Motorsport Australia Speed Read - November 2022

SPEEDREAD

TEAM AUS EXCELS IN MAGNIFICENT MOTORSPORT GAMES

One gold medal from Matt Campbell and some other impressive results handed Australia a sixth-place overall finish at the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games.

LAST CALL FOR STATE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Nominations for the 2022 Motorsport Australia State Awards, presented by Shannons Insurance, are being accepted, with online applications closing 11 November.

GILL SECURES LANDMARK RALLY STAR VICTORY IN INDIA

Taylor Gill won the 2022 FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Final in India last month, securing a place in next year’s FIA Rally Star Training Season.

GOLD COAST KHANACROSS GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE

With a field of 26 competitors completing 12 tests throughout the event, the Gold Coast Khanacross was tight until the final section.

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TEAM AUS EXCELS IN MAGNIFICENT MOTORSPORT GAMES

The second instalment of the FIA Motorsport Games is complete, with Team Australia’s eight representatives doing the country proud across seven disciplines.

Having taken place at the famous Circuit Paul Ricard in France, the FIA Motorsport Games saw hundreds of competitors from around the world compete for medals.

With one gold medal over the course of the event, Team Australia finished the Games in sixth place overall, which saw the team also claim top spot for the Asia Pacific region.

Following on from a highly successful edition of the Games, Speed Read has a look at how each Australian fared throughout.

GT SPRINT

Having entered the Games as Australia’s most high profile driver, Matt Campbell certainly lived up to expectations as the Queenslander won Gold in the GT Sprint category.

Driving the Grove Racing team Porsche 911 GT3 R, supported by Earl Bamber Motorsport, Campbell improved in every session he

took part in and was rewarded with a front row start after a solid qualifying ahead of the main race.

While he didn’t start on pole, it didn’t take long for Campbell to claim the lead as he got the jump on Belgian polesitter Dries Vanthoor off the line.

From that point on, Campbell led the field for the rest of the race before crossing the finish line ahead of Italy’s Mirko Bortolotti by one and a half seconds, while Vanthoor rounded out the podium.

“This is really cool, it’s nice to get the first gold and the first medal for Australia at the Motorsport Games,” Campbell said.

“It definitely wasn’t easy; the pressure was on the entire way and we also had to manage a few issues towards the end. We made it last, but the gap was closing at the end, luckily I didn’t make any mistakes and got the job done.

“It was a fantastic event, a fantastic day – we basically improved in every single session and then the race, we had the lead from turn one and was able to maintain, so a fantastic result.”

TOURING CAR CUP

A star of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Aaron Cameron had a difficult run all weekend, but still showed plenty of pace throughout the Medal Race.

Photos: SRO - FIA Motorsport Games

His bad luck started ahead of official qualifying, when the team was forced to make a last-minute engine change on his Peugeot after confirming his straight line speed was a major issue, with the Victorian losing 10km/h on the straight.

While the team was able to make the change and get him out for qualifying, he finished 13th and had a number of his laps deleted for exceeding track limits as he came to grips with the circuit.

Forced to the back of the field, Cameron made lots of ground to finish 11th overall – a remarkable performance considering all the challenges he had faced throughout the weekend.

FORMULA 4 CUP

In Formula 4, Costa Toparis enjoyed his debut international race in 13th after starting from 19th on the grid.

Qualifying in 10th, Toparis was then involved in a first lap incident in the qualifying race and lost his front wing. Despite the clear disadvantage, Toparis’ pace remained strong, climbing as high as seventh.

However, the damage would ultimately impact the closing stages of his race as he crossed the line in 12th.

The day would get worse for Toparis though, who was handed two post-race penalties for on-track incidents, demoting him to 19th on the grid for the start of the main race. Despite the setback, the teenager

put on a show as he fought through a talented field to finish 13th.

DIGITAL CUP (ESPORTS)

Philippa Boquida was Team Australia’s highest ranked driver outside of Campbell, narrowly missing out on a medal after finishing fourth in the Digital Cup.

Boquida was consistently fast all weekend and started the final in sixth, before making her way through the field, only missing out on a medal opportunity by just five seconds after the hour-long final race.

Earlier on in the weekend, Boquida finished her qualifying race in third after starting from P3 on the grid.

GT CUP Brenton and Stephen Grove ended their GT Cup campaign in seventh after finishing their luckless weekend on a high.

After their Porsche was taken out in the second qualifying race, the damage meant they were unable to complete no more than one lap and were left to start the medal race from the rear of the field.

Despite that significant disadvantage, both Brenton and Stephen put in remarkable stints as they powered up the field to eventually cross the line in seventh place.

KARTING

Team Australia’s two karting representatives had difficult campaigns during the Games with

neither Peter Bouzinelos (Junior) and Aiva Anagnostiadis (Senior) finishing their respective races.

Unfortunately, both were caught up in incidents during their medal races and were forced to retire.

Before their premature retirements, the pair showed plenty of pace across the weekend, impressing many in what was a highly talented field.

After struggling in practice, Bouzinelos produced a solid performance in qualifying to end up in fifth place for the qualifying heats, however two further DNF’s in those heats sent him to the back of the grid for the medal race, and while he managed to fight through the field, he ultimately failed to finish.

As for Anagnostiadis, she finished 15th during a tough qualifying after showing plenty of pace in earlier practice sessions.

She then fought hard to climb through the field in each outing on the Saturday’s heats, doing enough to start in 13th outright after making numerous passes throughout the day on a track notoriously difficult to pass on.

Sunday’s medal race would also prove fruitless for the Victorian where she was an innocent victim in a lap one pile up which took out nearly half the field.

Photos: SRO - FIA Motorsport Games

COVETED ALPINE RALLY TO CELEBRATE 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The Lock and Load Transport Alpine Rally of East Gippsland will celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2022 with an impressive 105 entries confirmed for the event.

