Posted: 11/03/2016
Aaron Seton, son of V8 Supercars Hall of Fame inductee Glenn and grandson of 1965 Bathurst winner Barry, has signed on the dotted line for all five rounds of the Toyota 86 Racing Series in 2016.
Determined to extend the Seton motor racing dynasty into a third generation, the young-gun amateur racer was the first entrant to confirm their participation as entries for the much-anticipated Toyota 86 Racing Series officially opened.
Following a step-up from karts in 2014, 17-year old Aaron has since made his mark in GT and production car competition.
Bearing one of the most famous names in Australian motorsport, he says he is eager to further his progress in a series designed to encourage and support emerging talent.
With sponsorship support from Sci-Fleet Hino, plus his famous father overseeing the build and on-going development of his car, not to mention managing test and race operations, Aaron is off to a flying start.
"I've got a lot to live up to, with dad and pop's success," Aaron said.
"But heading into this series, I see their experience and support as a big advantage, and I'm keen to make them proud," he said.
Underpinned by a straightforward and relatively affordable technical spec, the Toyota 86 Racing Series provides the perfect platform for competitors to learn and develop their skills.
A high-performance, low-cost mandatory race package developed by Neal Bates Motorsport (NBM), enhances the 86's natural balance and agility.
The NBM kit focuses primarily on the suspension tune, exhaust, braking, wheels and engine management.
To further assist driver development, Toyota is also adding selected professional racers to the starting line-up, with different drivers brought in throughout the season.
These nominated drivers are not eligible for prizemoney; their primary role being to mentor regular competitors by sharing tips on everything from race-craft and driving technique to engineering set-up and team structure.
In Aaron Seton's case, mentoring and tips from a pro (or two) are things he definitely won't be short of.
The Toyota 86 Racing Series
The Toyota 86 Racing Series is an initiative designed to provide an entry point and training ground for up-and-coming drivers, offering a confirmed prize pool of $125,000.
Open to all manual variants of Toyota's cult-classic sports car*, the series is part of the support program at selected rounds of the Australian V8 Supercars championship.
In 2016 the Toyota 86 Racing Series will run over five events: May 20-22 (Winton SuperSprint), August 26-28 (Sydney Motorsport Park SuperSprint), September 16-18 (Sandown 500), October 6-9 (Bathurst 1000) and November 25-27 (Sydney 500).
For regular updates and more information go to toyota.com.au/86/racing-series.
Disclaimer:
* Must be Australian Design Rule (ADR) compliant