Champion Gary Hall Jr will become
just the fourth Western Australian driver to represent Australia in the World
Driving Championships in New Zealand later this year.
Hall Jr, 42, boasts over 4100 career
wins, 69 at Group 1 level, including those three Inter Dominion finals aboard
the great Im Themightyquinn (2011, ’12 and ’13).
This will be the first time NZ has
hosted the World Driving Championship solo and it runs from November 2-11 and
across four venues: Kaikoura, Cambridge, Winton and Addington.
Fittingly, it finishes at the iconic
New Zealand Cup meeting at Addington on November 11.
“This is a terrific thrill,” Hall Jr
said. “As I’ve gotten older and travelled more, I’ve got a real sense of what
these series’ mean and what an honour it is to be part of them, especially
representing your country in this case.
“Personally, I’m thrilled it's in NZ
where I’ll feel comfortable driving, rather than Europe or somewhere which
would be totally foreign to me.”
Hall Jr said some of his best
memories are of driving Im Themightyquinn in NZ.
“That first trip he had to Auckland
for the Cup and the Inter Dominion, which turned out to be the making of him,”
he said. “And we went back again after to win another Auckland Cup.
“You feel the love for the sport over
there and the sense of respect from the other drivers.
“It’s a place I really enjoy driving
and can’t wait to get back.
“I see they’ve got heats at Kaikoura
in the series. We’ve all seen the track on TV and it’s cool it’ll be part of
it.”
Hall Jr trying to improve on
Australia’s poor record in the series with 32 representatives landing just two
titles since the series was first run in 1970.
Victoria’s Ted Demmler (1987) and
Queenslander Keith Addison (1975) are the only two Aussie winners.
Queensland’s Pete McMullen finished
sixth the last time the World Driving Championships was held and shared between
Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands.
“Sounds like I’ve got some work to
do,” Hall Jr said.
The only other WA drivers to contest the series were Chris Lewis (10th in 2011), Fred Kersley (second in 1991) and Jim Schrader, who finished fifth in 1979 and seventh in 1973.