Motorsport Australia Speed Read - April 2024

SPEEDREAD

F1 DELIVERS UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND AT ALBERT PARK

The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix has once again been run and won for another year, with this year’s edition proving one of the best in recent times.

BATES & TAYLOR BEGIN TITLE DEFENCE WITH WIN

LOVETT

CLAIMS NABIAC CHALLENGE IN NAILBITER

The Motorsport Australia New South Wales Off Road Championship kicked off in March, with veteran racer, Phil Lovett grabbing a thrilling win.

Harry Bates and Coral Taylor began their Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) title defence with a dominant victory in the opening round of the season.

FROM THE CEO

Welcome to the April 2024 edition of Speed Read.

The last month has been an extremely busy period for not just the Motorsport Australia team, but for the motorsport community as a whole.

With another Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, two impressive rounds of the Shannons SpeedSeries, the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, the opening round of the Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC), and many more state and club events taking place – you’d be forgiven for losing track of it all.

I’d first like to start with that magical weekend at Albert Park, which was my first AGP as CEO but at an event I had attended every year since 1996 as a fan.

Now that a few weeks have gone by and I have had time to reflect on the many ‘pinch yourself’ moments throughout the four days, I can only say how immensely proud I am of every single individual who contributed to the success of the event.

We had more than 900 dedicated officials putting in many hours across the weekend to play a role in the smooth running of the Grand Prix, and I’d like to personally thank them again for their professionalism and downright determination each day – without them, it just couldn’t be possible.

Pleasingly, we had one of the highest turnouts of female volunteers at an AGP and the largest age group was 30-38 years old, which is younger than average. While it can be argued the Grand Prix is a special case, these are encouraging trends overall.

Then there was the Motorsport Australia admin team, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and the many corporate partners and brands who

backed the event – all of them making this weekend one of the best on the overall Australian sporting calendar. And at a sporting level, it was a fantastic race and result with a Scuderia Ferrari one-two and a brilliant showing from Oscar Piastri.

Looking back, I am just extremely proud of all aspects of the event, and I am already looking forward to the 2025 edition where Australia takes it traditional place as first race of the season.

While the Australian Grand Prix may have been the high profile event across the past month, the multiple national events to follow did not disappoint – from the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, which continues to impress, and the Shannons SpeedSeries.

The Shannons SpeedSeries continues to go from strength-to-strength, and the recent Ford Mustang 60 Years Race Phillip Island demonstrated that with record crowds and the impressive categories - highlighting the positive trajectory it is on.

Part of our focus this year is on supporting state and club level competitions, and we’re working through structures to help what is already a strong start to the new season.

There are always ways we can improve and the intent is to be transparent to our loyal member base on how we’re going. Part of that is our annual Member Forum at the end of April, which all are invited to attend.

There is more information about that further down in Speed Read.

As always, have a safe and enjoyable month!

Go well, Sunil.

Monthly message from Sunil Vohra, Motorsport Australia CEO

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F1 DELIVERS UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND AT ALBERT PARK

The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix has once again been run and won for another year, with this year’s edition proving one of the best in recent times.

From another record-breaking crowd attending the event across of the four days, to the hundreds of dedicated Motorsport Australia volunteer officials who were pivotal in helping the event run smoothly, there was plenty to soak in during the four days.

With the sun shining over the picturesque venue for much of the weekend, the on-track action once again proved a big hit as the iconic Scuderia Ferrari enjoyed a one-two in

Australia for the first time in 20 years, while the four support categories each put on an entertaining spectacle.

Outside of the track action, there were plenty of attractions throughout Albert Park that all contributed to making the event what it was and keeping the fans entertained.

Some of the attractions included the famous Melbourne Walk, Australian Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Pride Hub marquee, Live Fast Motor Fest, and more.

Following on from a memorable weekend at Albert Park, Speed Read re-lives the weekend and everything that made it a roaring success.

Photo: McLaren Media / Simon Galloway

Photo: Revved Photography

SAINZ WINS EPIC AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024 has delivered a memorable spectacle in front of a record crowd as Carlos Sainz led a Scuderia Ferrari one-two and claimed his third win in Formula 1.

Crossing the line behind Sainz was Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, while Lando Norris rounded out the podium ahead of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

Piastri started the race from fifth place after being promoted a place after Qualifying when Red Bull’s Sergio Perez received a three-place grid penalty.

While he did overtake Norris early in the race following the first round of pit stops, the 22-year-old couldn’t make up any real ground on Leclerc and was eventually given team orders to let Norris past.

The top four would remain the same for much of the race, with most of the drama occurring in the early stages of the race - the most notable moment being when race polesitter Max Verstappen was forced to retire just three laps into the race after a rear brake failure.

Shortly after Verstappen retired, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton found himself parked up on the side of the road, bringing out the virtual safety car and triggering the first round of pit stops.

There wasn't any major drama for the rest of the race until the last lap when

George Russell ended up on his side in the middle of the track on his side after pushing too hard in his chase for Ferando Alonso in the battle for sixth.

The DNF saw Daniel Ricciardo elevated to 12th after the West Australian had endured a challenging weekend, forcing him to have to fight his way through the field.

Photo: Ferrari Media

Photo: Ferrari Media

Photo: Ferrari Media

Photo: McLaren Media / Andrew Ferraro

GRAND PRIX SUPPORTING STARS

A star-studded support bill had plenty of drama throughout the weekend, culminating in some intriguing results.

Once again, the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship featured at Albert Park, and the rising stars once again delivered an entertaining spectacle.

Frenchman Isack Hadjar was in the thick of the action in both of F2’s races, which saw him cross the line first in both the Sprint and Feature Race.

Unfortunately, his Sprint win was removed post-race after he was deemed to have caused a major incident earlier in the race, thus promoting Roman Staněk to the official winner.

There was no controversy surrounding his feature win though, as the Red Bull academy driver led Paul Aron and Zane Maloney across the line – the latter of which ended the weekend on top of the standings.

Two Aussies featured in Formula 3, with Christian Mansell showing plenty of pace throughout the weekend to constantly occupy the top 10, while Tommy Smith was on the receiving end of bad luck.

In the end, neither driver could secure a podium in either race as Martinius Stenshorne and Dino Beganovic stood on the top step in both races – Mansell picking up a pair of P10s, while Tommy Smith ended up with P27 and a DNF.

In Supercars, Will Brown’s remarkable start to Triple Eight Racing continued throughout the event, as he picked up the Larry Perkins Trophy thanks to a quartet of podiums.

