News Release
Promising Wanganui Teenager Set for Suzuki Swift Racing Challenge
31 August 2009
An up and coming young Wanganui racing driver has just had a sharp boost to his fledgling motor racing career.
Eighteen year old Matt Gibson wowed the judges during the recent trials to determine the winner of the Castrol Suzuki Sport Cup Scholarship at the Manfeild circuit in Feilding.
Gibson won the scholarship, assuring himself of an assisted drive in next season’s Suzuki Sport Cup Championship.
He said the scholarship success would boost his name and bring him one step closer to living a dream as a world touring car driver.
The promising Cullinane College student has already showed his prowess in karting, Formula First and Formula Ford and is now preparing for the highly competitive Swift one-make class.
On his flying lap of Manfeild during the judging session, series coordinator Paul Burborough said Matt was fast and even quicker than the instructors.
“Matt is very focused on winning and has already shown he is prepared to go the extra mile to achieve his ambition to win the championship,” said Burborough.
“He was impressive right from the start and is the most focused participant that we have had in any of the last three scholarships,” he said.
Gibson began kart racing when he was 12, winning the First Club Championships in the Manawatu.
At the tender age of 16 he drove a Formula First racing car in the 2007/2008 Manawatu Winter series, securing several podium finishes and pole positions.
He finished sixth in the championship and in the next season smashed the class lap record at the Pukekohe motor racing circuit.
Gibson took pole position in the Formula First series last season at every circuit, finishing fourth overall in the national championship.
Nicknamed Matty, the Wanganui teenager is fully committed to the 2009/2010 Castrol Suzuki Sport Cup Series, and believes consistency is the key.
“I know that to win a championship I must know when to settle for second and when to push for a win,” he said.
“Winning the Castrol Scholarship is a great step forward for the Gibson team,” said Matty. “This is the break I have been aiming for and I am excited about working with Suzuki in the coming season.”
“I have spent two months preparing for the scholarship and now I know that I have confirmed my place on the grid is such a good feeling.”
Gibson said he believed the scholarship would kick-start his motor sport career in saloons considering his background is in single seater racing cars.
“This scholarship is very important to me as it will give me the exposure I have always wanted in the wide and expansive sport of motor racing,” said Matty.
“I intend to use this opportunity I have been given with great enthusiasm and pride,” he said.
Judges considered several criteria to determine the scholarship winner. Driver ability accounted for 60 per cent of the scoring, but the voting was also based on fitness, presentation and media skills.
Scholarship applicants had to be under 21 and must not have competed in a national motor racing tier one series.
The winner receives a season package valued at more than $50,000 to drive one of the specially prepared 1.6-litre Suzuki Swift Sport hatchbacks in the championship which starts at Pukekohe in early November.
Suzuki New Zealand’s significant brand investment in the Swift one-make class is further extended for next season. For the first time the series is a stand alone championship, adding even more credence to the category.
Last summer two Suzuki dealer team cars finished second and fourth overall in the championship, driven respectively by William Bamber and Graeme Smyth.
Michael Paaymans, a 19-year-old apprentice automotive technician from Napier, has been selected to drive the North Island dealer team car in the 2009/2010 series.
Michael started racing a Datsun 1200 in the Youth Mini Stock speedway class at the age of 14 and was named Rookie of the Season at his home speedway track.
Last year Paaymans won the New Zealand Mini Stock Championship, and was awarded the National Award of Youth Mini Stock Competitor title out of 450 cars.
“Michael was a standout off the track, being the fittest and interviewed the best of all applicants,” said Paul Burborough. “Although not the fastest on the track he will be very competitive.”
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