For what is considered to be the largest gravel road special stage event in the country, COVID-19 prevented the rally from taking place last year, with organisers shifting the centenary celebration to this year.

Having first been run in 1921 as the ‘Alpine 1000-mile Trial’, the rally has changed over the years with a couple of international rally appearances, as well as serving as a round of the Motorsport Australia Rally Championship on multiple occasions.

Taking place around East Gippsland on 1-4 December, crews will tackle 26 special stages across 450 competitive kilometres with the variety of stages ranging in lengths of threekilometre stages to 56km stages. Kicking off at Lakes Entrance on the Thursday, competitors will compete in the forests of Nowa Nowa, Orbosts through to Swifts Creek, Omeo, Bruthen and rounding back to Lakes Entrance for the champagne celebrations on Sunday.

Reigning Alpine Rally champions Nathan Quinn and Ray WinwoodSmith headline a star-studded line-up for the event, with newly crowned Victorian Rally Championship (VRC) winner Adrian Stratford to run in a brand-new Toyota Corolla alongside co-driver Kain Manning.

The 2022 VRC 2WD champions Luke Sytema and Tracey Dewhurst will be driving the 2011 winning car driven by the late Geoff Portman, while Warren Lee and Alan Friend round out the list of former VRC winners entered.

Former Alpine Rally champions Jack Monkhouse and Darren Snooks will also feature in December, as well as five-time Outback Classic Trial champion Andrew Travis, who will compete in his allconquering V6 Nissan Gazelle.

All drivers were able to enter historic, classic, and relatively recent twowheel-drive cars, as it took just 40-minutes for the entry list to reach its 105 competitor capacity.

There will also be a range of manufacturers in action including Datsuns, Fords, Toyotas, Mitsubishis, Mazdas, Hyundais and Nissans – all of which give fans a compelling viewing experience across each class.

For any fans planning on attending the event, 13 spectator points will be available across the four days in addition to the starting and finishing points in each of the towns.

The engagements of local businesses within the East Gippsland communities will also provide fans with no shortage of off-track experiences in what is considered to be the biggest sporting event in the area.

The 2022 Lock and Load Transport Alpine Rally of East Gippsland will take place in the East Gippsland regions on 1-4 December.

For further information on the event click here.

Photo: Bruce Keys

ALLAN ALL CLASS IN GOLD COAST KHANACROSS

For the second consecutive event, Allan Kuss claimed victory at the Gold Coast Tweed Motorsport Club’s Tamborine Khanacross in what was a thrilling conclusion to the event.

With a field of 26 competitors completing 12 tests throughout the event, the event went right down to the wire as Kuss managed to edge out

Matt Davidson by just four seconds.

There was very little separating the two for much of the event, despite Kuss winning nine of the 12 tests, while club captain, Mark Davies rounded out the podium a further nine seconds off.

It was a rocky start for Kuss as

he found himself 14 seconds behind Davidson and Davies after just two tests, with the latter two drivers equal at the top.

However, his recovery run began on the third test as he guided his Subaru Impreza to a six-test winning streak to gain a slender lead after eight tests – Davidson,

Photo: Zed Photography

Davies and Andrew McLean all within a few seconds of each other fighting for second place.

Davies’ two second win on test nine put him back on equal terms with Kuss at the top of the standings, however that’s as close he got to winning the event as Kuss ended up winning the final three tests to hold on for victory.

Remarkably the top four all enjoyed class victories, while Class D winner Lyndon Mechielsen rounded out the top 10 and Robert Crundell won Class G.

Click here for full results.

TOP 10

1. Allan Kuss 2. Matt Davidson 3. Mark Davies 4. Andrew McLean 5. David Micjan 6. Sam Donovan

Mathew Dolan

Alanta Zelinski

Peter Henderson

Lyndon Mechielsen

CLASS WINNERS

Class A: Matt Davidson

Class B: Andrew McLean

Class C: Mark Davies

Class D: Lyndon Mechielsen

Class E: Allan Kuss

Class G: Robert Crundell

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Photos: Zed Photography

WAKEFIELD FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL

After its closure in September, a petition to save Wakefield Park was created to save the much-loved racing venue.

Petition organisers were tasked with collecting 20,000 signatures to have the issue debated by Members of Parliament in one of the few sittings left for the rest of the year.

With many organisations getting behind the movement, Motorsport Australia also showed support by encouraging all motorsport supporters in New South Wales to get behind the public campaign and save the Goulburn-based circuit.

Led by Jessica Nicholson and sponsored by the Shadow Minister for Sport and Member for Granville Julia Finn MP, the petition gained significant traction following its release, with more than 14,000

signatures gained in the first four days.

The petition then reached its goal with more than 24,000 signatures, meaning it was taken to Parliament.

With only New South Wales residents permitted to sign the petition, all fans of motorsport in NSW were encouraged to get behind the cause.

Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca was supportive of the petition.

“It is encouraging to see such strong support for this petition early and we acknowledge and thank those passionate motorsport enthusiasts who are fighting to keep Wakefield Park open,” Arocca said.

“As I have said previously, we are concerned about the impact the closure of Wakefield Park will have on motorsport participation in New South Wales.”

A vital venue for New South Wales motorsport activities at club and state level, a number of Motorsport Australia clubs hold race meetings at the circuit, as well as being a destination for Motorsport Australia State Motor Race Championships.

The circuit closed in September following a NSW Land and Environment Court ruling, which ultimately reduced the number of track days Wakefield Park could hold from 280 to just 30.

After its closure in September, a petition was launched on the NSW Parliament website requesting the Government to find a solution to reopen the track.

The “Save Wakefield Park” movement was made up of a multitude of supporters ranging from motorsport participants and officials, local businesses and residents of the Goulburn region and community groups, sporting groups, emergency services and military who use the facility.