Harri Jones took out top honours in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship after a pair of wins.

Photos: Revved Photography

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OFFICIALS SERVE UP ANOTHER SUCCESS AT ALBERT PARK

More than 940 officials were on hand across the four days at Albert Park to help deliver one of the greatest Australian Grand Prix events in Melbourne. Featuring a mix of marshals with years of experience and those attending for the first time, every volunteer at the event played an important role throughout the weekend.

ATTILA

One individual to receive special mention on race day was Michael Franks, who was presented the 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix Outstanding Marshal of the Event by Oscar Piastri.

While Franks was singled out as a major contributor, he was just one of many volunteer officials imperative to the running of the event.

“I just love the whole camaraderie of being an official. The social aspect, making a lot of friends and travelling together.

“It's just a great, great hobby.”

SOPHIE

“I didn't know you could be a motorsport official and then I saw something about doing it at the Australian Grand Prix.

“Because I am really into Formula 1, I really wanted to go to it because I’m from New Zealand and we don’t have one. So when it popped up, I thought I’d give it a go and I was so happy to be picked.”

HARINDU

“I'm from Sri Lanka and I'm in Melbourne at the moment, but if I had to return back home, I'd still find a way to come back again to Melbourne and participate in motorsport as much as I can because I love it.”

NYOAKI

“I've also had a really good sector and have built some really strong friendships. I've caught up with lots of the fellow marshals before coming here this weekend so I'm going to keep coming back each year as I love it. It's wonderful.”

Photo: Revved Photography

MICHAEL

“My favourite race series is the Supercars, which is actually the main draw for me coming here –more than Formula 1.

“I always love going to New Zealand and watching them when I go on holiday there. I just love the noise, the close racing, and it's just a series I wish we had something like in England.”

JOHN

“Back in the UK, we have one club who run all the marshals, whereas here it’s quite specific by area and discipline here.

“Our host is part of the Flag team and we had lots of conversation about what’s different and what’s the same.

“We are going to take a few learnings back to the UK and see if we implement them.”

PETER

“Over the years, I have had some good memories and picked up some pretty cool drivers' cars, including Mark Webber in 2008 when he crashed at turn six.

“However, the big highlight was last year’s Formula 1 race after the safety car restart, when there were multiple cars at once. That kept me busy.”

MICHELLE

“This is my second GP. Last year I was a marshal, this year I am in Race Control doing CCTV. Usually, I do a communications role and I love doing it.

“I've been told that I've got a nice clear voice and that I'm calm under pressure, which is a nice compliment.”

CINDY

“I love the long days. They are hard, but I think they're worth it. At the end of the day, it's not an experience everybody gets to have.

“So I would recommend people absolutely go and reach out to Motorsport Australia and sign up.”

LEE

“We have had a couple of interesting memories over the years, but the best part about being an official is the friendships evolve and that's really awesome.”

MICHAEL

"I did prefer the Australian Grand Prix when it was in Adelaide, because it was a good short circuit, but I do like it in Melbourne.

Being a Fire Marshal, I haven’t had much to do thankfully - and the only time I have been put to work was in my third year here with Michael Schumacher."

FIVE NEW INDUCTEES IN AUSTRALIAN MOTORSPORT HALL OF FAME

One of Australia’s greatest Supercar drivers, Dick Johnson AM, has inducted five new members into the exclusive Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

The ceremony on the Tech Stage at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix brings the number of inductees into the Hall of Fame, over a period of 124 years, to 93.

The late Garrie Cooper, Australia’s most successful domestic race car constructor and a former national sports car champion, headed the honour list across five disciplines of motorsport.

The others are five-time Motocross Champion, Craig Dack; two-time Speedway Sportsman of the Year, Bill Barrows OAM; three-time drag racing Top Eliminator Champion, Graham Withers; and the late Jack Ahearn, who was second in the 1964 World Motorcycle Championship.

The stellar lineup of heroes was selected by a panel comprising each of the five disciplines of the sport -

Motorsport Australia, Motorcycling Australia, Karting Australia, Speedway Australia, and the Australian National Drag Racing Association.

The Hall of Fame concept was adopted in 2016 to honour the top tier of achievers and to inspire the next generation of competitors, administrators and volunteers.

Its membership is so exclusive that it accounts for less than one inductee per year since motorsport first began in Australia on 1 January 1900.

Garrie Cooper’s induction was particularly poignant. Several of the cars he built were on display in the Heritage Paddock at the Australian Grand Prix, and two of them were

brought to the ceremony.

Cooper built 248 Elfin Racing cars before his death in 1982, aged 46, of heart disease.

THE 2024 AUSTRALIAN MOTORSPORT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

• Garrie Cooper - Engineer/ National Sports Car champion

• Craig Dack - five-time Motocross champion

• Bill Barrows OAM - two-time Speedway Sportsman of the Year

• Graham Withers - three-time drag racing Top Eliminator champion

• Jack Ahearn - 1964 World Motorcycle Championship runner-up

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PRIDE AND JOYS ON DISPLAY AT THE AGP

A popular feature of the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix every year are the hundreds of cars making up the Live Fast Motor Fest. As always, Motorsport Australia affiliated Car Clubs get the opportunity to display their pride and joys to the thousands of Formula 1 fans at Albert Park.

This year, 26 clubs featured in the festival as an array of different types of cars from ages and eras were on display, and Speed Read caught up with some of hard working members of a handful of clubs.

TOYOTA CAR CLUB OF AUSTRALIA

“We’ve got a good mix of cars on display and in the club because we don't discriminate. We'll take four wheel drives, we'll take whatever, and we have showcased that here at Albert Park.”

- Chris

MELBOURNE COBRA OWNERS CLUB

“People come and sit in the car, and take photos in it. There are plenty of kinds who love coming here, which is important because that's your next generation of enthusiasts - so you have got to promote that.”

- Tim

BMW DRIVERS CLUB MELBOURNE

“We had a great time interacting with the many race goers, who shared our enthusiasm for motor vehicles, BMW in particular, with some world class motorsport just a few paces away.

“There was a lot of positive, friendly, energy which, combined with perhaps the most perfect weather for a Grand Prix, made for a truly memorable event.”

- Lawrence

E30 RACING

“Being close to some of the better public viewing areas, we had quite a bit of foot traffic passing by and I spoke at length to at least 10 to 12 groups of people.

“A couple of the groups said that they saw us on the trackside screens and was the reason for coming over, which is fantastic.”

