Motorsport: Kayne Scott for Supercar Clipsal meet

Kayne Scott, leader of the New Zealand V8 championship after two rounds, will race a V8 Supercar in Australia next year.

The 36-year-old Hamilton businessman will campaign a Holden from Team Dynamik in the Fujitsu Supercar development series for the 2006 season. Six of the eight rounds are run in conjunction with the Australian Supercar championship.

Scott, who finished 11th at the Bathurst 1000 this year in a Team Dynamik car, along with fellow Kiwi driver Mark Porter, will drive the same car in the Fujitsu Series.

Unlike the previous series, the new championship allows identical cars and technical specifications to the Supercar Championship cars.

Scott's first race will be on the streets of Adelaide for the Clipsal meeting in March.

"I have not even watched the race live, let alone raced there. It sure looks like you would not want to make a mistake there," said Scott.

"Fortunately it's the team's base and all three of Team Dynamik's cars will be competing that weekend and contributing to the knowledge pool."

Team Dynamik was formed by Aucklander Kieran Wills, who has fielded a two-car team in the main championship. Last season's efforts were plagued by management problems but Dynamik intends to run a car for Kieran Wills' son, Simon, next season.

The Australian team and engineer Oscar Fiorinotto have been working with Mark Petch Motorsport on the Holden Scott has driven in the New Zealand championship. Scott and Kieran Wills were fierce rivals during the glory days of the Tranzams.

At one point there was a $25,000 wager between the Wills and Petch teams. Petch won and Wills paid up.

Kieran Wills has faith in Scott's ability despite his limited Supercar experience. "We know how difficult it is for any top driver from any other form of motor racing to step into a Supercar and immediately go quick," he said. "We have tested a number of top drivers, and Kayne proved just as fast as some well known names that now occupy top seats in the Australian Supercar Series.

"Our technical collaboration with Mark Petch Motorsport this season in the NZV8 Championship has reinforced our belief that Kayne with the right support has the ability to win the inaugural Fujitsu series.

"The plan is that Kayne will partner Simon in the long-distance Supercar races and present a true Kiwi face at the world's greatest tin top race, Bathurst."

Scott, who is married with three children, has his own Waikato-based equipment business. He has an extensive background in motorsport, starting in karts and motocross and progressing to a super-successful reign as national Tranzam champion.

He drove in the world championship touring car round at Wellington while only 17 and dominated the Tranzams in a Petch-run Ford Mercure. Among his many track records, was the first sub-minute lap by a saloon at Pukekohe.

In 2003 he travelled to the US and competed in a round of the Trans-Am championship at Sears Point.

He was sixth in his first season of New Zealand V8s and fourth last season. He was third in the opening round at Pukekohe in November and won the second at Ruapuna. He goes into the third round at Teretonga next month with an 11-point lead over defending champion Andy Booth.

Scott's Australian venture reminds Petch of how in 1986 Robbie Francevic drove his (Petch's) Volvo 240T to win the Australian touring car championship, predecessor of the Supercar series.