“It is encouraging to see such strong support for this petition”

TERRIFIC TIGHE SOLID IN SPEED AND AUTO TESTS

Dean Tighe has entered an exclusive club in Australian motorsport having won two of this year's four Motorsport Australia National Speed and Auto Test Championships.

The Queenslander had an extremely busy October where he competed in and won both the Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship and Supersprint Championship.

A high-profile figure in the hill climbing scene, Tighe had never won an Australian championship in his long standing career, yet had just fallen short of a national title on many occasions.

The Motorsport Australia Supersprint Championship was first up in October,

and in what was a sign to come, Tighe proved too good at Sydney Motorsport Park, beating rival Douglas Barry by almost a second courtesy of a record-breaking lap.

Taking out third place for the event was Daniel Nolan, who had battled hard all weekend, while a strong showing from Richard Perini wasn’t enough to finish ahead of a high-performing Damon Ashton.

Following on from his win, Tighe was thrilled to take out his first title.

“Last time we held it in 2019, I was second to Doug, so I was coming back with a vengeance, it was good to get a win,” Tighe said.

“I have competed several times at the track, but it was the first time I had this car there, I had a spin during one of the runs but it was a good way to find the limit to then put up my fastest time on the following lap.”

One week later and with all the confidence in the world, Tighe was on another level as he was fastest out of the 80 Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championship contenders.

“I was coming back with a vengeance, it was good to get a win”

Only one day ended up taking place due to the weather and that is all Tighe needed as he eventually overcame a stubborn Greg Ackland and long-time rival Dean Amos.

It was the first time Tighe had won the national hill climb title and although he was by far the fastest on the first three runs, he didn’t exactly have it won until the third run.

In the fourth run, Tighe was on track to go almost a second faster than his third run, however a broken supercharger belt towards the end of the course saw him lose time.

“It’s very cool to be a two-time Australia champion, but honestly, it hadn’t really sunk in yet,” Tighe said.

“Winning the hill climb title is special because it has eluded me for a long time and I think this year I had both the tools and the car to win and I did.

“It was also great to beat Dean (Amos) as I haven’t been able to do it for more than 18 months now and that makes it even sweeter.

“Although it was wet and we broke a supercharger belt, we would have had

it covered because we were almost a second faster on that run before breaking the belt and we knew we’d be faster once we replaced the part and had a new tyre set up for Sunday.

“It’s a shame it rained out on Sunday because the MG Car Club do a great job, but I think that even though it rained, a championship win is still a championship win and I think we had the goods to continue improving.

“It’s what I love about hill climbs, it’s just as much about developing the car than the driver, which is

the reason I go to different circuits – so I can keep improving and get out of my comfort zone.”

Click here to view results from the Motorsport Australia Speed and Auto Test Championships.

Click here to view the Motorsport Australia Hill Climb Championships.

Photos: CH Images

GEORGINA TAKING THE HELM IN WA

This month’s Supercheap Auto Official Superstar is Georgina Helm, who recently carried out the role of Secretary of the Event at the recent Wheels on Yirrigan Safari Rally in Western Australia.

Helm went above and beyond in her duties during the rally as she helped set up stages, see off the competitors in the Service Park and manage enquiries throughout the event.

People may recognise Helm by her bright-pink and sparkly car at events, which at one stage acted

as Rally HQ prior to the official building being unlocked.

Her strong level of enthusiasm for being a Motorsport Australia official and ability to create a fun and bubbly environment at events makes Helm this month’s Supercheap Auto Official Superstar.

Helm’s superstar efforts will see her rewarded with a Supercheap Auto $200 gift card, a commemorative pin and certificate.

GEORGINA HELM

Do you know someone or would like to selfnominate to be next month’s Supercheap Auto Official Superstar?

Click here to submit your story.

FORGET ABOUT RECEIPTS

AUSSIES SHINE IN FDA SCOUTING WORLD FINALS

Australian teenagers Jack Beeton and Gianmarco Pradel have successfully completed an unforgettable experience having taken part in the Ferrari Driver Academy Scouting World Finals last month.

The duo were part of the competitive FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania Selection Program at Sepang International Circuit in September, which saw them undergo a series of intense testing both in and out of a Formula 4 car.

Having first progressed through to the final stage of the program, the duo was then chosen to represent the region in the World Finals last month.

Held at Ferrari's home base in Maranello, the World Finals saw six drivers complete a five-day program of intense testing and workshops – the final two of which saw the six finalists behind the wheel on the famous circuit.

While just one spot is available in the Ferrari Driver Academy with the announcement to be made in the coming weeks, both Beeton and Pradel were highly competitive throughout the camp.

For Beeton, it was a massive learning experience and one that he will cherish regardless of whether he is successful or not.

“The FDA Scouting World Final was such a fun experience, and I really enjoyed every minute of it,” Beeton said.

“I learnt a lot from my five day ‘adventure’ as such, both on and off the track – especially that nowadays, being a race driver isn’t just about how fast you are, it’s about your physical and mental abilities, as well as your personality.

“It was also amazing to see so many dedicated people helping young drivers around the world, putting kids they barely know ahead of themselves.

“The best part of the event was getting to know the Ferrari Test Track, which I feel is one of a kind. It has everything. Fast corners, slow corners and medium speed corners - all put together, it was a very fun track.

“I feel I excelled in the mental aspect of testing, had good results

in the fitness side of the camp and did quite well in driving, which is obviously the most important part.

“Being the second youngest out of the six and having the least experience out of any, I feel I offer the greatest potential, so hopefully that is enough to get selected. Even still, it was an amazing experience, and I will cherish it forever, regardless of the outcome.”

Like Beeton, Pradel had an unforgettable experience he will continue to learn from.

“Walking into the Ferrari gates and being there to compete was a feeling like no other. It was intense and fun but it wasn’t too much of either,” Pradel said.