- Donovan

BOLWELL CAR CLUB OF AUSTRALIA (VICTORIA)

“There are plenty of benefits of displaying at the Australian Grand Prix. We were located in a good high-traffic area, so it's a good opportunity to promote cars and talk to people who are interested in them.”

- Merryn

COUNTRY ROADS BOARD CAR CLUB

“Everyone's been in it forever. We are all good mates and watch our kids grow up, so for us, our passion is just keeping all these old cars relevant and on the road.”

- Rob

MERCEDES BENZ CLUB OF VICTORIA

“Coming to the Australian Grand Prix, which is something the club has been doing since around 2010, you often get a lot of Mercedes fans coming and talking to us. Whether it’s about their own car or about the F1 – we get a lot of visitors, which is awesome.”

- Sara

OJEDA & HODGES WITH MIEDECKE GO BACK-TO-BACK

History has been made at this year's Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, with Jayden Ojeda and Simon Hodges the first two drivers to ever win consecutive events.

Joined by experienced driver George Miedecke for the popular production endurance race, Ojeda and Hodges managed to replicate last year’s victory thanks to brilliant strategy and smart racing. With just under 60 cars lining up, the

trio ended up steering the Secure Wealth Advisers BMW M4 to a thrilling victory over the BMW M2 Coupe of Thomas Randle, Michael Kavich and Ben Kavich, while Will Davison, Beric Lynton and Tim Leahey made it a BMW podium lockout after the polesitters crossed the line in third.

Adding to the historic edition of the race, less than one and a half seconds separated the top three cars – making it the closest finish ever in 6 Hour history.

Starting from the second row after a dramatic conclusion to Saturday’s qualifying session, which was claimed by Will Davison, the #1 BMW’s victory came off the back of a unique strategy that saw them complete a flurry of pit stops in the early stages of the race.

The decision to complete their compulsory pit stops early put them in a strong position towards the back half of the race, which saw

Ojeda gain the lead from Davison just inside the final 30 minutes.

From that point onwards, Ojeda navigated his way past a number of backmarkers and produced a faultless drive to claim the historic victory. Just behind him, the battle for second was decided by just two tenths of a second as Randle held off Davison at the final corner to make it to the finish line in second place.

Rounding out the top five were two class winning cars with the fourth placed Iain Salteri and Cem Yucel taking out the A1 class in their Volkswagen Golf R, and the Ford Mustang Mach 1 of Aaron Seton, Jason Gomersall and Benjamin Gomersall winning the A2 class.

Taking out the final spot in the top 10 were B class winners Courtney Prince, Karlie Buccini and Suzanne Palermo and five places below the historic all-woman team were C

"I don’t think we had the quickest car but we just played the race really well."

class winners Matt Slavin and Pieter Faulkner in a Holden Astra HSV VXR.

Just behind the C class winners were D Class winners Tim Barwick and Mitchell Wooller guiding their Toyota 86 to the class victory at P16 overall.

Claiming the final class victory in comfortable fashion were E Class

winners Mark Taubitz, Andrew Jackman and Jamie Westaway in their Mazda 3 SP25.

View the full results

FORD MUSTANG CELEBRATES 60 YEARS WITH A WIN

For the third year in a row, the Shannons SpeedSeries bettered its own attendance record at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after a highly successful visit earlier this month.

Serving as the third round of the 2024 Shannons SpeedSeries season, the highly anticipated event lived up to the hype as the six categories produced an exciting spectacle for the record Shannons SpeedSeries Phillip Island crowd of 17,869 across the three days.

Making up the exciting bill was the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Trico Trans Am Series, Fanatec

GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, First Focus Radical Cup Australia, and Monochrome GT4 Australia.

There was no shortage of drama during the event in each category as drivers had to navigate a number of challenges – including the new surface around the circuit and the mixed conditions.

The surface certainly played a role in the overall Trans Am result, with tyre degradation the main talking point. The round was ultimately won by James Golding in a Ford Mustang.

Golding wasn’t the only driver to guide a Mustang to top honours, with Rylan Gray and George Miedecke winning the maiden solo round of the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series, in what was the Ford Mustang GT4’s first-ever global competitive win.

The victory capped off what was a wonderful weekend for the iconic vehicle, which was also celebrated throughout the threedays for its 60th anniversary – the Ford Mustang parade laps on the Saturday and Sunday mornings also proving a hit with fans.

Monochrome GT4 Australia wasn’t

Photos: Speed Shots Photography

the only series to kick off its season at Phillip Island during the event, with the GT World Challenge, Radicals, and Porsches all getting their seasons underway in dramatic fashion.

The GT World Challenge Australia provided two highly memorable races that saw the popular Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3 of Liam Talbot and Chaz Mostert win one race, and Kiwis Tim Miles and Brendon Leitch the other - with the New Zealanders winning overall on countback.

Incredibly, that wouldn't be the only time the round result would be determined by countback – Radicals winner Peter Paddon and West Australian Caleb Sumich topping the Porsches, after both won their respective final races of the round.

Brad Harris’ Sunday performance in TCR Australia saw him win both outings, earning him the overall round honours for the first time – a trend achieved by a number of drivers.

Taking out the event’s Shannons Volunteer of the Round was Sienna Amos, a passionate young up and coming official, while TekworkX Motorsport was named as the event’s Meguiar’s Best Presented Team

The Shannons SpeedSeries continues at the end of the next month with Race The Bend at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park on 31 May – 2 June.

FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENE AUSTRALIA

Pro Am: Tim Miles/Brendon Leitch

Am: Chaz Mostert/Liam Talbot

MONOCHROME GT4 AUSTRALIA

Silver Winners: George Miedecke/ Rylan Gray

Pro Am Winners: Lachlan Mineeff/ Shane Smollen

Am Cup Winner: Tim Leahey

FIRST FOCUS RADICAL

BATES & TAYLOR BEGIN TITLE DEFENCE WITH CANBERRA WIN

Harry Bates and Coral Taylor have enjoyed the perfect start to their Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) title defence after a dominant victory at the Techworkz Automotive Rally of Canberra.

Although Heat 1 was cancelled due to heavy rain, reducing the event to just Heat 2, the best rally drivers in the country were able to put on a show across the six challenging forest stages.

“To show the pace from the first stage to the last feels pretty nice”

Taking out second place were Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia teammates Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin, who finished more than a minute off the leaders. IntelliSpatial Fleetcare Racing’s Alex Rullo and Steve Glenney rounded out the podium aboard their Hyundai i20 Rally2.

seconds faster on SS9, heading into the service break in second place.

