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 will be 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.
