CLAY Richards will enter the Blanchard Racing Team ranks for the upcoming TGRA GR Cup season.
A late addition to the entry list for the Townsville season-opener (July 5-7), Richards will race a new-generation Toyota 86 as part of a two-car BRT effort. His teammate will be Harrison Blanchard, the younger brother of BRT boss Tim.
The third-generation Richards (son of Steve, grandson of Jim) finished eighth in the top-tier Toyota 86 series last year.
He has continued building his motorsport portfolio, sampling an Image Racing FG Falcon Supercar last November and chalking up a pair of second-place finishes in TCR Australia this season.
Now he’ll return to the Supercars support card, with support from a main game team.
“A great opportunity came up with the Blanchard Racing Team to be able to do the Toyota 86 series, which is awesome to be aligned with a team like that,” Richards told V8 Sleuth.
“It’s really cool and it’s good to be back in the series, I think this year there is definitely a chance we could go for the championship.
“Obviously everyone is in new cars as well, they have moved to the new GR 86 this year, so there’s going to be little differences here and there, but for the most part they’re the same car as last year, just a little bit quicker.
“It’s just great to be able to represent the Blanchard Racing Team.”
Exactly how much will BRT be involved in the Toyota 86 program, on top of running its two Gen3 Mustangs for James Courtney and Aaron Love?
“BRT are heavily involved,” said Richards.
“It’s still going to be the same with Dad on the spanners and on the cans, but there’s a lot of support coming from the Blanchard Racing Team and the cars are all stored at the workshop there in Box Hill and the preparation will be done there as well.
“There is a lot of support coming from the Blanchard family and it’s just great to be a part of it.”
The chance to team up with Harrison Blanchard is one he’s looking forward to, too.
“I’ve been doing some coaching with him in the Scholarship Series and he’s doing a fantastic job,” said Richards.
“He has been great to work with and hopefully I can show him the ropes coming into GR 86 national series. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