Pedder then extended the buffer over Lewis in the afternoon’s first stage to 10 seconds after coming to within five tenths of Harry, before a puncture on the next stage all but ruined Pedder’s hopes of second place – dropping to fifth place.

The reigning champions proved too strong throughout the rapid day, as Bates and Taylor picked up a clean sweep of stages, capped off by the Galvaniize Insurance Power Stage victory.

Right from the getgo, Harry and Taylor proved just too good for the field as they charged out to a 30 second lead after two stages, before extending their lead out to 40 seconds at the end of the morning’s first loop of stages.

Behind them, Lewis and McLoughlin had fallen to third on the standings after Skoda Fabia Rally2 pilots Scott Pedder and Glenn Macneall went five

The puncture gave Lewis some breathing space for the final stage, and elevated Rullo and Glenney to the podium place, who had found themselves in an entertaining battle

Photos: CarsMosport

with Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey of Maguire Motorsport, which went all the way down to the final stage.

Although Pedder’s puncture ended his hopes of starting the season on a high and dropped to fifth overall behind Rullo and Maguire, there was some solace to his day, as he finished second in the Galvaniize Insurance Power Stage to score valuable points. Taking out maximum points on the final stage was Harry and Taylor, who couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year.

"Toyota Gazoo Racing overseas really wanted this win because it's a new car for them and this is only the third chassis they've built, so it's a big deal for them to be getting rally wins," Harry said.

"I felt like I had that pressure slightly sitting on me as well, but to come out and perform the way we did is a good effort by Coral and I, and by the team at Neal Bates Motorsport for getting us here with quite limited prep.

"Last year we had very

straightforward weather conditions, and the battle was just a battle, and we had to drive fast. But today felt like the weather threw a bit more at us, there were things that were changing all day long.

"I think the one thing that stayed pretty consistent all day was our pace, and to show the pace from the first stage to the last feels pretty nice."

Another crew to enjoy a highly successful day was Molly Taylor and Andy Sarandis, after they steered their Subaru WRX STI to seventh outright and the MainFix ARC Production Cup victory.

In what was a dominant performance from Taylor, she ended the six-stage day with a clean sweep of stage wins, beating the Techworkz Automotive Subaru Impreza of Michael Harding and James Thornburn by more than two minutes.

Harding and Thornburn didn’t leave the event empty handed though, as they finished their home rally with the ARC 4WD Classic Cup win.

In other classes, Trevor Stilling and Claire Buccini comfortably won the Trenching Systems Australia ARC Classic 2WD Cup by a minute and a half, Dave and Kelly Thomas won the ARC 2WD Cup, while Jaidyn and Lucy Gluskie overcame plenty of adversity to take out ARC Junior Cup honours over Mitch Garrad and Taylah Murphy.

The ARC season continues in Western Australia next month with the Forest Rally on 17-19 May.

Photos: CH Images

ADELAIDE MOTORSPORT FESTIVAL PROVES BIG HIT

Thousands of spectators flocked to the famous Victoria Park in Adelaide last month for this year’s Adelaide Motorsport Festival. Fast becoming a must-attend precursor to the Australian Grand Pirx, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival once again delivered a highly successful two-day event within the heart of the South Australian capital city.

Over the course of two jam packed days, the thousands of spectators who attended the event were treated to quite the spectacle as more than 200 cars spread across 18 different categories took part in the Victoria Park Sprint.

While the cars themselves proved a major attraction, there was plenty of star power in attendance, including current Kick Sauber F1 Team driver Valtteri Bottas, former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner, rising Red

Bull star Liam Lawson, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft, and 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill.

Each of the major guests were involved in the event in an official capacity, with Bottas spending time behind the wheel of the Leyton House CG891 Formula 1 car, Holden VK Commodore Group A touring car, and Brabham BT62 sportscar.

While Croft and Hill spent their time off the track amongst fans, Steiner enjoyed an entertaining passenger ride alongside James Courtney in the Supercars Championship star’s Blanchard Racing Team Gen 3 Ford Mustang GT.

Other notable names to take centre stage throughout the weekend included Craig Lowndes, Neal Bates, Harry Bates, Fraser Ross, David Brabham and Jack Perkins – all of whom enjoyed lots of time on track throughout the two days.

In addition to the on track action, there was plenty happening off it, including musical acts, meet and greets and Q&As with the high profile drivers, while the Gouger Street Party kicked off the event in style on the Friday night.

Photos: Adelaide Motorsport Festival

FERRARI DRIVER ACADEMY OPENS FOR 2024

The Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will once again take place in 2024, with the prestigious event to run in September.

As Scuderia Ferrari’s selected partner in the region, Motorsport Australia will once again run the program and welcome a number of leading talents from the Asia Pacific and Oceania region to the event to aid Ferrari in its search for a potential future champion.

Taking place at the Sepang International Raceway in Malaysia on 15-19 September, candidates selected for the camp will be able to showcase their talent in Formula 4 Generation 2 cars under the watchful eye of Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy scouts.

The top candidate(s) at the conclusion of the program will then be invited to the FDA Scouting World Finals in

Italy later this year, when an eventual winner could be selected to join the FDA for the 2025 season.

This year’s FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will once again see participants behind the wheel of the same chassis used in the highly esteemed FIA Formula 4 UAE Championship, where the best young talents from around the world compete.

In addition to hours of track time, the regional selection program also includes multiple development opportunities, including fitness testing, nutrition and psychology workshops and media training from a number of industry professionals, including leading Asian motorsport company Top Speed.

In a major first for the regional selection program, the top five drivers at the conclusion of the third

round of the 2024 Formula 4 Australian Championship season will be invited to attend Sepang for the five-day event should they meet the selection criteria.

This year’s Formula 4 Australian Championship will be run by Top Speed and will take place in Australia and Malaysia, with the first four rounds to take place across Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway, and Sydney Motorsport Park, before wrapping

Photos: Xoom D'Image

up at Sepang International Raceway one week before the FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program.

The FDA has produced some of the world's biggest talents in recent times in Formula One and Formula Two, including recent F1 debutant Oliver Bearman, while other drivers have also gone on to compete in a range of Championships and Series throughout Europe.

Motorsport Australia CEO Sunil Vohra was pleased Motorsport Australia would run the event again and encouraged aspiring drivers from the region to register.

"After two highly successful years, we are thrilled to work with the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy once again in delivering this program for the region,” Vohra said.

“For young up and coming drivers, this event presents itself as the perfect opportunity to showcase their talent in front of an internationally renowned organisation and to be part of the FDA process.

