From PMN (23 April 2024)

Fijian-Rotuman becomes first ever V8 Supercar driver of Pacific heritage

Jaxon Evans breaks new ground for Pacific athletes, with career best finish at the Taupo 400 over the weekend.

Aromas of burnt rubber, the screeching of drills and people in all manner of racing paraphernalia painstakingly working on mind-blowingly expensive cars. These were some of the sights and sounds that confronted us as we entered the drivers’ garages at the Taupo 400 V8 Supercars Championship last weekend.

As a sports journalist for PMN News, it’s important to cover a wide range of sports and while rugby stadiums are familiar environments - racing tracks, not so much.

But late last year a colleague challenged me to look into an up and coming athlete who was going to be the first-ever Pacific driver to compete in Australasia's elite motorsport competition.