TKR's Winton Test Thrown Into Chaos as Rain Halts Driver Evaluation

New Zealand squad Team Kiwi Racing faced an unexpected setback at Winton on Tuesday when rain forced an early end to its planned three-driver evaluation. The team had hoped to assess Brendon Leitch, Chris Pither, and Brent Collins in a single day before picking one for a full test on Thursday and the Super2 round at Bathurst.

Instead, each driver managed just two five-lap runs in damp conditions before track action was called off. TKR now plans to resume the evaluation tomorrow and postpone the full single-driver test to a later date.

For Leitch, the brief outing marked his first taste of the Gen2-spec Holden ZB Commodore. He previously drove a Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro during a ride day with Matt Stone Racing at Sydney Motorsport Park last year. Leitch told Speedcafe it was good to sample the Super2 car, which he found comparable to the Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo he usually races.

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"They're very comparable," said Leitch. "The difference is the differential. You have a locked diff in the Supercar and the Super Trofeo has a more traditional-style differential. In the unloaded phase, it's fully open. To be honest, in the wet, the driving style feels much the same in terms of the dynamics of the car."

He highlighted the unique challenges of Supercars, including right-foot braking and blipping the throttle simultaneously, using a lever shifter instead of paddles, and managing without ABS or traction control. "Just looking at the general driving dynamic of the car, it's got many similarities," he added.

Despite the disrupted schedule, TKR recently unveiled its Holden-themed Bathurst livery, keeping spirits high as the team prepares for the upcoming round.