Brendon Leitch hopes this year's Toyota Racing Series could be his ticket to an international career.
The Cromwell-based driver has never competed outside New Zealand and hopes a good showing might bring him to the attention of overseas racing teams and invitations to race in Australia, Europe or the United States.
"I would love to go overseas and get a little bit of backing, even if I could only do one or two rounds somewhere. That would be a foot in the door to a lot of contacts.''
Ultimately, his goal is becoming a professional Indy Racing League driver.
Leitch (20) is one of only three Kiwis in the TRS, in which drivers compete in cars with identical engines, chassis and tyres.
"[Results are] mainly down to the driver. The series is very fast and very competitive.''
This year there are 19 drivers from 14 countries, including former world karting champion Lando Norris of the UK, Ferrari Academy driver Guanyu Zhou, of China, and Brazilian Pedro Piquet, son of three-time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet.
After finishing ninth overall last year, Leitch hopes to place in the top five this year.
He is sitting sixth after round1 in Christchurch last weekend and is aiming for a round win at his home track of Teretonga Park today and tomorrow, as well as retaining the NZ Spirit of a Nation feature race title he won at Teretonga last year.
Born and raised in Invercargill, Leitch and his older brother Damon have been part of the motor racing scene since they were babies.
Their father, Barry, runs a car restoration business in Invercargill and was a race car driver, and their mother, Marguerite, is a racing fan.
Leitch began kart racing when he was 6, moved up to Formula Fords aged 13 and stepped up to the TRS in 2014.
Just over a year ago he began a mechanic's apprenticeship and moved to Cromwell to work at the Highlands Motorsport Park.
One or two days a week he takes people for rides in cars such as a McLaren 650S, a Lamborghini Huracan, and a Porsche GD3, reaching speeds of about 240kmh.
"I give people the experience of what it is like to be on the track ... It's really cool to be part of the park. It is the only one like it in Australasia that I am aware of.''
While Leitch said most of the other TRS drivers had "wealthy fathers, raced all year round and had lots of funding behind them'' behind them, he had to work hard to obtain the $150,000-$200,000 needed for each TRS season.
"Motor racing is not a cheap sport and getting to the start line is an achievement in itself.''
He has Southern sponsors, including ITM and the Southern Institute of Technology - through which he is completing his apprenticeship - plus the support of his family and many others.
Leitch said even if he was invited to race overseas, he would still be required him to find much or all of his own sponsorship initially.
"You've got to pay money to [a team] to race. It's not until you get further up a bit further up the ranks that you get paid to come and drive for them.''
Even though participating in motor racing was "very expensive'', he did not plan to give it up any time soon.
"Mum's always asking me to take up tiddlywinks, but I have declined.''
