Meet Matt
30+ years in New Zealand motorsport — as a racer, engine builder and driver coach — now behind every car that comes through the Phoenix Autosport workshop.
Testimonials
I've worked closely with Matt over the past two years as my main motorsport mechanic and engineer. His knowledge, attention to detail and commitment have played a huge role in my development and success as a driver on track. Matt has always gone above and beyond to ensure the car is prepared to the highest standard, while his ability to diagnose problems and find solutions under pressure is second to none. His professionalism and experience extend well beyond motorsport, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Matt at Phoenix Autosport to anyone looking for reliable, high-quality workmanship, whether for a race car or road car.
Toby Elmiger2025/26 TA2NZ Championship — 3NZ & Toyota Trophy Series race winner/podium finisherI met Matt 15 years ago when my son started karting. He was extremely helpful with his knowledge of the sport. Over the years we became good friends with Matt and his family. Matt helped us with kart set-up, parts, engine rebuilds, repairs, tuning and driving coaching, racecraft, and most of all the calm way he handled stressful situations. He always went the extra mile.
Craig GoffinKZ2, NZ Superkart ChampionshipsFrom The Speedway To The Workshop
Matt Wallace has been immersed in motorsport for more than three decades. He started on the speedway at just 15 years old, before moving into karting and working his way up to national level — competing in North Island and Superkart classes, with multiple national podium finishes in Super Karting across various classes and podiums at North Island Sprint level.
Alongside his own racing, Matt built a reputation as a trusted engine builder and driver coach — the rare combination of someone who can drive a kart hard enough to feel exactly what it's doing, and who has the eye to diagnose and fix what's wrong. That combination led him to open his own kart shop, Westspeed Motorsport, where he built engines and coached drivers of every kind — young talent chasing a national title, adults new to the sport, and experienced racers looking to sharpen their edge.
Early in that career, Matt rebuilt Liam Lawson's first kart ahead of his first major event — one of many drivers he's helped set up and prepare for the grid over the years. Today, that same motorsport-grade attention goes into every vehicle that comes through Phoenix Autosport, from race car prep to everyday servicing and WOFs.
Matt Wallace
Director, Phoenix Autosport
- 30+ years in motorsport
- National-level karting & Superkarting podiums
- Founder, Westspeed Motorsport
- Race engineer — Toyota & BMW Race Series, NZ & Australia
Drivers Matt Has Worked With
A track record built alongside some of New Zealand's most promising racing talent, from karts to touring cars.
Toby Elmiger
Head Race Mechanic & EngineerMatt's been Toby's head race mechanic and engineer for two years, delivering race wins in the Toyota Trophy Series, wins in TA2, and 3NZ podiums finishing 3rd. That's on top of three years working across the Toyota Racing (TR86) and GR Series in both New Zealand and Australia — including Bathurst, Sandown, and the 2026 Gold Coast round, where a 16-year-old Australian driver Matt worked with qualified in the top half of the field.
Matt Day
BMW Race Series & Toyota SeriesWorking with Matt Wallace across the BMW Race Series and Toyota Series, Matt Day's driving improved across the board — faster times, sharper technique, and a stronger understanding of car set-up. He won the BMW Race Series Scholarship 24/25, with Matt Wallace runner-up in the same programme.
Aaron Creighton
BMW Race Series — Open BAaron now races Open B in the BMW Race Series, with Matt preparing and setting up his car for the 25/26 season. Their partnership goes back to karting, where Matt's driver support helped Aaron reach 3rd in the Junior class.
Jordan Wallace
Karting & GTRNZMatt's daughter Jordan came through the karting ranks — from JAR Juniors to Seniors — as the only female racing at that level in NZ at the time, alongside future stars Matt Payne, Liam Lawson, Ryan Wood and Rianna O'Meara-Hunt. Matt built her karts and coached her every step of the way. Jordan became the first female to take pole position and a race win in the KZ2 Gearbox class at Superkarts, then went on to GTRNZ GT3/GT4 wins and podiums — the first female to win a GTRNZ race, at just 16 years old. She finished 2nd in the series and won both the 1100 StarCar class and StarCar outright.
Matt's Race History
Placeholder layout — swap in Matt's actual events, dates and results.
Add / remove rows once Matt confirms his exact results — this is a formatting template only.
Want Matt's experience on your car?
Whether it's race prep, set-up or coaching, or just a routine WOF — get in touch with the team at Phoenix Autosport.
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