Performance & Racing

ACL EXTENDS GROVE RACING PARTNERSHIP

After a major off-season program, the team has had a strong launch into the 2022 season

ACL Bearing Company (Australia) says it is proud to announce the extension of its long running partnership with Supercars team Grove Racing (formerly Kelly Grove Racing). Grove Racing is running under the banner of Penrite Racing for 2022 with the driver pairing of Bathurst winners David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth.

“We have had a relationship with the team dating back to the early 90s with Larry Perkins and his magnificent achievements,” ACL Bearing Company (Australia) General Manager, Chris Brooks, said. “The relationship has prevailed for more than 30 years through the various iterations of the Braeside Team – Kelly Racing, Kelly Grove Racing and now Grove Racing. “The team has had very solid start to the season and are consolidating each round. We are excited for the remainder of the season. “Supercar engines take a pounding, are under enormous loads, operating in a wide range of challenging conditions for extended periods of time. There is no better test lab for our product than the racetrack.” Grove Racing General Manager – Commercial, Lauren Batchelor, said the team has been associated with ACL since its beginning. “ACL have been an incredible supporter of ours both on and off the track. We are very, very proud to be associated with a company that has such a rich history in Motorsport and a strong manufacturing presence in Australia”. Lauren said. “At Grove Racing we value our partner relationships & are always striving for excellence in all facets of our racing business.” For more information, visit www.aclperformance.com.au

BURSON AUTO PARTS TAKES TOP FUEL TO MILDURA

The event made history in March

Australia’s Burson Auto Parts brought the spectacle of the Top Fuel Drag Racing Championship to the Victorian rural city of Mildura for the first time in 14 years recently. Held at the city’s legendary Sunset Strip drag racing facility in hot conditions from March 11 to 13, this event formed the second round of the Burson Auto Parts 2022 Australian Top Fuel Championship. The Mildura event welcomed a total of six earth shaking Top Fuel dragsters to compete on a 1/8th mile drag strip (as opposed to the usual 1,000 ft length), making this the first ever Australian eighth-mile Top Fuel championship round. It proved to be a very successful event for Burson Auto Parts both as the series sponsor and as a major sponsor of the Lamattina Top Fuel Racing team, with Phil Lamattina winning Australia’s first 1/8th mile championship event, elevating the popular home town racer to the top spot in the championship. In addition to Phil’s success, Burson Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster driver Shane Olive scored his first Top Fuel competition victory in Mildura, setting the lowest ET (Elapsed Time) of 3.17 seconds and the highest Top Speed of the event, clocked at an incredible 426kph. Taking the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship to a regional drag strip that had last seen a Top Fuel Dragster perform an exhibition run in 2014 meant that drivers and crew chiefs alike were effectively starting from a completely blank sheet. With a lack of historical data to lean on and a very hot track that made for incredibly trying conditions, this event presented major challenges to all of the teams taking part. While the Lamattina Top Fuel Racing team may have struggled in qualifying, come race day team owner and racer Phil Lamattina well and truly turned things around. Taking the win in each of his first two pairings put Phil into the A final against a hard-charging Wayne Newby whose round two win against his teammate Damien Harris had lowered the track record to 3.18 seconds. Separated in the final by just thousandths, Phil made it three from three at his home track in front of thousands of loud and proud Mildura locals. An emotional Phil clearly felt the love the local fans. “From the outhouse to the penthouse! That was an awesome show! I’ve got to take my hat off to my fellow competitors. It took them a while to dial it in, but there’s the six smartest tuners in the country out there and they’re all making it happen. Man, oh man, this is a dream come true.” Phil said. Phil Lamattina’s win gave him 200 points and the championship lead, 20 points clear of round one winner Phil Read. Shane Olive scored valuable points for his first racing win along with as Top Speed and Low ET points in the Burson Auto Parts Top Fuel Dragster placing him fifth. Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship organiser, Andy Lopez, was elated with the first eighth-mile event saying that the visit to Mildura was a real positive for the series and the sport. “We knew it was a bold decision to run Top Fuel over the eighth mile for round two of the series, but we had the confidence in the teams, and I think the quality of the racing and the response from the crowd after each pass shows that it was the right call,” Andy said. “These are true drag racing fans here in Mildura and they showed us nothing but positivity and love from the minute we arrived in town. The Sunset Strip staff, from the track crew to the officials, helpers and everyone else involved in running the event were incredible and we really had the best time. I can’t thank them all enough.” For more information about the Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel Championship, visit www.topfuelchampionship.com.au