“So, I highly recommend young aspiring drivers register for the program, as it could be the start of a successful motorsport journey.”

Top Speed General Manager Davide de Gobbi was pleased to be able to be part of the program in 2024 and offer a handful of places via the returning Formula 4 Australian Championship.

“We are excited to bring Formula 4 back to Australia and assist young talent in the country combine with well-respected teams in the paddock,” de Gobbi said.

“The series has a proven track record has an important step internationally in taking drivers from karts to Formula 3, Formula 2 and now, Formula 1.

"Amongst the teams who have already expressed interest and will be racing in the Series include AGI Sport, Ambition GP, Arise Racing and Tim Macrow/M2."

This event presents itself as the perfect opportunity to showcase their talent in front of an internationally renowned organisation.

“From the priceless experience of driving a top-spec open wheeler on a famous F1 circuit to learning a variety of skills that could help with future endeavours, regardless of the result in Malaysia - there are many benefits to attending the program.

Those who took part in the 2023 program are welcome to apply again for 2024, providing they meet the selection criteria.

Aspiring drivers aged between 14 and 17 are encouraged to apply for the FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program, and have until 11:59pm AEST on Sunday 16 June to apply for the event.

An information webinar for the 2024

Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will take place on 23 April.

The 2024 Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will be held at Sepang in Malaysia on 15-19 September.

This year’s program will include:

Track time and testing in Formula 4 cars

Support from professional mechanics (including car preparation)

Advice and training from professional F4 race engineers

Dedicated race engineer for the entire time on track

• Dedicated track time across two days, competing for a third and final selection day

Fitness training and testing

• Media, Sponsorship and Data Analysis testing and training

Nutrition and psychology workshops

Apply for the 2024 FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program

SCUDERIA FERRARI DRIVER ACADEMY WEBINAR OPEN

A webinar outlining details for this year’s Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will take place later this month.

Interested participants can gain further details on the program via an online webinar, which will include details about the application process and what to expect at the selection camp.

The webinar will be held at 7.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10) on Tuesday 23 April.

Those unable to attend can view a replay of the webinar on Motorsport Australia’s website from Wednesday 24 April.

The 2024 Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program will once again be run by Motorsport Australia, and will take place at the Sepang International Circuit in September.

As part of September’s regional program, participants will get between two and three days of track time in top-spec Formula 4 cars, support from professional mechanics, advice and training from professional F4 race engineers, and much more.

The Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy has produced some of the world's biggest talents in recent years, with graduates having gone on to race in a range of championships around the world, including the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Its most recent success story was British driver Oliver Bearman,

who made his Formula 1 debut earlier this year, scoring points at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The FDA webinar will be held at 7.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10) on Tuesday 23 April.

REGISTRATIONS OPEN FOR 2024 MEMBER FORUM

Motorsport Australia members interested in attending its annual Member Forum later this month can now register a place.

Held via the Microsoft Teams Webinar platform on Tuesday, 30 April, the 2024 Member Forum will provide all Motorsport Australia licence holders, officials, clubs and event organisers the chance to hear from both the Board and administration, along with

detailed financial results and insights into other key motorsport issues.

Starting at 7.30pm AEST, the Member Forum panel will include Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser, Vice President Margot Foster and CEO Sunil Vohra.

In addition to hearing from key Motorsport Australia personnel, there will also be a dedicated Q&A

section for attending members to send in specific questions.

Registrations can be made up to the webinar taking place, and once registered, participants will be emailed a calendar invite and link to join the webinar.

The 2024 Motorsport Australia Member Forum will be held from 7.30pm AEST on Tuesday, 30 April.

Photo: Photographer credit

LIVERMORE TAKES GCTMC KHANACROSS SERIES OPENER

A strong field of 40 competitors took part in the Gold Coast Tweed Motorsport Club’s (GCTMC) season opening round of the Baden Civil SEQ Khanacross Series last month, with Jude Livermore taking out top spot. With seven tests making up the event and each time going towards a final score, Livermore ended up guiding his Nissan Pulsar to a two second win over Subaru WRX driver, David Micjan.

Remarkably, Livermore did not win one test throughout the whole day but was rewarded for his consistency.

The two drivers battled hard for much of the day, however he finished inside the top five times on every test and didn’t receive a penalty.

Micjan on the other hand started strong, going fastest overall on

the opening test of the day, before going slower than Livermore on every remaining test, bar one.

Like the winner, Micjan was highly consistent across the day and finished inside the top five on almost every run, while also keeping the next best driver in John Kelly at bay throughout the day – seven seconds separating the two at the conclusion of the khanacross.

Photos: Zed Photography

Photo: CH Images

In fourth place, a further seven seconds off was Paul Pyyvaara. Matt Davidson took out final place in the top five in his Subaru WRX, who finished 14 seconds off the podium.

Picking up one test win himself, Davidson was a serious contender throughout the event and could have won the event, but hitting flags five times resulted in 25 seconds worth of penalties, thus costing the overall win.

Davidson wasn’t the only contender to suffer the consequences of hitting flags, with another contender in Toby Musico having lost crucial time early in the event.

Musico was the standout performer for most of the event, and won five of the seven tests. However, it was his opening test, where he hit eight flags to add 40 seconds onto his final time, which proved costly and

prevented him charging to the win.

Despite losing 45 seconds on the opening two tests, Musico fought his way back into the contest and steered his Subaru WRX to a respectable seventh place before Jason Dahler, and just 38 seconds off Livermore.

Rounding out the top 10 were Mat Dolan, John Panozzo and Darcy Oldham, with the latter two divided by less than two tenths of a second.

Just missing out on a top 10 finish by less than four seconds was Michelle Van Der Wilk, who was also the fastest woman in the event.

All the remaining class winners were above her in the top 10, with Livermore winning the B and G class, Micjan Class E, Pyyvaara Class A, Panozzo Class D and Oldham Class C.

The Baden Civil SEQ Khanacross Series continues next month in Tamborine on 5 May.

Photo: CH Images

BFGOODRICH TO BACK AORC IN 2024

BFGoodrich will make its grand return to Australian off road racing this year, with the worldfamous tyre brand to join the Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) as the official naming rights partner in 2024.

To be known as the BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship, the arrival of the BFGoodrich is a major boost for the championship.

This year won’t be the first time BFGoodrich has been involved in the championship, with the tyre brand having been the naming rights partner of the AORC between 2017 and 2022.

Motorsport Australia CEO Sunil Vohra was pleased to have BFGoodrich back in the AORC.