“It was a really enjoyable and fun experience - The passion for Ferrari and being immersed in such a professional environment. There's an air throughout the whole company. They love what they do and have a huge sense of passion overall.

“I had so much fun throughout the week. It was a real focused camp and a real immersive experience. They took a high-quality picture of you as a driver and then analysed it down to the pixel, everything is covered and it’s a really deep dive into who you are not only as a driver, but as a person as well.

“The circuit was absolutely awesome. It was a circuit like I've never driven before, it has high speed, low speed, off-camber, really banked corners, blind crests; it’s really got the lot.

“It was also awesome to be in such a competitive environment, surrounded by these top-tier, really high-level drivers who have been doing this for ages and I learnt so much from them.

“Firstly, congratulations to both boys for making it as far as they did,” Smith said.

“Gianmarco and Jack showed plenty of pace and potential during the three days at Sepang and I believe they were highly deserving of being selected for the World Finals Italy.

“My main goal throughout the week was to give my best and leave nothing on the table and I think I did that. I was just honing my technique and it was fun to see how much progress I made as a driver. The experience was unforgettable, once in a lifetime.”

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport and Commercial Operations Michael Smith praised the two boys for their efforts in both Malaysia and Italy.

“To have the experience they did will sit with them for a long time and hopefully spur them on to continue pursuing a career up the openwheeler international pathway.

“Whether or not one of them gets selected, they should be extremely proud of their efforts, and I am excited to see their progress from this point onwards.”

The Ferrari Driver Academy Scouting World Finals winner for 2022 will be announced in the coming weeks.

“It’s a really deep dive into who you are not only as a driver, but as a person as well”

FIA GIRLS ON TRACK TO STAR AT ADELAIDE 500

South Australian girls and women will be treated to an exclusive insight into the motorsport industry during December’s VALO Adelaide 500.

As part of the FIA Girls on Track program, Motorsport Australia are providing girls between the ages of 8 and 22 the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the most experienced personnel the industry has to offer.

Schools across the state are encouraged to register for Girls on Track – Inspire, a free program where participants (aged 8 – 15) will complete a range of activities and workshops – including garage tours, reaction and fitness testing, pit stop and simulator challenges and immersive media experiences.

The Girls on Track – Pathways event is for girls aged 15 – 22 years old and will also take place during the VALO Adelaide 500. This event is for girls who are passionate about motorsport and want to learn more about the various roles in the industry.

Attendees in the Pathways program will hear from a range of industry leaders and ambassadors throughout the day, including Nadine Armstrong, Kristen Bailey, Courtney Tyler, Emily Duggan, and Motorsport Australia’s own Nicky Lennon.

Other guests with extensive involvement in the industry will also feature during the event to provide an unmatched experience for all that are involved.

Motorsport Australia Chief Executive Officer Eugene Arocca was excited at the prospect of the program featuring in Adelaide.

“This will be the first time that the innovative Girls on Track program will be held at the VALO Adelaide 500,” Arocca said.

“It is clear evidence of the commitment from the South Australian Government and South Australian Motor Sport Board to support the growing participation of women in motorsport.”

“We are experiencing record engagement with women in motorsport and support for our programs at the VALO Adelaide 500 will continue to increase both the appeal and reach of motorsport, particularly to young girls.”

“On behalf of everyone at Motorsport Australia I want to thank Premier Malinauskas and his government for not only bringing back the VALO Adelaide 500 but for supporting important grass roots initiatives.”

VALO Adelaide 500 Chief Executive Mark Warren echoed the words of Arocca, stating the

importance of showcasing the industry to young women.

“As fans of all ages flock back to the Adelaide street circuit, it’s important to the event to showcase the various career pathways available to students and young people in the sport,” Warren said.

“Motorsport can be a vehicle for South Australian students to develop an interest and skillset in STEM avenues like engineering and software analytics, and we look forwarding to hosting the FIA Girls on Track program alongside our Schools Day to create opportunities for our next generation of motorsport careerists at the VALO Adelaide 500.”

Schools looking to get involved in the Girls on Track - Inspire event can email girlsontrack@motorsport. org.au for more information.

The FIA Girls on Track program will take place at the VALO Adelaide 500 on Thursday 1 December.

Click here to register for the Inspire event here.

Interested participants for the Pathways event can register here.

Photo: Angryman Photography

Photo: Angryman Photography

Photo: Edge Photographics

GILL SECURES LANDMARK RALLY STAR VICTORY IN INDIA

RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) regular Taylor Gill won the 2022 FIA Rally Star Asia-Pacific Final in India last month, securing a place in next year’s FIA Rally Star Training Season.

One of 40 drivers from seven different countries to take part in the regional rally selection program at the Madras International Circuit, Gill was deemed to be the best of the group having impressed on the final day of the program.

In winning the regional program, the New South Welshman will now represent the Asia Pacific region in the international FIA Rally Star Training Season, which will include six rallies in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3.

In addition to his six-rally deal in the WRC3 spec car, Gill will also receive a physical and intellectual assessment, driver coaching and testing to equip him with the skills needed for a career in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)

“It’s pretty cool,” Gill said post-event.

“Obviously everyone goes for it, but you don’t expect to get it, so I’m over the moon.

“For sure, there was a lot of pressure, especially to go out and do another run today, I couldn’t make any mistakes, that’s what I tried to do, so I’m super happy.”

Following on from the opening two days of the competition,

the talent pool was cut from 40 drivers to 13, which included Gill and four other Australians in Ryan Williams, Aidan Peterson, Molly Spalding and Jaidyn Gluskie.

The final day saw finalists enduring gruelling physical and reaction tests, as well as driving tests behind

Photos: FIA Rally Star / Aditya Bedre

the wheel of Pirelli-equipped TN5 Cross Cars from WRC star Thierry Neuville’s LifeLive organisation. Featuring a mix of gravel and asphalt sections, the three and half kilometre course was significantly faster than the two previous days’ layouts, with Gill one of the fastest.

