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Road To Indy

Despite winning two NZ Kart Championships, taking out the South Island Formula Ford Rookie of the Year title and finishing 3rd in the Series, 2021 was all about preparing for the upcoming New Zealand Toyota Racing Series.

This preparation has included testing the FT-60 championship car, a 3000km testing campaign in the USA in both F3 and F4 race cars, and the purchase of a 2017 FT-50 for training and competing in the New Zealand Formula Open Series. 

Our preparation has been very well planned as we continue to work on the physical and mental training required to be at the top of our game. While we had great results from the 2022 season, we are also committed to two years of the USF Pro 2000 Championship.

Jacob's Team

PABST Racing

PABST Racing operates teams on the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, the USF2000 Championship. PABST Racing’s drivers have secured numerous championships, race wins, podium finishes and pole positions. Their mission is to develop drivers and prepare them for the upper echelons of professional motorsports.

Tiffany Chittenden

Jacob’s Manager

A British champion and professional driver coach, Tiffany has worked in global motorsport for the past 20 years. She took on the role as Jacob’s personal manager and driver coach at the beginning of 2017 and spends countless hours working with him on and off the track.

Matthew Hamilton

Coach & Mentor

13 x New Zealand Karting Champion, International racing driver and former Lady Wigram Trophy winner, Matthew started working with Jacob at age 10 and took him through all four NZ championship-winning campaigns. WKS Kartstore continues to work with Jacob in KZ2 shifter karting.

Andy Neale

Coach & Race Engineer

Coach & Race Engineer, Andy is also a former championship winning driver and ex-Formula 1 mechanic. He has worked with and coached the likes of Earl Bamber, Marcus Armstrong, Fabian Coulthard, Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy. His highlight to date has been winning the NZ TRS Championship with Andrew Tang in 2014.

Grant McDonald

JDM Board Member

Grant is a highly respected member of the JDM management board. His talent for fostering positive working relationships, strong communication skills, and ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders have been instrumental in building the company’s reputation as a trusted partner. Grant is also known for his long and successful history in motorsport, including his journey with Formula 1 star Liam Lawson.

Tatuus USF-22

Chassis

Full carbon composite and aluminum honeycomb monocoque manufactured by Tatuus Racing meeting current FIA 2020 GEN 1 with Halo-type device safety standards including side impact panels, front and rear impact structures, HANS-compliant INDYCAR head restraint, front and rear wheel tethers, upgraded uprights, and upgraded front bulkhead structure for USA specific oval racing circuits.

Engine

Mazda developed 2-litre MZR (175 HP) prepared by Elite Engines, with maximum torque of 160 Ft. Lbs., utilizing a fly by wire throttle system and Cosworth SQ6 engine management system.

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The Team In Action

The TRS FT-50

The Toyota Racing Series FT-50 race car was raced between 2015-2019 with a modified version of Toyota’s 1.8L four cylinder engine. Producing around 200bhp, the car features a six-speed Sadev sequential transmission with limited slip differential, a carbon fibre body built by Tatuus in Italy, weighing 480kgs.

A limited number of FT-50 cars have been sold and Jacob has one to use for testing and racing in the New Zealand Formula Open series. Like many junior racing categories around the world, testing in the current generation FT-60 car is strictly limited so this is an ideal car to prepare for the TRS Championship and New Zealand Grand Prix.

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