“To have BFGoodrich return to the AORC as the major partner is a huge result for the championship and we’re absolutely thrilled to be working with them in 2024,” Vohra said.

“The AORC is one of Motorsport Australia’s biggest assets in off road, it’s fantastic to not have just secured a naming rights sponsor for the season, but to have the calibre of BFGoodrich is important.

"It’s an enormous boost for the championship."

“It’s an enormous boost for the championship, and I thank the team at BFGoodrich for their decision to support the championship ahead of what should be a big season.”

has a long history together, and we are very excited to make our return,” De-Boischevalier said.

"With some of the best events in the country forming part of the championship, together, we can continue growing the AORC to be one of the best off road competitions in the world.

Synonymous with off road racing for decades, many of the discipline’s biggest stars often choose BFGoodrich as their preferred tyre for the biggest races, including nine-time champion Shannon Rentsch and three-time Tatts Finke Desert Race winner Toby Price.

Hugo De-Boischevalier, Marketing Manager, BFGoodrich Australia, echoed Vohra’s sentiments regarding the partnership.

“BFGoodrich and the Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship

“This partnership will also form as part of a broader involvement with Motorsport Australia, which will also see Michelin support FIA Girls on Track, Shannons SpeedSeries and provide special offers to motorsport competitors and officials.”

Photo: Bob Taylor

Photo: Tony Donaghue

AORC TO WELCOME NEW CLASS IN 2024

There have been a number of changes to the Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) Sporting Regulations ahead of this month’s season opener in Pooncarie. While most of the alterations have a minor effect on the championship, the most notable change is the new national eligibility of the EX4WD Buggy sub class.

Previously, vehicles considered as four-wheel drive pro buggies were only eligible to compete in club and state events and excluded from the national championship.

However, following the latest Australian Off Road Commission (AORCOM) meeting, vehicles that fit within that class will now be allowed to compete at national events.

In what is a major breakthrough for the championship, the change will gradually be implemented over the next two seasons.

In 2024, the EX4WD Buggy sub class will be eligible for outright places at AORC events but not for points, however in 2025, those same cars will be able to score both outright championship and class points.

More than 60 crews have entered the Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash, where they will contest more than 400 competitive kilometres across two days of action.

The Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash takes place in Pooncarie on 19-21 April.

Photo: Matthew Daniele

WINTON HOSTS VICTORIAN SUCCESS

The Motorsport Australia Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships resumed last month with more than 160 entrants competing in the two-day race meeting.

Taking place at Winton Motor Raceway, attending fans were treated to a spectacle as there were a mix of results across the eight competing categories.

Just two drivers managed to secure clean sweeps for the weekend, including Improved Production winner Jarrod Tonks, who guided his Holden Commodore to three wins in the biggest category of the event.

Lee Partridge was the other driver to have a perfect weekend, as he converted his pole position to three wins in Formula Vee.

There were plenty of individuals to come close to a clean sweep of victories, with Jaylyn Robotham in the Excels and Ashley Rogers in the E30 BMWs both falling just short of three wins from three – both drivers starting their weekends off with a runner-up finish in race one.

In Formula Ford, Edison Beswick took out top honours after starting off the round with two wins but fell to second place behind Liam Loiacono in the final race. Despite the loss, he still won Formula 1600, while Richard Davison took out the Formula Ford Kent.

It was a similar story in the Saloon Cars, where Kane Baxter-Smith guided his Ford Falcon AU to two victories and a second-place finish, while round runner-up Travis Lindorff capped off the weekend with a win in the final outing.

The two remaining categories saw some of the closest action unfold, with each winner claiming the rounds in similar circumstances.

In what was the event’s most thrilling battle, the Sports Sedans was decided by just two points as Keven Stoopman won the round in his Mitsubishi Evo 7, despite winning just one race.

His victory came in the final race after beating round runner-up Travis Condon by just two seconds, although it was the duel with race one and two winner Dean Camm in the early stages of the race that proved most entertaining – the duo switching leads three times before Camm was forced to the pits before eventually coming in eighth.

In the Porsche 944s, Chris LewisWilliams reaped the benefits of race one and two winner Mark Taubitz tumbling down the order in race three to take out the victory and win the round overall.

The next round of the Motorsport Australia Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship will be at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 17-19 May.

Photos: Revved Photography

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BRINKMAN STARTS OFF QRC WITH STRONG WIN

Glenn Brinkman has had the perfect start to the 2024 KickAss Products Motorsport Australia Queensland Rally Championship season, after winning last month’s APX Suspension Manumbar Rally.

With 30 crews entered in the state championship’s season opening round, Brinkman and his new co-driver Jacci Hughes ended up charging to the victory after eight stages, as they beat Ian Menzies and Rob McGowan by one and half minutes.

Although Brinkman's win was comfortable in the end, the morning’s three stages proved quite a challenge for him as Menzies and McGowan in their Mitsubishi Evo, and young guns Ryan Williams and

Brad Jones were quicker overall.

Menzies comfortably took out the first run of the stage before Williams went fastest on stages two and three.

Brinkman’s consistency proved pivotal as he led the rally at the end of the Heat after Williams received a 25-second penalty and Menzies was 20 seconds off the pace on the third run.

Made up of five stages, Heat 2 saw Williams and Jones charge to the lead with a dominant 15-second SS4 win before extended the lead out to almost 20 seconds by the end of SS6.

Unfortunately, that’s as good as it got for Williams and Jones, as the duo were forced to retire due to turbo issues on SS7. The event leaders’

Photo: Zed Photography

Photo: CH Images

Photo: CH Images

shock retirement opened up the door for Brinkman and Hughes, who had managed to build a comfortable buffer between them the next best crew.

In the end, Brinkman and Hughes steered their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 to wins on the final two stages –earning them a well-deserved victory.

Interestingly Menzies and McGowan finished second at the expense of fellow Evo 9 drivers Steve Arthur and Phil Bonser, who had actually jumped them on the penultimate stage – only for their event to end prematurely after their Evo lost a wheel.

Also benefiting for the heartbreaking retirement was Erik Johnsson and Larisa Biggar, who were promoted to the final place of the podium in their Subaru Impreza WRX.

Less than a minute behind in fourth place were Clay Badenoch and Jamie Wilson, who also won the 2WD class in the process.

Other notable results saw 1998 Hyundai Excel drivers Ben and Cam Christensen finish 13th overall and take out the Junior Class,.

In the WSC Novice Series, top honours went to rally debutants Tyler Broughton and Brett Hausmann in their 1999 Hyundai Excel.

