New Zealand Supercars racer Matt Payne says he's going to "fight with everything I've got" to win the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy for the second year running.
The trophy, commemorating the Kiwi driving great Richards, who died of cancer in 2011, is awarded to the driver with the most points from the Supercars events in New Zealand.
Payne won it last year with his victory in the Taupō Super 440, while this year there are two home Supercars races for the first time: the Taupō race this weekend followed by the inaugural Christchurch race being a week later.
The 23-year-old Payne, who hailed from Auckland, became the fifth New Zealander to win a Supercars race on home asphalt, following Greg Murphy, Shane van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin and Andre Heimgartner.
Payne, van Gisbergen (2016, 2019 and 2022) and McLaughlin (2018) are the Kiwis to have won the JR Trophy - first awarded in 2013 in honour of Richards.
Payne, who drives for Penrite Racing, is also seeking to be the third driver to win it at least twice, after van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup, who won it 2015 and 2017.
Payne, who also won the Bathurst 1000 last year, cherishes the trophy and is looking forward to defending it.
"To be within those names is pretty special for myself, but it doesn't change too much. I am just trying to go there and do well and hopefully hold on to the JR Trophy."
Ryan Wood, who was third in the last year's Taupō race, and Heimgartner are the other Kiwis in contention.
"There's only a few of us in the Kiwis in the sport now,'' Payne said. "We're really proud when we go home and race in front of the home fans, I think they love it as well, it's a pretty surreal feeling."
Payne said he was looking forward to racing in his home country.
"You get a little bit amped up by the crowd and home fans. For sure I'm going to fight with everything I've got and hopefully we are fast enough like we were last year to come through with it," he said.
"Racing in New Zealand for us is a real treat, so luckily we get to experience it twice this year so I am pretty happy about that.
"I just want to get home, get around the family and experience another fun weekend."
Taupō International Motorsport Park will be hosting its third Supercars event, with three races, two 120km races on Saturday and a 200km finale on Sunday.
Before the races, the 24 racers will drive from Taupō International Motorsport Park into the lakeside resort's CBD in Track to Town event on Thursday, with practice on Friday.
The inaugural Christchurch round will be held at Ruapuna Raceway on 17-19 April.
