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| Place
of Birth: |
Nelson,
New Zealand |
| Place
of Residence: |
Auckland,
New Zealand |
| Date
of Birth: |
10th
April 1976 |
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Background
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Jason
started his motor racing career in 1985 at eight years of age
driving in Karting events in his home town of Nelson. Between
1985 and 1993 he won 35 championships and become New Zealand Kart
champion twice (1988 and 1991). He also represented New Zealand
in three TransTasman challenges held in Australia. In 1993 Jason
made his move out of Karting and into circuit racing with Mini
7's. He finished his first season as the top rookie and was awarded
the Most Improved Driver Cup. Proving this was no fluke he made
a full on assault at the National championship finishing third
in both the South Island and New Zealand championships. At the
end of 1993 Jason was offered the Canterbury Racing School Formula
Ford drive for the NissanMobil 500 meetings in Wellington and
Pukekohe. After a successful debut Jason was offered a full time
drive in the inaugural Cellular One Winter Series with the Canterbury
Racing School. Joining as the youngest and least experienced driver
of a three car team, he won 4 of the 9 races and finishing on
the podium on 7 occasions. With his success in the series, he
was retained as the team's number one driver for the 1995 Summer
Series. At the age of eighteen, Jason was offered a drive in the
English Formula Ford championship. Jason gained valuable international
experience in the UK and France before returning to New Zealand
in 1995 to sign with BMW Motorsport NZ as their junior driver.
Jason went onto win the 1995/96 Class 1 championship by winning
9 of the 12 races. In 1996/97 he won 13 of the 17 races. An impressive
record that found him consistently competing for outright line
honours during the season. In one of the highlights of his 1997
season, Jason competed in the AMP Bathurst 1000, sharing a privateer
BMW Super Tourer with New Zealand team mate Brett Riley. Jason
showed his pace in the car, setting the fastest qualifying time
for the car. Jason drove the BMW into a class lead and into the
top ten in his 2 1/2 hour stint. Unfortunately in the closing
stges of the race, while running in 8th position the engine expired,
ending their day, but providing Jason with invaluable experience
at an International Touring Car Event. With team mate Craig Baird
moving on with his international career, Jason was given the latest
BMW Motorsport NZ 320i race car to drive for out right honours
in the 1997/98 New Zealand Touring Car Championship, coming away
with 5 wins from 11 races and taking the Summer Series win. In
1998 Jason achieved two major career goals, winning both the 1998
NZRDC Winter Series and winning the 1998/99 MNZ Summer Series. |
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Titles :
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Awards:
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Steel
Trophy (Awarded to the most outstanding young driver of the season,
having demonstrated dedication, skill and professionalism in his
driving to progress to the upper echelons of the sport) |
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