The 2006/7 Toyota Racing Series was an almost perfect season for winner, Daniel Gaunt.
Following his calculated win the in the previous season’s Toyota Racing Series, in which he drove as fast as required to win the championship, rather than risk points by going all out on the major trophy events, this year the 23-year old Aucklander showed in the 2006/7 series that he could win major events and retain his championship title.
Gaunt not only won the TRS with one round to go, but he also won the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Lady Wigram Trophy and the Dan Higgins Memorial. There was only one other major trophy that he really wanted to win and that was the prestigious Butcher NZ Motor Cup at the final round of the series at Pukekohe. Unfortunately a persistent and untraceable imbalance problem with his car meant that Gaunt could not drive to his car’s full potential and had to give best to his young International Motorsport team-mate, 17-year old Shane Van Gisbergen, and Andy Knight, finishing third in the race.
“Normally I don’t have problems at Pukekohe and have been unbeaten there, but there was something not right with my car at this final meeting. My hard working crew tried everything to find it, but this time they couldn’t and I simply could not get the best out of the car. However, the best thing was that my Giltrap City Toyota team-mate, Shane Van Gisbergen, didn’t have any such problems and drove very well to take the win, which meant that our team won all the major trophies and finished first and second in the Toyota Racing Series – an almost perfect performance,” said Gaunt.
Gaunt is full of thanks and praise for his team, his own mechanics, and the backing he has received from the Giltrap Group.
“I have been very fortunate to have the backing of Colin Giltrap and his sons, Richard and Michael, which – as a bonus – gave me the opportunity to assist New Zealand’s A1GP team in the build-up to the Shanghai round. That experience, to drive that powerful car and work with such a professional team, was invaluable in my development and career.
“Then there has been my team run under the capable direction of Lyall Williamson of International Motorsport, and especially my two very experienced engineers, Peter Cox and Stephen Giles, who have given me a superbly prepared car at every round.
“The chance to drive a modern “wings and slicks” car in a New Zealand series, has also been invaluable for helping to develop my driving skills and career, so it is important I thank Toyota New Zealand for establishing this series, which has helped me to obtain drives in America which is where I want to further my career,” says Gaunt.
With the Toyota Series now over, Gaunt is negotiating very hard to obtain a drive in America with a well-known proven team.
“That is where I want to be, but the cost of obtaining a drive with a top team is very high. With the help of several people, I am negotiating to obtain a drive, but obtaining the necessary funding is extremely difficult.
“Whatever happens, I will be racing back in New Zealand next season – but it may not be in a Toyota. I am keen to broaden my experience and drive a car in the Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup series, with the possibility of driving one of the new Porsche 997 cars,” says Gaunt, 2006/7 Toyota Racing Series champion.