Talented American driver joins championship team after strong performance in Canada
Christchurch, NZ and St. Louis, MO (December 18, 2018) – Motorsport Solutions is excited to continue its tradition of preparing tomorrow’s racing champions with a full lineup of impressive drivers in this year’s New Zealand Formula Ford National Championship Series and the team is pleased to confirm that young American racing standout Spike Kohlbecker will be relocating to New Zealand to join the team and continue his impressive debut in open-wheel formula car competition. Kohlbecker will be joining the team for round two of the National Championship at the famed Ruapuna Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Spike Kolhbecker celebrates another podium finish with a post-race handshake.
“Having the opportunity to further develop a young rising star like Spike Kohlbecker is indeed exciting for us, we have some experience with a number of other drivers from the states that have gone on to careers in racing,” commented John Crawford, team principal of Motorsport Solutions. “Spike has an impressive resume which includes 11 years of kart racing, and an obvious dedication and commitment to his motorsports career anchored by a remarkable run as a factory karting pilot for the US chassis manufacturer, Margay, and a breakout season in Formula 1600 in Canada. I am also thrilled that Spike is fully committed to not only racing with us but working in the shop to advance his understanding of the true mechanics of the car. Spike will surely benefit from the strong competitive tradition of Formula Ford racing in New Zealand,” added Crawford.
Kohlbecker begins his 2019 campaign after a wildly successful run in the 2018 Canadian F1600 Toyo Tires Championship where he finished on the podium in both the Ontario series and the Ontario/Quebec Super Series. “Coming out of my successful rookie Canadian F1600 season as the youngest driver in the field with only 1 day of testing I’m stoked to get back in a car,” Kohlbecker added. “In my first race in Canada I finished on the podium, in race weekend two I put it on the pole, and from there I was in the front battling for wins every race – that’s what I plan to do in New Zealand! I am excited to be launching the next chapter of my racing career with the Motorsport Solutions team and excited to get 2019 under way.”
Spike climbs the top step of the podium to celebrate another win at the legendary Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport).
Kohlbecker will relocate to New Zealand in early January. “I have so many people to thank – none of this would have happened without the amazing support of my racing advisory team, my sponsors and the team of teachers and administrators at Kirkwood High School. I’ll be the first student in my home state of Missouri to take the LAUNCH online school program from another country. I owe a special thanks to Dr. Mike Havener, my school principal, for allowing me to be the first student to test this program from another country.”
About Autosport New Zealand:
Lead by team principal, John Crawford who started in Formula Ford in the late 70’s, Motorsport Solutions is dedicated to their customer’s success. After a successful career as a driver and then as an engineer running four international race teams both in the UK and USA, John and his wife Trish started the racing school at the famed Ruapana International Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1990. John would later turn his attention to engineering and car building in what would lead to the development of Motorsport Solutions NZ Ltd.