DAYCO RACER JOINS EMA MOTORSPORT

David Russell and EMA Motorsport confirm exciting initial 2022 plans across Australia and Europe

The Australian-based EMA Motorsport Team has confirmed the team’s first track activities as part of the Porsche Customer Racing stable. The team will campaign the full Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship season with experienced Pro driver, David Russell, in the latest Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992) model. In parallel to the eight-round domestic calendar, EMA Motorsport will also resume European activities with exciting plans to compete over the summer. The confirmed entry will see EMA Motorsport supported by Porsche endurance experts Manthey-Racing, with a debut outing for the team’s 911 GT3R at the infamous Total Energies 24 hours of Spa. David and the Victorian-based team’s newly liveried 992 generation 911 GT3 Cup car has already completed its first Carrera Cup round at the Australian Grand Prix in April. David returns to the one make domestic Porsche Pro class for his ninth season in the championship, having debuted back in 2006. He brings extensive experience from across both the V8 Supercars and GT3 grids to the team, including double outright Bathurst 12-hour podium finishes. “I’m very excited to be joining EMA Motorsport for the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, they have been very competitive in their GT racing campaigns and to join the team with a brand new 992 is very special,” David said. “We have always enjoyed aligning our global brand with the world’s fastest one make series. It is great to return to Carrera Cup Australia in 2022 with our talented racing ambassador and the hardworking EMA Motorsport team with the brand new 992 Cup Car. If it races as good as it looks, we are in for a fantastic season,” Dayco Asia Pacific Vice President – Aftermarket, Arnold Mouw, said. Alongside the full Australian calendar entry, EMA Motorsport will also make a return to European competition at one of the most demanding on the global motorsport calendar; the Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa. The blue riband event of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS schedule brings together a grid of over 50 entries from across the world, with some of the best talent in the world of GT competing around the clock at one of the most revered and iconic race circuits. EMA Motorsport is no stranger to world-class endurance racing, having claimed overall and class podiums at the 2020 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hours. In 2022 GT World Challenge Europe events, EMA will receive technical support from the highly decorated German race outfit and Porsche performance experts, Manthey-Racing in preparation of their Porsche 911 GT3R. For more from Dayco, visit www.dayco.com

MANN-FILTER STARTS AT THE BATHURST 12 HOUR

MANN-FILTER is once again partnering with Triple Eight Race Engineering for the big race

The 12-hour race on the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst will kick off the new Intercontinental GT Challenge “Powered by Liqui-Moly” (IGTC) season on May 13th. Four endurance races held on some of the most beautiful and spectacular circuits in the world make up this championship which is held on four continents (Australia, USA, Europe, Africa). MANN-FILTER is a premium filtration brand for the automotive aftermarket and is part of the MANN+HUMMEL Group which is headquartered in Ludwigsburg, Germany. It will face up to the tough competition in the IGTC with a top-class Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered by Triple Eight Race Engineering in the distinctive yellow and green MANN-FILTER design for the IGTC opener at Bathurst. The racing bolide will be piloted by three strong drivers. Supercars Champion Shane van Gisbergen from New Zealand is an experienced racer and already drove in MANN-FILTER colours at Mount Panorama in 2020. His co-drivers will be Red Bull Ampol Racing rookie Broc Feeney, a successful racing driver from Queensland; and Prince Jefri Ibrahim, the team’s passionate ‘Am’ driver and current GT World Challenge Australia pilot. Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Managing Director, Jamie Whincup, thanked MANN-FILTER for their ongoing support of the team’s Bathurst 12 Hour campaign. “The Bathurst 12 Hour is a marquee event on the Australian racing calendar, where some of the most talented drivers and best-looking cars in the world are on display,” Whincup said. “We had the best-looking livery at the 2020 race, and I have no doubt when we release our livery later in the year, it’s going to look even better”. “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Triple Eight Race Engineering as we both share the goal of highest quality standards and utmost professional approach,” MANN-HUMMEL Australia Managing Director, Fabio Moura, said. “MANN-FILTER has been successfully competing in various racing series for years and we are ready for the new challenge. “Giving top performance time and time again and doing reliable work even in extreme situations is not only a good fit for motorsport, but also for our strong MANN-FILTER brand.” Motorsport fans can follow the endurance spectacle with a Live Stream and Live Timing at www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com For more information, visit www.mann-hummel.com