is definitely something different!”
Conroy is appreciative of the many supporters who are backing his campaign. “Scott O’Donnell and the team from Allied 24/7 Fuel were involved with Mobil 1 in my TRS racing and Allied 24/7 Fuel and Mobil 1 are back with us. Horgan Farms have been on board from day one and give us massive support and I’m stoked that they are continuing. There is plenty of local support too. It is very cool to have Southland with me and Southland Continuous Group, Sievwright Panel & Paint, PPG, Bluff Engineering & Welding, Choppa Tyres, E Hayes & Sons and Southern Probuilt Engines are all backing us.
The opening round of the championship at Pukekohe this weekend is the first round of six in the championship and is part of the programme at the massive ITM 400 V8 Supercar meeting at the track.
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