The next round of the KickAss Products Motorsport Australia Queensland Rally Championship will be the Coffs Coast Rally in May.

RYCO READY

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Photo: Zed Photography

Photo: Zed Photography

LOVETT CLAIMS NABIAC CHALLENGE IN NAIL-BITER

Veteran off road racer Phillip Lovett has begun the 2024 Motorsport Australia NSW Off Road Championship season on a high, claiming a thrilling victory in last month’s opening round.

In what was one of the closest state championship battles in recent years, very little separated the top two crews after 15 laps as Lovett guided his buggy to a one and a half second win over Pro Buggy winner Derek Rose.

Going right down to the wire, the event was in the balance right up until the final section, when Lovett clinched the win after taking out the three-lap final section by less than 30 seconds.

Up until that point, Rose had been leading the way after a strong start to the weekend led to victory in the two opening sections, while a difficult second section for Lovett saw him

drop outside the top 10 and more than three and a half minutes off the lead.

On Sunday, Lovett’s fortunes changed as overnight showers and constant rain throughout the day played into the Extreme 4WD

driver’s hands and allowed him to claw his way back up the order.

While Lovett did make up 15 seconds on Rose in the event’s third section, the damage was truly done on the fourth, when the veteran went

Photos: Gears and Wheels Photography

fastest overall and chalked almost three minutes off Rose, who had a slow run during the three laps.

In addition to Lovett and Rose, Benjamin Scott was the other major contender and had taken advantage of Rose’s mishaps on section four to charge to a 30 second lead himself.

The stage was set for the final section as just one minute separated the three contenders – however the event was turned on its head when Scott was forced to retire after one lap due to a broken steering component.

Lovett’s strong Sunday form continued right through to the chequered flag, as he went 28 seconds faster than Rose, and although the latter was provisionally given the win, post-race checks revealed Lovett the true victor of the event.

Taking advantage of Scott’s withdrawal was Nathan Chivers, who was bumped up to third as a result. The eventual SXS Pro winner remained in third outright for the rest of the race and eventually took out the final podium place.

There were plenty of class winners inside the top 10, including the

seventh-placed Aaron McClintock, who won the Prolite class, Super 1650 winner Richard Wilton in ninth, and Sportsman winner Clinton Glennan, who rounded out the top 10.

The next round of the 2024 Motorsport Australia NSW Off Road Championship will be the Kempsey 300 on 26-28 April.

SELF-EXTRACTION WEBINAR REPLAY NOW AVAILABLE

A replay of the Self-Extraction webinar is now available to view.

Having provided an opportunity for officials to understand the testing procedures behind the new Self-Extraction requirements Motorsport Australia implemented at the start of the year, a range of topics were covered in the webinar.

Some of those topics included when testing should occur, historic vehicle regulations, how to conduct the test

and working with competitors who do not meet the requirements.

In 2024, competitors will initially be required to self-extract in 15 seconds as part of a staged introduction of the new requirement, before the 10 second limit is mandated on 1 January 2025.

Photo: Photographer credit

RECORD MICHELIN JUNIOR PROGRAM FOR 2024

A record field of young drivers from Australia and New Zealand have been awarded a special contract in the Porsche Michelin Junior Program for the 2024 season.

Spread across the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series, 23 drivers between the ages of 17 and 23 will receive support by Porsche Cars Australia and Michelin for their respective season.

The drivers were selected following a three-day training course held on the Gold Coast in late February, which was supported by new Porsche Michelin Junior camp partner, BWT.

Developed by the renowned Reaction Performance, the intense program featured a diverse range of physical and mindset challenges, while all also having classroom sessions, engineering insights, and a serious media training element.

at the conclusion of the camp.

Porsche Motorsport Australia’s Barry Hay was pleased for the 23 chosen drivers.

“We are very proud of the group of young drivers who will be representing Porsche and Michelin in Sprint Challenge and Carrera Cup this year,” Hay said.

“It is not only the largest group of Junior drivers we have ever had in our pathway, but it’s a group filled with incredible ability, motivation, talent and drive to become the best at their craft.

“The Michelin Junior program isn’t just about arriving and driving – all of these drivers have earned their ticket at our Porsche Michelin Junior Camp powered by BWT, held in February this year.

"It’s a group filled with incredible ability, motivation, talent..."

All participating drivers earned their Junior contracts, which were presented

“They all worked hard for it and proved to us that they had the right stuff which is incredibly exciting.”

More than $250,000 worth of prizes will form part of the mega prize pool, which will see the Michelin Junior round winners within each category receive a free set of Michelin race tyres and free entry to a subsequent round of their respective competition, while second and third

placed drivers at each round will also win a set of Michelin Tyres. However the major prize will be for the top Michelin Junior point scorer in Carrera Cup, who will represent Australia at the Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

2024 Porsche Michelin

Junior Drivers

Lachlan Bloxsom

Hamish Fitzsimmons

Marcos Flack

• Brock Gilchrist

• Marco Giltrap

• Ryan Hadden

Bayley Hall

Matt Hillyer

Ayrton Hodson

Tom McLennan

Nash Morris

Angelo Mouzouris

Slade Orsmond

Clay Osborne

Ryder Quinn

Jake Santalucia

Aron Shields

Conor Somers

Zac Stichbury

Caleb Sumich

Oscar Targett

• Ben Taylor

• Jackson Walls

RACER INDUSTRIES TO CONTINUE MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA SUPPORT

Motorsport Australia is pleased to announce it has extended its partnership with Racer Industries for the next two years.

The partnership, which was established at the start of 2022, will see Racer Industries continue as the Official Race Accessories Partner of Motorsport Australia, the Shannons SpeedSeries and the Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship.

In addition to existing support, Racer Industries will also extend its sponsorship to Motorsport Australia's successful development program, First Gear, and Motorsport Australia Esports.

Established in 2006, the familyowned Australian business supplies race suits, gloves and boots, race underwear, seats and harnesses, driver safety apparel, fuel systems, fire extinguisher systems, steering wheels and components, race preparation parts and equipment, and Hyundai X3 parts among a host of other products.

Racer Industries' Business Development Manager - Performance, Mathew Nilsson, was pleased to extend the agreement.

"Since joining Motorsport Australia in 2022, we have been pleased with the direction of our partnership, so it was an easy decision to continue with what we had, as well as expand our support," Nilsson said.

"Motorsport Australia is committed to growing the sport at all levels, and we are more than happy to be part of that progress and provide competitors with high quality products.

