Final Touch Auckland Racing

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Final Touch Auckland Racing

It is quite possible that there has never before in the history of motorsport been a team that talked quite so much rubbish in its pursuit of greatness.

Team Final Touch racing is not particularly fast but their passion knows no bounds and they are racers

18/02/2026

Livery reveal season is in full swing with F1 and Indycar Teams alike hyping their upcoming seasons with sneaky peeks at the new look 2026 cars. Not to be outdone by the glitz and glamor of the premier Formulas, Final Touch Racing felt it appropriate that they too should get in on the action and are proud to present the first of their new Formula Challenge liveries for 2026. Inspired by icons of the past and in celebration of historic formula racing we present the 811 Formula Challenge car to be piloted by Harrison McKerchar. Final Touch was proud to be able to present the new look recently at the Ellerslie Classic Car show and it certainly gave visitors to the show something a little different to chat about and some great photo opportunities for little future racers who were very happy to have a sit in a real race car.
There hasn’t been a lot of on track action recently, but the team have been working away preparing the cars piece by piece and look forward to having them out on track in the near future for some testing and development. By development we mean learning how to set the cars up properly to maximize performance and sharp eyed connoisseurs of Formula car performance will note the super heavy rear downforce setting currently being employed on Harrison’s car. Please rest assured that this is not a clever ploy put in play by team Principal Gordon McKerchar to gain a healthy speed advantage once racing resumes.
We asked Gordon when we could expect a reveal of the much anticipated 810 car and he seemed reluctant to be pinned down to a particular date. “Well as you know there are a lot of moving parts with these teams, lots of things happening, all the time, big lists of things to do and all that. The 810 car is coming along nicely and very close to being ready go head out on track. We look forward to presenting it soon”
Ah yes… getting these cars ready to race has been a journey but we’re getting closer and really can’t wait till that moment when we’re in pit lane, ready to fire them up for our first run of real testing. . It’s coming soon.

09/11/2024

ITS TIME FOR STICKERS!!!!

03/11/2024

It’s taken a year to get to this point. Such a sweet, sweet sound as the future #810 car roared to life and it runs so sweet. Next step is to refit the monocoque and look to liveries. We have some ideas for that.

04/08/2024

Who could have imagined that what looked like reasonably simple fibreglass repairs, sanding, priming and sanding could actually take so flipping long to complete…
This process has aged me but finally the #810 car is ready for paint. We were going to change colour from yellow to orange with black accents but ofter a bit more thought we’ve opted to go black instead as it will be easier to look after over time. Current thinking is a variation of the iconic Lotus look but very open to suggestions.
The #811 car, well… that has a little more prep to complete. More sanding will be required. But it’s going to look cool when it’s finished. Harry knows how he wants it done, classic iconic style.

27/05/2024

I have a new appreciation for speed.
Holy smoke….

21/05/2024

So Paul Smith reckons that the yellow helmet should be in the centre and with Scott McLaughlin’s incredible pole position quali yesterday there’s certainly grounds for his opinion.
However, Mr Scott Dixon is one of the greatest of all time and his record at the 500 is actually phenomenal. He was 7th fastest today in race trim practice which means the speed is coming to the #9 at just the right time- I reckon the orange helmet is in the perfect position..
Fast Marcus is also an outside contender, for a first time Indy 500 racer his practice times and quali were strong, he’s got a mighty team behind him and loads of talent.
3 Kiwis in the greatest race of the year. 3 Kiwis headed on a bucket list trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to witness history. It doesn’t get much better than this…

24/02/2024

As Team Final Touch Racing endures an extended off season and the lads strip down and refresh the classic Formula Challenge open wheelers in preparation for next season’s great to see the mighty #810 Honda Integra continues to provide opportunities for new and emerging g racing talent in the Nazcar racing world with Team FTTX.
We’ve been following their progress on Speedhive as they race the BadThurst 12 Hour at Taupo Motorsport Park this weekend and they’re turning consistent, solid laps and looking strong for a top 29 finish if they keep this going. That pretty impressive for a team full of what we are told are mostly first time racers up against some next level seriously fast cars.
Go Team FTTX

19/11/2023

“To be fast, first you must be clean” said no famous racing driver ever but when the challenge is to take on 20 year old open wheelers and your team is Final Touch Racing you can’t just turn up at the track with a dirty old race car.
The team are all in the process of getting familiar with the subtle differences between classic Japanese sports cars and purpose built racing machines. Lots to learn and a few things to do to get up to race spec but this is going to be a fun journey.
The monocoque (flash eh 😁) is off for some glass repairs and a recolour then it’s time for a new Final Touch Racing livery. Can’t wait…

29/10/2023

Final Touch Racing enters a new era.

The last couple of months have been interesting times for the Team at Final Touch Racing. Young driving superstar Harrison McKerchar has with the assistance of some great people spent a lot of time and ALL his money rebuilding the engine of the awesome #811 Toyota Celica in preparation for the new OK Cup racing series. With all the fragile pieces replaced and the engine stronger than ever this car was set to go out and challenge at the front of the pack for the inaugural championship.
Meanwhile Team Principal Gordon McKerchar had done all the usual things that needed to be done on the mighty #810 Honda Integra through the off season - give it a good clean, check the oil, watch all the Indy car races etc…and the team was set for the 2023/24 racing season.

