2 Oct 2015

Super Black Racing back in 2016

12:15 pm on 2 October 2015

New Zealand's sole V8 Supercars Championship team Super Black Racing will be a definite starter on the grid for the 2016 season.

Almost 12 months from their first outing at Bathurst last year, Super Black Racing boss Tony Lentino on Friday confirmed he will back the venture again in 2016 - despite battling cancer.

The Super Black Racing Ford V8 in action at the recent Sandown 500

The Super Black Racing Ford V8 in action at the recent Sandown 500 Photo: Super Black Racing

Lentino's first comment after finding out midway through this year that he was seriously ill was a query if he could get his chemo treatment at the race track.

"While I am looking to slow down and make the most of life with my wife Emily and our two young daughters, I have committed to the Super Black Racing family that they will be racing in 2016," Lentino said.

Super Black Racing, which is based in Wellsford north of Auckland, was established because Lentino wanted New Zealand competing as a New Zealand Team, with a New Zealand driver.

"It is important to give young Kiwi drivers an opportunity in the V8 Supercars Championship and a chance to mix it up with the big boys. The 2015 year has been a fantastic start for the team with Andre (Heimgartner) providing lots of thrills and plenty of reason to back black."

The Super Black Racing Foundation will be established next year to become the funding arm of the organisation, which Lentino said would protect and support his vision for a New Zealand team in the V8 Supercars Championship into the future.

Lentino also thanked former V8 Supercars driver Paul Radisich for his involvement with Super Black Racing and his mentor work with Heimgartner.

"His knowledge and expertise has been invaluable to get us this far. While Paul won't be carrying on with Super Black in an official capacity, he will always be one of the people that believed in, and delivered, a kiwi V8 Supercars team."

The team are currently finalising details of the Racing Entitlement Contract with V8 Supercars and the team drivers for 2016.

Super Black Racing will be hoping to build on their enterprising first season in the V8 Supercars Championship when Andre Heimgartner and Ant Pedersen team up for their second tilt at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 at Mt Panorama next week.