Rising East Auckland motorsport star Toby McCormack is quickly making a name for himself on the track.
The year 12 pupil at Howick College is achieving impressive results at a young age and has aspirations of turning it into a career.
He’s competed in the North Island Formula Ford 2023/2024 Championship, taking out the North Island Formula Ford Rookie of the Year title.
That earned the teenager a 237-piece Napa Auto Parts and SP Tools SP Custom Series toolkit worth $3000.
Toby was awarded the Formula Ford scholarship car for the championship, owned by influential people in the motorsport community such as Shane van Gisbergen.
The list of well-known Kiwi racers who have competed in the series includes Liam Lawson, Brendon Hartley, Scott Dixon, and Andre Heimgartner.
Toby also competed in the GVI.Kiwi Formula Open New Zealand 2023/24 Championship for the first time.
The season ended with him winning the Jim Palmer Cup for the TRS FT40 class as well as the overall trophy, the prestigious Howden Ganley Cup, named for New Zealand’s works BRM F1 driver.
That success saw him become the youngest-ever winner of the series and receive a drive in the Toyota Gazoo Racing team’s FT50 car.
Toby says he was inspired to get into motorsport by his father and grandfather, who both raced off-roaders when he was eight years old.
“At 12 I got my racing license and started racing a Formula First.
“Last year was my next step up into both the Formula Ford and the FT40, sometimes racing both cars on the same day.”
He says he loves the challenge of getting faster behind the wheel and winning races.
“Being out on track is lots of fun and I enjoy how the speed feels in the car.
“My goal is very simple and if I can be paid to drive as my career then I think I’m doing better than most, by getting paid to do something that I love.
“My favourite place to be is behind the wheel and I enjoy racing any type of car.”
The main attribute someone needs to be successful in motorsport is hard work, Toby says.
“I spend a lot of time talking with experienced people within the motorsport community who support me in what the next steps are in my progression.
“I then practise this on the simulator or on test days to refine the techniques needed to be better on race days.”
He encourages young people hoping to follow in his footsteps to start in a “learning class” such as Formula First.
“It’s a fantastic class to learn in and the support from the class is amazing.
“Even my dad has decided to follow in my footsteps and now races a Formula First.”
He also says he appreciates the support he’s received from his sponsors, local Howick couple Karl and Tracey Wallace, through their businesses Award Carpets, and Sallee.