The final day of testing wrapped up with an interview with the five-person jury consisting of Andrew Wheatley, Maciej Woda, Pernilla Solberg, David Terrien and Guy Botterill – all of whom eventually judged Gill as the winner.

Gill will now join fellow regional winners, Abdullah Al Tawqi of Oman (MENA), European Romet Jürgenson (Europe) and South African Max Smart (Africa) in the Training Season,

with the North and South America regional finals to occur early in 2023.

All six finalists and the winner of the female final will form part of the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season, with the four best performing drivers to win an FIA Junior WRC Championship drive in 2024 - the first step on the ladder to the toplevel, hybrid-based Rally1 category.

Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca praised Gill for his triumph.

“On behalf of everyone at Motorsport Australia, we congratulate Taylor for winning this challenging program, which comes with an amazing opportunity to climb the rally development pathway,” Arocca said.

“We also wish to acknowledge and thank the five other Australians who did a fantastic job in being selected for the program and their performances in India – four of which joined Taylor in the final.

“To have Taylor and his fellow Aussies do well in this competition, in addition to the six Australians making it to the top six at last month’s Ferrari Driver Academy highlights the positive development opportunities our future stars are able to access here in Australia.

“It’s very promising to see so many young Australians do well on the international stage.

“We wish Taylor all the best with his campaign in the FIA Rally Star Training Season and look forward to seeing him continue his development as a rally driver in the ARC and beyond.”

More details on the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season will be released in the coming months.

Photos: FIA Rally Star / Aditya Bedre

“Obviously everyone goes for it, but you don’t expect to get it, so I’m over the moon”

NOVEMBER WEBINARS CONFIRMED FOR FIA GIRLS ON TRACK

The FIA Girls on Track program’s next set of webinars has been confirmed with two webinars scheduled for November.

The first to be held will be the Masterclass on Resume Writing webinar, which will be hosted by FIA Girls on Track Ambassador Nadine Armstrong and will feature Todd Jack Hooker and Katie Light from Williams Racing Formula 1 Racing Team.

Hooker, who serves as the Talent Acquisition Manager and Light who leads Early Careers Programme, will give an insight into what a Formula 1 team are looking for during the hiring process.

The duo will provide a sample resume and go through what works and what doesn’t in order to grab the attention of a potential employer.

Some of the key topics to be addressed will include showcasing

ambition, education versus experience, how to stand out and the key to writing a good resume.

In the week following the Masterclass on Resume Writing will be an informative Motorsport Team Roles and Administration webinar, hosted by Girls on Track Ambassadors Jessica Dane and Shannen Kiely.

Both women hold crucial roles in the Repco Supercars Championship - Dane has an extensive history in motorsport and is the current co-owner of Triple Eight Race Engineering, while Kiely is the Managing Director of Erebus Motorsport.

The two will give an insight into what these roles are, as well as how they contribute to the functioning and success of the team with a focus on what working on a motorsport team looks like and balancing their personal and professional lives.

The Masterclass on Resume Writing webinar takes place on Tuesday 15 November at 7pm AEDT and the Motorsport Team Roles and Administration webinar will be held on Monday 21 November at 6:30pm AEDT.

Click here to register for the Masterclass on Resume Writing webinar.

Click here to register a place in the Motorsport Team Roles and Administration webinar.

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WHO WILL YOU HONOUR?

LAST CALL FOR STATE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Nominations for the 2022 Motorsport Australia State Awards, presented by Shannons Insurance, are still being accepted.

The 2022 Motorsport Australia State Awards season, proudly presented by Shannons Insurance, is officially underway with nominations rolling in from around the country.

Following the success of this year’s virtual awards, the 2022 State Awards season will again run in a similar format, as each state’s ceremony to be held online with details to be confirmed over the coming months.

Scheduled to be held throughout next February and March, the Motorsport

Australia

celebrate the achievements for both individuals and clubs within each state who go above and beyond every year.

Service Stars, State Officials of the Year and State Events of the Year are just some of awards to be recognised in each virtual ceremony, in addition to the many champions of series and championships.

All Motorsport Australia club members, competitors and officials are encouraged to make a nomination for the 2022 State Awards and honour those who are deserving of formal acknowledgment for their work.

The nomination process is easy to complete online through a computer, tablet or mobile phone with nominations closing at 5pm AEDT on Friday, 11 November 2022.

The dates for the 2022 Motorsport Australia State Awards will be released in the coming months.

Click here to nominate for a State Award.

State Awards

NATIONAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS UPDATE

As members will be aware, Motorsport Australia has been unable to hold a National Awards night for its 2020 and 2021 award winners due to the ongoing restrictions associated with COVID-19.

With a ceremony planned to take place in early 2023, there are a number of awards that have been held over in recent years and will instead be presented at this eagerly anticipated gala dinner.

Given the volume of historical awards that need to be handed out at this event, Motorsport Australia may not be able to present the majority of its awards this year.

Championship and Series winners will of course still be recognised as per previous years.

The format of the awards ceremony will then revert to ‘normal’ in 2024.

A small number of awards may be opened for nominations, including the annual Media Awards, in the coming weeks, with further updates provided on motorsport. org.au and future editions of Speed Read.

For further information, please email communications@ motorsport.org.au.

Photo: Flash Studio

'PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDS OF MOTORSPORT’ LAUNCHES IN QUEENSLAND

Motorsport Australia successfully launched the Queensland 'Parliamentary Friends of Motorsport' at a function held at Parliament House in Brisbane, where MPs and motorsport personalities gathered to show their support for the industry.

Parliamentarians from both sides of politics heard from co-convenors Bart Mellish MP and Steve Minnikin MP about the reasons behind forming the group.

Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca also addressed the attendees to emphasize how important motorsport is from a sporting, community, social, and economic point of view.

