NZ students embrace Supercars as Heimgartner returns home
Supercars returns to NZ April 10-12 at ITM Taupō Super 440
Kiwi Andre Heimgartner visits own primary school Point View School
First-ever Supercars NZ Double Header taking place next month
With just four weeks to go until Supercars returns to New Zealand, Brad Jones Racing drivers are spreading the word with the North Island’s youth about the upcoming ITM Taupō Super 440.
For the first time ever, Supercars will hold two events in NZ this year, kicking off in Taupō April 10-12, with the inaugural ITM Christchurch Super 440 to follow a week later.
The championship is already on its way across the ditch, with race cars and team equipment leaving workshops in shipping containers earlier this week, bound for NZ via sea freight later this week.
Heimgartner is one of three Kiwis in this year’s Supercars field, with the Aucklander visiting Point View primary school on Tuesday, where the now-30-year old met with current students and reconnected with faculty who taught and coached him nearly 20 years ago.
The Toyota BJR driver has fond memories returning to home soil, including winning the first-ever Supercars race in Taupō in 2024.
Heimgartner is joined by teammate Macauley Jones, as the duo traverse the North Island this week promoting next month’s event in Taupō.
"It's definitely strange being here at Point View primary school, where I went to primary school," Heimgartner said.
"A lot of memories here and obviously a large part of your life is spent in these places, so to come back here and talk to some of the kids, trying to inspire them and share my story has been pretty special.
"There's a couple teachers here that are still here from when I was here from 2006 and around that period, it's pretty crazy.
"I remember driving my go-kart out the back, trying to push it up this hill here for my dad to come collect me and different stuff like that.
"Definitely some cool memories."
The duo are scheduled to make other school and community appearances through the rest of the week, as anticipation builds up to the event, Supercars’ third time racing at Taupō International Motorsport Park.
Supercars will hold three races at the ITM Taupō Super440, to be held April 10–12, before heading to the South Island for another three races at Christchurch’s Ruapuna Raceway, April 17-19.
The driver who scores the most points across the two NZ events will be awarded the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, named for beloved Kiwi driver Jason Richards who succumbed to cancer in 2011.
Heimgartner has twice finished second in the JR Trophy standings driving the three-time Bathurst podium finisher's former ride, the #8 for Brad Jones Racing, doing so in 2022 at Pukekohe's farewell and his breakthrough Taupō weekend in 2024.
"Coming back to New Zealand, I think for all Kiwis is very special, and for myself it's something that as I'm getting older I'm appreciating more. The more time I spend away from New Zealand, I really appreciate coming back and what it means.
"It's where my formative years were in New Zealand and right up until when I was 16 and I had to leave to go overseas to chase my dreams.
"There's definitely so many memories everywhere I look and to come back and race, and race in front of the home crowd with a motorsport fraternity that I grew up with and everything, there's just something about it that sort of pulls at your heart a bit.
"When we stand on the grid, I know all of us Kiwis, I can probably speak for everyone when we hear the national anthem or they do the haka and stuff like that. It really has a bigger meaning for us."
