Finalists and increased support package announced for Tony Quinn Foundation Toyota GR86 Shootout

The Tony Quinn Foundation has confirmed the four finalists for the 2024 Toyota GR86 Shootout, along with an enhanced support package totalling $54,000, up from the previous year’s amount of $37,500.

The finalists—Mason Potter, Emerson Vincent, Chris White, and Arthur Broughan—will compete for the support package to aid their respective Toyota GR86 Championship campaigns this coming season.

The shootout will take place at Hampton Downs on September 18, where the four candidates will be evaluated on driving speed, technical feedback, and their understanding of the commercial aspects of motorsport. The driving elements of the test will be conducted in the new generation Toyota GR86.

“With the talent on hand throughout New Zealand, it wasn’t easy choosing the finalists for this year’s GR86 Shootout,” said Tony Quinn Foundation Trustee Daniel Gaunt.

“Mason, Emerson, Chris, and Arthur have each demonstrated remarkable skill and dedication so far in their racing careers, and we’re pleased to announce them as finalists and look forward to hosting them at Hampton Downs later this month.

“This is the fourth edition of the Toyota 86 Shootout, which has so far provided over $100,000 to support budding New Zealand Toyota 86 drivers on their journey into a career in motorsport.

“We see the Toyota GR86 Championship and the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship as world-class series, and we are extremely happy with the springboard it gives TQF drivers.”

The Tony Quinn Foundation has supported New Zealand drivers competing locally and internationally by providing over $2 million in funding over the last three years.

Arthur Broughan, the youngest finalist at 15 years old, hails from Marlborough and boasts an impressive karting background with several National Schools and South Island titles. This year, Broughan has impressed in the Mazda Racing Series with consistent top-ten finishes in his rookie season.

“Being around those guys who are around the Tony Quinn Foundation and making that connection with them is hugely important to further my career,” he said. “I’m really excited and looking forward to the shootout.”

Since graduating from karting, Chris White has achieved notable success, including winning the Mazda Racing Series New Zealand Championship and the South Island title this season. He is also gearing up for the South Island Endurance Series, where he will get further track time at Highlands and Teretonga.

“I’m pretty stoked, and really lucky to get another opportunity to jump in the new GR86, because it’s a mega car,” White remarked. “It’s going to be cool to test my media abilities, too. The support is massive, and that amount would help many drivers to fund a lot of their racing throughout the season.”

Sixteen-year-old Emerson Vincent from Pukekohe has an extensive background in KartSport. He won the National Schools Championship in the Rotax Max Light class and represented New Zealand in the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Portugal. He has also competed in competitions such as the Nazcar Lemons Series in a Toyota Altezza.

“This is a really big opportunity, and I’m very excited,” said Vincent. “I feel honoured to have the opportunity to show myself to people and look to create some opportunities in the future. It feels pretty amazing to have this opportunity. The sport can be very expensive, and having the opportunity to win a considerable prize could really help a lot.”

Mason Potter enters the GR86 Shootout off the back of a successful Formula Ford season, in which he finished fourth overall in the New Zealand Championship and was runner-up in the North Island title. Before that, he won two national Kartsport titles and drove two seasons in Formula First, where he finished third in 2021/22 before his rookie Formula Ford campaign in 2022/23.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to be selected,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful to be considered for it because it’s obviously going to make the whole financial side of things for the season a lot easier and reduce a lot of stress. It’d be awesome to represent the Tony Quinn Foundation.”

Previous winners of the Tony Quinn Foundation Toyota 86 Shootout include Matthew McCutcheon, William Exton, and Jackson Rooney, who have all gone on to compete in overseas events following their campaigns.