Jessica Dane interviewed a panel comprising Dick Johnson, Roland Dane and Repco Bathurst 1000 wildcard entry Declan Fraser to provide insights into the sport, the opportunities, and the need for government support of the industry.

Also attending the event were a number of key stakeholders including representatives from the Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport, Queensland Raceway, Shannons Insurance, Dick Johnson Racing, Triple 8 Race Engineering, Karting Australia, Norwell Motorplex, the Super Retail Group and Supercheap Auto.

The parliamentarians were particularly keen to get up close to Fraser’s Supercheap backed Bathurst 1000 Holden Commodore, with many photos taken of the Supercar, which was on display at the event courtesy of Supercheap Auto.

Following the successful event, Arocca lauded the new initiative and believed it could have a major impact on the sport in Queensland.

“A big thanks to all the MPs, media, commercial partners and motorsport stakeholders who attended the launch of the Queensland 'Parliamentary Friends of Motorsport',” Arocca said.

"Motorsport is extremely popular in Queensland and apart from the many events held at venues such as Queensland Raceway and Morgan Park, the state also hosts rally and off road national championship rounds.

“The creation of this group of motorsport friendly parliamentarians will provide us with the opportunity to highlight and discuss how important the sport is for Queenslanders.

“This initiative is the result of discussions between our President, Andrew Fraser and MPs Bart Mellish and Steve Minnikin, who were passionate about creating a group of motorsport loving parliamentarians, who could hopefully help us to continue growing motorsport in Queensland.”

Photos: CH Images

“The creation of this group of motorsport friendly parliamentarians will provide us with the opportunity to discuss how important the sport is for Queenslanders”

ENJOY YOUR DRIVE.

WHAT'S ON IN NOVEMBER

NEW SOUTH WALES AND ACT

5 November: RTDC Motorkhana Round 3

5 November: Xmas Colo Autocross

6 November: Round 7 Porsche Club NSW Inc Supersprint Championship

6 November: Alfa Romeo Owners

Club of NSW Concoso

6 November: Red Point Hillclimb Series

6 November: MGCCN KC6

Dirt & Tar Khanacross

6 November: Impreza WRX Club Motorkhana Championship Round 5

6 November: November Khanacross

6 November: Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint Series 2022/2023 - Round 2

6 November: 2022 HeartKids Hillclimb

8 November: Redpoint Hillclimb Series Round 2

11-13 November: Bathurst International

12-13 November: 2022 Motorsport Australia NSW Rallycross Championship

12 November: HDCC November Motorkhana

12 November: Gravel Motorkhana

13 November: August Khanacross

13 November: Red Point Tri Series

13 November: Khanacross #5

13 November: Wollongong Sporting Car Club Hillclimb

13 November: Ringwood TAR Series Hillclimb Round 6

18-20 November: 25th Anniversary Nabiac Airport Challenge

19-20 November: DSCC 2022 Autocross Series Round 8

19-20 November: CalOffroad

Mt Gladstone Hillclimb

20 November: SDMA Club Hillclimb

20 November: Club Lap Dash

20 November: MID Support

State Khanacross

24-27 November: 2022 Challenge Bathurst

25-27 November: Coffs Coast Rally

26 November: 2022 National Patios

ACT Khanacross Series Round 5

27 November: MG Car Club Canberra Club Motorkhana

NSW: 11-13 November - Bathurst International Showcasing a solid mix international and world-class categories, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International is set to feature seven spectacular racing on Australia's premiere circuit.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

6 November: Red Central Towing & Recovery Rallysprint

19 November: TEDA Track Training & Driftkhana

QUEENSLAND

5-6 November: Mt Cotton Hillclimb Round 6

5-6 November: Bitumen Khanacross Series-Round 4

12-13 November: HBMSA Round 6 Khanacross

13 November: Qld Khanacross Championship Incorporating Khanacross Round of Interclub Challenge

13-14 November: Junior Driver /2 Day Dirt

18-20 November: 2022 Queensland Circuit Racing State Championships - Round 4

19 November: CCCC Bitumen Khanacross and Motorkhana Series Round 3

20 November: Tamborine Khanacross

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

5 November: NDCC Hill Climb Challenge

6 November: Minis at the Mill 11-13 November: Legend of the Lakes Hillclimb

19 November: SA Motorsport Series Enduro 24-27 November: 2022 Shannons Adelaide Rally

TASMANIA

4-6 November: Northwest Offroad & ARB Accessories 50th Tas Sand Enduro

5-6 November: 2022 Tasmanian Khanacross Championship

6 November: The Autocraft Baskerville 1000

12 November: Isandula Rallysprint

12-13 November: Khanacross Summer Series Round 1 & Junior Training Day 19-20 November: Round 6 - 2022

Tasmanian Circuit Racing Championship

27 November: CMI Domain Hillclimb

Photo: Optical Note Productions

VICTORIA

4-6 November: Historic Sandown

4-6 November: RSM Round

2 - Mafeking Cup

5 November: Ricciardo's Racers

5-6 November: Victoria Cross Rally

5 November: Drive Wodonga

5-6 November: 2022 BLCC Cogs Carnival

6 November: Bryant Park Sprint

6 November: Avalon Motorkhana Round 6

9 November: EV: Vietnam

Vets Museum Run

12 November: Gemini Gemboree 2022

12 November: WV: Central Goldfields Run

12 November: Madcc Round 8- Noel Burley

12 November: YOW Driver Training

18-20 November: HTA Reunion

19 November: METEC Khanacross 2022

19-20 November: King of the Hill Hillclimb

19-20 November: 2022 Alpine Classic

19 November: VKC Round 6

19 November: The Parwan Motorkhana Event

20 November: President's Day 2022

20 November: CCRMIT Christmas Hillclimb

25-27 November: 2022 Island Magic

26-27 November: Geelong Revival Motoring Festival

26 November: Spettacolo Concorso

27 November: SDCC Khanacross

27 November: RAAF Auto Club Sprint

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

5 November: SWTCC Round 6

12-13 November: GT Fabrication

Targa Bunbury Sprint

13 November: Superior Customs Light Car Club Khanacross

19 November: Ricciardo's Racers

20 November: TSOA Show and Shine

20 November: Ricciardo's Racers

20 November: 2022 PCWA Club Day

23 November: Summer

Autocross Series Round 1

26-27 November: Collie Motorplex Sprint

TAS: 6 November - The Autocraft Baskerville 1000

Designed to give first time competitors an opportunity to participate in motorsport, the Baskerville 1000 is a long distanceregularity event where teams battle it over a gruelling six hours.

