Boxer Match: Toyota 86 Racing Series Kicks Off Down Under

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

It beats hooning your mom’s Honda Odyssey.

A teenager took the top spot in the first three races of the Toyota 86 Racing Series this past weekend, beating back the 38 entrants in the fledgling event.

Former kart champion Cameron Hill’s win is exactly what Toyota had in mind when it crafted the three-year series. Designed as an entry point for up-and-coming drivers, the series pits up to five professional drivers against a field of amateurs, with training being top of mind. (Though a $125,000 prize pool sweetens the deal).

The Australia-only series (part of the support program at various rounds of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship) fields manual transmission Scion FR-S Toyota 86 models, outfitted with a control specification kit that boosts horsepower by 18 percent.

Stock stick-shift models leave the factory with 205 hp, meaning the 86 hits the Aussie track with 242 hp, plus a vastly improved suspension, braking and grip.

The automaker claims a driver can get on the grid for under $70,000 — a price that includes all fees, upgrades and the purchase of the vehicle.

Besides offering newcomers valuable training and exposure, not to mention cash prizes for the top three drivers, the series chooses a rising star to race in New Zealand’s Toyota Finance 86 Championship. Five events are on this year’s calendar.

The automaker didn’t need to change any written materials for the series after Scion (remember them?) got the axe, as Toyota sold the “Toyobaru” as the 86 in overseas markets since the get-go.

In North America, the Scion FR-S badging hits the dumpster this August.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Threeer Threeer on May 23, 2016

    So maybe 20 years from now we'll be watching clips of these on our Visu-Implants instead of the VW Rabbit racers running around on that Youtube clip a few days back. And I'm guessing that any hope of civility and self-moderation on TTAC has now officially gone out the window...

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    • 05lgt 05lgt on May 23, 2016

      @Art Vandelay Quick, before you get banned; tell us a drunken Romanian Hot Tub tale of tails.

  • NeilM NeilM on May 23, 2016

    Some of the most entertaining racing around involves relatively slow cars, such as Spec Miata.

    • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on May 23, 2016

      NeilM, Especially if the formula is quite strict. It will be talent that wins, not just dollars.

  • RobertRyan RobertRyan on May 23, 2016

    Getting back to the actual article, before all the trolling takes you from it. Toyota 86 one make series started in New Zealand, now getting traction in Australia. They outsell the Mazda MX-5 in Australia by a considerable margin

    • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on May 23, 2016

      RobertRyan, At work we have around 4 sitting in the car park of around 100 vehicles. The complex where I work has at least 15-20 of these vehicles, both Scoobie Do's and Tee'ota's. I only have seen a few MX5s/Miatas. Young guys seem to own the 86'es and older farts drive the Mazdaratti's.

  • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on May 23, 2016

    The formula should provide for some tight racing among the newcomers. I do think the 86 would be an ideal cheap toy/race car for a small twisty track. On top of the 70 grand you will have to have cash to attend the meets. So this is still out of range for the average Billy Bloggs on the street unless he can find a sponsor.

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