"Obviously motorsport can be quite costly, which is why we aim to provide competitors with the highest quality gear at the best price.

"We look forward to another two years working closely with Motorsport Australia to add value to the motorsport industry, it’s competitors and volunteers."

Motorsport Australia CEO Sunil Vohra echoed Nilsson's sentiments.

"We are pleased Racer Industries has chosen to expand its backing of Motorsport Australia and our assets, and I thank Mathew and the team at Racer Industries for their

ongoing support,” Vohra said.

"It is a successful family-owned business that shares many of the same core values that we do at Motorsport Australia, and we look forward to working with them again for another two years.

"The brand has already had a strong presence at many national events, especially the Shannons SpeedSeries, so I encourage Motorsport Australia members to check out their ever-growing catalogue of impressive merchandise."

For more information about Racer Industries and to view their products

JENKINS DRIVES TO SUCCESS

This month’s Supercheap Auto Official Superstar is Tony Jenkins, who did a remarkable job as a Course Car Driver at last month’s Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

For more than 35 years, the Victorian has worked within motorsport –mostly at racetracks with both race teams and drivers, and in that time, he has held a variety of roles, including Flag Marshal and Clerk of Course.

What makes Tony so good at his job is that he knows what a Clerk of the Course wants, and as a result, is often the eyes and ears for them.

Once again, Tony was at the Australian Grand Prix this year and did a fantastic job all weekend - making him a worthy recipient of the award.

"It's very cool to win this award and I really appreciate all the support that I have received. I don't do it for the accolades - I do it because I love the sport and I love motor racing," Jenkins said.

“Doing the course car is all about making sure that the circuit is right for the event to continue. The Clerk of Course relies on me to give them that direction that the event is safe to go. So it is a big responsibility and it's what I really enjoy doing.”

To thank Tony for his many years of service, professionalism, and extensive knowledge, he will receive a $100 Supercheap Auto gift card, commemorative pin and certificate.

TONY JENKINS

Do you know someone like Tony; a Motorsport Australia official who deserves to be recognised for going above and beyond their duty?

Nominate now and your friend could win a $100 Supercheap Auto gift card, commemorative pin, and certificate — with their story shared in Speed Read.

Submit your nomination to Speed Read

WHAT'S ON IN APRIL/ MAY

NEW SOUTH WALES AND ACT

20-21 April: CRC Cotamundra 800 Classic

20-21 April: Wentworth Shire Pooncarie Desert Dash

20 April: Quality Accounting Coffs Coast Rally

20-21 April: GSCC Hillclimb Series Rounds 2 & 3

21 April: TSCC Club Lap Dash Round 2

21 April: Bathurst Light Car Club Khanacross- April

21 April: Ringwood Park Tar Series Hillclimb Championship 2024 - Round 2

21 April: HDCC State Round Motorkhana

26-28 April: 2024 Motorsport Australia NSW Motor Race Championship - Round 2

26-28 April: Scott's Hydraulic Kempsey 300

26 April: DX.2 Driver Experience / Come & Try

27 April: NSW 6 Hour Regularity Relay

27-28 April: State Khanacross Round 3

4-5 May: Round 4 NSW Hillclimb Championships

5 May: Round 4 Porsche Club NSW Inc Supersprint Championship

5 May: RTDC Motorkhana Round 2

QUEENSLAND

19-21 April: Motorsport Australia

State Championship Round 2

20 April: BSCC Test & Tune

20 April: Round 2 CQMSC Motorkhana Series

20-21 April: RTest and Tune / Autocross Round 1

20-21 April: Round 2 HBMSA Khanacross 2024

21 April :Club Motorkhana

26-28 April: 2024 Battery World

Aussie Racing Cars Series

26-28 April: 2024 Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Series - Round 2

27-28 April: TCAC Khanacross Series Round 2

3-6 May: May In The Wide Bay

4-5 May: CCCC Dirt Khanacross Series Round 1

TASMANIA

20-21 April: Tasmanian Circuit Racing

Championship Round 3 presented by DGA Rent

27 April: Rocky Cape Tavern Hellyer Rally

28 April: Motorkhana MG Car Club Of Tasmania Inc

4 May: Symmons Plains 150

28 April: Northam Flying 50

The entire township of Northam will be transformed from a regular country town into a designated racetrack and entertainment festival, as a collection of cars from the 1920s and 1930s all the way through to Group N put on a show.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND NORTHERN TERRITORY

20 April: Motorsport Australia South Australian Motor Racing Championship Event 2

21 April: SCCSA 2024 Ray Pank Winter Cup 1

21 April: SEAC Motorkhana Series 2024 - Round 2

21 April: Superkart Race Event Including Modern Regularity

26-28

May: Supaservice Tyre & Auto Backbone Hillclimb

4-5 May: Motorsport Australia South Australian Motor Racing Championship Event 3

5 May: MSCA - Peter Hall Memorial6 Hour Regularity Relay

VICTORIA

20 April: Come and Try & Motorkhana

20 April : Ada River Rally

20 April: Impreza WRX Club Round 2

21 April: 2024 Victorian Hillclimb Championship Round 4

21 April: BCCA Nationals Motorkhana

21 April: DSCC Autocross Series 2024 Round 3

28 April: Victorian Khanacross Championship Round 4

5 May: Safe Race Sandown Regularity Competition

5 May: VHRR Historic Rob Roy Hillclimb 202422

July: SORRA Driver Training / Khanacross Round 2

26-28 April: Shannons Rally SA–

The Rally of the Heartland

26-28 April: SCCSA 2024 All Historic

26-27 April: MSCA Victoria & Porsche Club Victoria combined Super Sprint

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

28 April: Northam Flying 50

2-6 May: JCCA National Rally

4-5 May: Tyrepower Joondalup Festival of Motoring

6-10 May: Post Rally Tour

Photo: Australian Muscle Car Owners Association

CONTACT US

The Motorsport Australia member hotline is open from 9am to 5pm AEST

So for all your motorsport needs call the Motorsport Australia Hotline on 1300 883 959, or visit the website at motorsport.org.au

Email memberservices@motorsport.org.au

lHit up Motorsport Australia on social media for photos from events, news, videos and other great motorsport content.

SEND US YOUR STORIES

If you have a motorsport story which you think should be told, get in touch with us and it could appear in Speed Read.

If you have pictures or videos of motorsport you would like to share with us, we encourage you to do so. They could appear on our website, social media platforms or in Speed Read.

Please email communications@motorsport.org.au

We look forward to hearing from you.