WA: 12-13 November - GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint

The City of Bunbury will welcome competitors to the ever popular GT Fabrication Targa Bunbury Sprint, which comprises of a show and shine and rally sprint action. Rounding out the 2022 Targa West season, the competitors will race against the clock as they complete eight runs of the Halifax stage.

Photo: Tim Allot

Photo: Optical Note Productions

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT GRANTS SUPPORTING CLUBS

Grassroots motorsport is the big winner from the latest round of grants from the Victorian Government.

Sixty projects will share in more than $456,000 from the Government’s Community Motorsport Program.

The grants help motorsport and motorcycling clubs to upgrade safety, train volunteers and officials, boost participation particularly for women and girls and host events.

The latest round of recipients includes Club Resto My Ride in

Williamstown, which received $20,000 to update their website and set up a podcast dedicated to female car restoration enthusiasts.

The club was also on hand to meet Government ministers at the announcement of the grants together with representatives from Motorsport Australia.

The Community Motorsport Program is part of the Government’s $7.4 million Racing into a New Era for Motorsport initiative.

It’s aimed at addressing gaps in motorsport infrastructure and equipment, training volunteers and officials, supporting young enthusiasts and women to get involved.

Motorsport in Victoria supports more than 4,000 jobs and contributes about $700 million to the Victorian economy.

UNIFIED SPEEDSERIES PRIMED FOR BUMPER 2023

All Motorsport Australia Championships and Australian Racing Group (ARG) events will operate under the unified SpeedSeries banner in 2023.

Motorsport Australia and ARG will work collaboratively to deliver and broadcast live a base of seven high profile events around Australia next year, with the events and categories falling under a single and consistent brand for the first time.

Starting with Race Tasmania in February, the SpeedSeries will again feature two events at the iconic Mount Panorama, with the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour and Supercheap Auto Bathurst International all set to return.

Other venues include some of the country’s best circuits, including stops at the new-look Queensland Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park and Sandown

International Raceway and another Victorian venue to be confirmed.

Events will feature a wide range of categories, including the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Turtle Wax Trans Am Series, S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters, Australian Production Cars and many more.

Meanwhile, Motorsport Australia can also confirm there will also be several additional events with a reduced broadcast footprint at various circuits across the country in 2023 with further detail to be provided shortly.

These additional events will provide more valuable track time for a wider range of categories to access.

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport and Commercial Operations Michael Smith was looking forward to new look SpeedSeries.

“We’re excited about what lies in store for the 2023 SpeedSeries,” Smith said.

“After an interrupted few years, 2022 allowed us to deliver a huge range of events with some record crowds at venues across the country and plenty of people watching on through the high-quality Stan and Nine broadcasts. These events

“We’re excited about what lies in store for the 2023 SpeedSeries”

Photo: Speed Shots Photography

highlighted the strong interest in the sport and the competing categories.

“Next year sees the SpeedSeries take another step forward in its evolution, with a clear identity and more quality events that we will work closely with the team at ARG to deliver. It makes sense to have the one ‘SpeedSeries’ brand for both fans at the event and at home.

“We’re also really excited to be able to announce a number of other events alongside the SpeedSeries to provide even more track time and racing options for a range of national and state categories eager to compete on the national stage. We’ll share more about this news in the coming weeks.”

Australian Racing Group Chief Operating Officer Liam Curkpatrick echoed Smith’s comments and was pleased for the collaboration.

“Creating a single brand for the suite of ARG and Motorsport Australia categories to fall under made sense for all concerned, and it’s been a great collaboration with the team at Motorsport Australia to make it happen,” Curkpatrick said.

“It makes sense for the fans, partners, for the broadcasters and for the categories themselves who will be able to tell their own supporters, sponsors and followers that they are racing at a ‘SpeedSeries’ event wherever they go throughout the year.

“The unified approach will mean our marketing, promotion and management of each event can be even more effective and continue to build on the record attendances and great broadcast audiences seen this year.

“2022 has served as something of a soft launch for the ‘SpeedSeries’ brand, but its clear and simple

branding has worked very well and we are looking forward to collaborating with the team at Motorsport Australia to build it further in 2023 and beyond.”

Further details of these events, along with confirmed dates, will be announced soon.

All SpeedSeries rounds will again be broadcast live on Stan Sport as well as the Nine network.

2023 SPEEDSERIES

CALENDAR

Round 1: Race Tasmania, Symmons Plains – 24-26 February

Round 2: Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst

6 Hour – 7-9 April

Round 3: Victoria TBC – 26-28 May

Round 4: Sydney Motorsport Park – 23-25 June

Round 5: Queensland Raceway – 11-13 August

Round 6: Sandown International Raceway – 15-17 September

Round 7: Supercheap Auto Bathurst International – 10-12 November

“It makes sense for the fans, partners, for the broadcasters and for the categories themselves”

AUSTRALIA TO JOIN TCR WORLD TOUR IN 2023

Australia has been announced as one of the nine locations for the new WSC-operated TCR World Tour Global Series calendar for 2023.

The new international series will feature some of the best TCR manufacturer racing teams and drivers from around the world and will take place in Europe, before holding a round in Australia at a track yet to be confirmed.

