Inside ORIX Team Racing

ORIX Team Racing is managed by Glenn Middleton. Glenn has had plenty of experience and success racing speedway saloons and then as a co-driver in rallying, including two internationals. Glenn is responsible for overseeing all the details that make the team happen, co-ordinating the full-time employees and the many volunteers that are involved with the team and ensuring sponsors are kept in touch and given opportunities to highlight their involvement with the team. Glenn can be contacted on 027 221 8876 or via email glenn.middleton@ORIX.co.nz

ORIX Team Racing

ORIX Team Racing is not just a racing Holden Commodore V8. In addition to the actual racing car, there are two support cars - a spare racing V8 and a promotional road-legal car - all painted in the same distinctive new ORIX Team Racing signage. The value of having a back-up car - even a standard one - was clearly demonstrated this past season when the road car was "robbed" of parts and especially panels after racing damage.

The Car

The ORIX Team Racing car is a Holden VY Commodore which was a new car for the just completed season and will be stripped and rebuilt after the V8 Supercar meeting for next season's championship. In this new arrangement, Paul's car will be prepared and maintained by Wayne Anderson at his workshop in Kumeu, while Manuell's car will be prepared by Mike Anderson at Manuell's workshop in East Tamaki, Auckland, the two engineers sharing data and of course facilities at race meetings.

Team Transporter

Then there is the impressive and again distinctively painted latest model Mack-drawn transporter with an overall length of 18 metres - the maximum allowed - it is fitted with stainless steel work benches and storage compartments for spare parts and tools, and can carry two cars. There is also room up front for an 'office' for the team's merchandise which is sold from the transporter at circuits when the team's merchandise unit is not able to be used.The Mack tractor unit is the latest Mack CX Vision, with six cylinder 435 bhp turbo intercooled diesel Mack engine.

Corporate Hospitality

ORIX is a major company in the vehicle leasing industry and as such, uses the ORIX Team Racing project to entertain business guests at the various race meetings, using either supplied corporate hospitality facilities or their own bus. Up to 200 guests are entertained at each of these meetings.