When it comes to sending a car around the track as a part of the annual Port Nelson Street Races, Nelson Road Racing Association president Nick Marer called upon Bowater Toyota with only one car in mind.
That car, is of course the Toyota 86. The perfect car for the job.
Nick was on the hunt for the Official Pace Car for the annual 2013 Port Nelson Street Races. This street race is an iconic street circuit motorcycle race, held in Nelson since 1992, and featuring multiple classes of racing, culminating in the King of the Port Race - always a hotly contested event.
We jumped at the chance to get the Toyota 86 into it's "natural" environment, an official "closed road" track where it could stretch it's legs unhindered and without breaking any laws!
The chance to get trackside does not happen that often in Nelson. Normally those wanting to get some track day action have to travel a long way to satisfy that urge, or just resign themselves that it is not a reality, and just the dreams of car crazy young boys.
The Toyota 86 has changed all of that. Finally a car has come onto the market that is not only remarkably priced at just $41,986, but has actually been designed for those wanting to enjoy a perfectly respectable, everyday car 90% of the time, but also experience the thrills of Track Days if the opportunity arises.
All this being said, the 2013 Port Nelson Street Race gave us the perfect opportunity to show the motor racing fans of Nelson the new face of the performance side of Toyota.