Something unexpected happened…

Once upon a time (circa 2002)/05) and just before the Toyota Racing Series became New Zealand’s premier Formula racing championship there existed the Formula Challenge Racing series. Televised across NZ through the winter months this dynamic racing series showcased great close quarter racing with fast, high performing wings and slicks cars and some of the best driving talent of the day. Exciting racing is cars styled like the F1 cars of the day but without the multimillion dollar budgets.

Sometime just before the beginning of the New OK Cup 23/24 racing series; the Formula Challenge Race cars all came up for sale.

Final Touch Racing team members are not sure who is to blame for first seeing the listing, showing the other members of the team, for getting a little too excited by the prospect of somehow actually having an opportunity to race open wheel race cars just like Scott Dixon and then making a trip down to Taupo to view the cars and realizing that they just had to try and seize the opportunity because… well.. open wheel racing!!!
A tentative decision was made to put the #810 and #811 cars on the market and see what came of it.

This weekend saw the guys miss the 3rd round of OK cup 23/24 and it was quite a moment.
“We were driving past Hampton Downs on Saturday morning and there; right in front of us were the OK Cuppers out qualifying” said future young open wheel racing rookie Harrison McKerchar. “Gordon was following me (as usual - Haha) and we were both somewhat emotional watching our favorite series on track without being there amongst it”
“That was quite a moment really,” said also future older open wheel racing rookie Gordon McKerchar, “I’m not sure that I can fully express how amazing our seasons with 2K Cup have been. We have met amazing people, learned to race, become better drivers, Harry won a race, I won one of the lesser championships, we travelled to awesome spots and pushed ourselves, drove faster, braked harder, we’re invited into Team 2AVFUN with the Smith brothers and smiled and smiled. 2K Cup has evolved into OK Cup with the same great racing and awesome people and until recently we were sure we would be competing again this season.”

Instead Team Final Touch Racing, along with new team member and accomplished sim racer Nico Lamb were on their way to Taupo to pick up 3x Formula Challenge Race cars.
The team is unsure as to just what exactly they have got themselves into. The cars need a little Final Touching before they will be ready to join a grid again and the team will need to attend a few practice days to get a handle on just how to drive these 150hp, 380kg machines with an approx top speed of 230kph and a 0-100 time of approx 3.8 seconds but the plan is to race in the Formula Libre class alongside the super fast guys in NZ Sports cars.
A whole new racing experience awaits, more grip, more corner speed, more excuses, more excitement and more tall stories. We can’t wait for the adventures to begin.

13/03/2023

In an uncharacteristic display of emotion Final Touch Racing Team Principal and anchor driver Gordon McKerchar paused as he crossed the track, leaving the Pukekohe Park Raceway infield, #810 Integra in tow for a final time and took one long last gaze towards turn 1. His heart was warm, full of many great memories of this place, first laps as a passenger many years ago in a Porsche piloted by the great Greg Murphy - watching supercars and other big series take that turn and hearing and feeling the thunderous roar of their engines shake the grandstand.
Watching his first 2KCup race there in torrential rain and wondering just what he was thinking even considering taking on such a pursuit; before showing up just a few months later, helmet in hand full of nervous anticipation as he too looked to take on the racetrack with the fearsome reputation that is Pukekohe.
Learning some lines, beginning to push himself, to push himself harder, having some driver training and learning he could brake much much later than he ever imagined. Then there’s not stopping… no grip, a wet track, spins at turn 2,3,5 big offs at the hairpin, The tow rope of shame and the ever present fear of being ‘That Guy’.
Coming up the hill at Pukekohe is an experience like no other, if you set yourself up well and get a great run, foot flat and no lifting (you never lift up the hill), the exit onto the home straight will place you right on the edge of the track, so close that you can almost feel the wall. The bumps coming up over the rise will both excite and terrify at the same time and there is often a small sense of relief that once again you made it.
Unfortunately not everybody made it up the hill and sadly lives were lost, racers taken before their time and missed every day by those that live with their memories. One of the most enduring memories will be of a friend and client of Final Touch Racing visiting the track every year to lay flowers in loving memorial of his young son taken too soon. Always a reminder to appreciate every moment that we share this great sport and not take anything for granted.
These thoughts were in our minds every time we pulled our helmets on, pulled our belts tight and took or place on the starting grid. Pukekohe has a very unique way of balancing caution and euphoria because although it can be an incredibly intimidating track, I doubt there are many things in life that make you feel quite so alive as not breaking through turn 1.
Team Final Touch Racing will miss Pukekohe Park Raceway, we are so thankful that we got to partake, even if just a little bit in its history.

05/03/2023

40 cars will take the grid this afternoon for our 1 Hour enduro.
It’s goi g to be hot and it’s going to be exciting.
the mighty #810 Final Touch Racing Honda Integra will be starting g from 11th position. We’ll likely drop a few spots in the first Laos while our come up to temp as we are still racing the control tyre from last season but the boys will bring it back. Expect magnificent things in the 2nd 1/2 of the race when the much talked about Harrison McKerchar takes over to bring us home.

Address

Mairangi Bay

Telephone

0274901770

Website

http://www.finaltouch.co.nz/

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