Photo: TCR New Zealand

Track Tec Racing completes three-car TCR New Zealand line-up

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Track Tec Racing has announced the signing of Lochie Fitzgerald-Symes for the upcoming TCR New Zealand series event at Highlands Motorsport Park.

Fitzgerald-Symes will line up alongside previously announced pairing Greg Murphy and Chris van der Drift in the team’s third Audi RS 3 LMS, and brings with him a wealth of experience in TCR machinery – including racing the same car in the South Island Endurance Series last year.

“Track Tec are awesome to work with and super professional but still allow me to be me,” he said. “I like to fly under the radar and just do my thing on the track, their knowledge and technical skill has definitely improved my racecraft. I can’t wait to finally set up the car into sprint mode and not have to hold back.

“I love cars and I love racing and am definitely looking forward this year’s inaugural Allied Petroleum TCR New Zealand series. It should set the platform for TCR in NZ and in the future hopefully give many young drivers like myself another path to racing around the world. If the opportunity arises I would love to have a crack at the Australian TCR series later this year.

“This is my fifth year racing a TCR car and although there’s been some huge names announced in the last couple of weeks, I feel I’m up to the challenge.”

Team principal Matt Waters said he expected Fitzgerald-Symes to impress against some of the bigger names already confirmed for the Highlands event.

“Lochie showed us he was fast and a quick learner in 2020,” he said. “When on the pace, he has an aggressive driving style and is not afraid to go for a move so we can’t wait to see what he’ll be like in the sprint format – the biggest challenge in the 3 hour race was slowing him down to save tyres.

“By turn two on lap one at the NZ Endurance Champs at Highlands, he had made up five places weaving through traffic like a pro! We know Highlands is one of Lochies favourite tracks and he has unfinished business here after an unfortunate incident with a faster car coming through the field at the NZ Championships ended their race.”