Second Vantage GT8R joins the GT New Zealand Series at Hampton Downs next month

Friday, January 27, 2023

It appears that a second Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT8R is about to join the multi class ranks again of the GT New Zealand Series as a new buyer takes on a former series car.

Raced last year by Shane Helms, his former Race Lab prepared GT8R has now been secured by local dirt track racer Joel Giddy for the remaining three rounds of the 2023 domestic season with the support of the Mach 1 Engineering team.

Having not been able to commit to the full four round, three race per event format season because of his international travel commitments, has Giddy enter his #16 car from the second round at Hampton Downs later in February to join AMR stable mate Stephen Harrison with his #78 Race Lab prepared Aston.

“I’ve raced a lot in things such as the Targa rally, where I ran a Subaru Impreza WRX with my brother, then more recently I’ve been doing off-road racing in a side by side, and had a Pro 4 Trophy Truck too,” said Giddy.

“I guess I was looking for more of a challenge and talked to Richard Crabb who is going to race a McLaren having done off-roading like me.”

“Then the opportunity came up to buy Shane Helms Aston Martin GT4 that he raced last season, so we’re in.” he said as the series released news of his entry.