City tie-up for Coulthard

From the age of just six, Fabian Coulthard raced karts in Hamilton.

Twenty years later he is back, shoulder-tapped by Hamilton City Council (HCC) as the driver with "rock star" appeal to promote the V8s and the city.

Does he like the place? "I love it," Coulthard said of Hamilton, where he had his best V8 performance to date, a fifth placing in last year's Hamilton 400.

He also has fond memories of the trip from his Auckland home to the karting track, opposite Hamilton Airport, as a youngster. It was here his successful motorsport career was born.

Coulthard is now one of the emerging stars of the sport he was the best Kiwi in last year's series threatening to bump Greg Murphy as the hometown favourite.

Hamilton City has entered a relationship with Coulthard's team, Wilson Security Racing, allowing the white and lime-green HamiltON logo on the car.

It is a change of direction for HCC, which used to back the struggling Team Kiwi Racing outfit.

It was Coulthard's "rock star" quality and growing reputation that sealed the deal, HCC's general manager of communication and marketing, Philip Burton said.

He points to similarities between Hamilton and Coulthard the driver. "We (Hamilton) are youthful, we are the challenger, and Fabian is one of the up-and-comers. Likewise, Wilson Security is the same sort of business.

"The V8 Supercar drivers are an absolute class act, we are dealing with a really professional outfit and they are a fit with what we are trying to do with Hamilton," Mr Burton said. He would not give details of the exact nature of the deal.

Gold Coast-based Coulthard has tied in the V8s with an extended break in New Zealand.

"It is good to be here, we have come here to race but I came at Easter and have coincided the racing with a holiday, he said.

Hamilton, like his own V8 team, "punches above its weight", Coulthard said, adding he was happy to enter the deal.

"The V8s are a relatively new thing to Hamilton and it is great to have this relationship with Hamilton City Council."

He also approved of changes to the track. "Personally I think it will be good for us."

Wilson Security Racing is part-owned and managed by former driver Paul Cruikshank, a Cantabrian, who has lived in Australia for 20 years.

- © Fairfax NZ News