At the conclusion of the nine races, a TCR World Final will be held in which the top 15 drivers will compete against each other, while the next best ranked drivers will be invited to a four-day World Final event to compete for the ultimate crown in TCR racing.

WSC founder and president Marcello Lotti acknowledged the quality in Australia’s TCR series and was looking forward to delivering the series down under.

“The TCR World Tour will race in Australia which will see the manufacturer customer racing

TCR World Tour teams race in Australia with the TCR Australia teams and series,” Lotti said.

“Australia has consistently been one of the most exciting and professional TCR series and we are delighted to acknowledge this by bringing the benefit of a global audience and the TCR World Tour to Australia.”

Australian Racing Group CEO Liam Curkpatrick welcomed the announcement, crediting the already successful TCR Series held in Australia.

“This is a very major achievement for Australia to feature as part of the new TCR World Tour Series, it’s a significant commitment by WSC and the teams to come here and compete at our venues and is a great opportunity for our own drivers to showcase their talent to a global audience and potentially create new opportunities as a result,” Curkpatrick said.

“This is testament to our teams and drivers who have made the opening few seasons of competition

down under one of the most regarded TCR series in the world.

“It is also pleasing to see the increased driver pathways that we are now seeing with the resumption of international travel. This has included Aaron Cameron competing in the FIA Motorsport Games in TCR, Nathan Herne in the USA competing in Trans AM along with international drivers and now the TCR World Tour Series coming to Australia.

In another boost for TCR Australia, the series will be one of the first regions to implement hybrid technology, with the push to pass technology seeing local deployment and testing commence in Australia through 2023, ready for a full rollout in 2024.

More information on the WSCoperated TCR World Tour Global Series will be announced shortly.

“This is a very major achievement for Australia to feature as part of the new TCR World Tour Series”

Photo:

The world’s best GT3 drivers and teams will return to Mount Panorama in 2023 with the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12Hour to embrace a fully professional outright class of competitors once again.

With COVID-19 having forced the event to revert to a Pro-Am format in previous years due to freight and travel restrictions, next year’s edition of the popular endurance race will feature all pro driving line-ups for the first time since 2020.

The class structure for the event has also been confirmed and four official classes making up the race.

Making up the different classes will be Pro and Pro-Am cars (Class A), Porsche GT3 Cup cars (Class

Powered by Pirelli organisers, SRO Motorsports Group and other key stakeholders were key to one Australia’s biggest international events back to reality.

“We’re committed to make the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour an incredible show,” Event Director Shane Rudzis said.

B) GT4 cars (Class C) and the invitational class, which cater for powerful cars like the SRO GT2.

Strong support from Intercontinental GT Challenge

“We have worked closely with our partners to develop the formats for 2023 and their commitment, along with communication from manufacturers who want to be back on the Mountain, were enough to convince us that the time was right to return to the allPro format for the outright fight.”

Photo: LIQUI MOLY Bathurst

SRO Motorsports Group Founder and CEO Stephane Ratel echoed Rudzis’ comments and was delighted about the return of the Pro Class.

“I’m delighted to see the Pro class returning to IGTC’s season opener in Australia next year. It’s 100 per cent the right decision for Bathurst,” Ratel said.

“The event owes its success and standing as one of the world’s must-win GT races to manufacturer participation, which has become a key 12 Hour component over the past decade.”

In addition to the return of the international stars, event organisers have also announced the return of the successful split Top-10 Qualifying Shootout, which will be held on the Saturday afternoon.

Introduced in this year’s edition due to the poor weather conditions, the top 10 fastest drivers will progress from qualifying to the shootout,

which consists of two 15-minute sessions of five cars in each – the winner to receive the coveted Allan Simonsen Pole Award.

Pro-Am participation has also been enhanced for 2023 with the inclusion of separate Am only practice sessions which were introduced in this year’s event.

Stricter regulations will also be applied regarding the driving standards and Professional driver conduct in the race.

These changes include tougher penalties including lengthy stop and go penalties, which could see cars dropped from the lead lap. This penalty will be applied to Pro drivers who make contact with Am competitors at any point during the event.

These penalties have been included in the revised Sporting and Technical regulations for the 2023 race.

The ‘Lucky Dog’ wave around rule for cars one lap down will also be carried over into 2023.

“The decision at the last minute to change qualifying formats in 2022 has proved to be a blessing in disguise in giving the 12Hour its own unique Shootout format, while still maintaining the uniqueness of needing that one perfect lap to get pole on the Mountain.” Rudzis added.

“We have developed a new set of regulations around the driver standards to ensure that the Pro-Am teams and Am drivers are looked after as best as possible, along with many of the Am-centric regulations around driver time and stint length from 2022 remaining in place.”

The 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour will be held 3-5 February 2023.

SUPER SHOW AT THE BEND AUTOFEST

The 2022 Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships season came to an end in October, with a wet but exciting finale at The Bend Motorsport Park. Sharing the spotlight with the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship and The Bend Classic to form The Bend AutoFest, the event certainly kept fans entertained throughout the three-day meeting despite the Sunday action being cut short due to extreme wet weather conditions.

An impressive list of categories made up the bill for the Shannons finale, with a solid field of 71 competitors spread across the five national series and championships – some of which had their titles decided.

As a result of an eighth-place finish in race two, Chris Perini was crowned the Radical Cup Australia Series champion over long-time rivals Peter Paddon and Peter

Carr, while a pair of second place finishes saw Caleb Sumich took out the weekend's competition.

John-Paul Drake was another driver to claim a title as the South Australian took out the GC Marine Australian Prototype Series for the first time after winning the shortened opening race, before an eighth-place finish was enough to claim the title over rivals Ricky Capo and Ryan Godfrey –the latter of whom won the round.

It was a familiar sight in the Australian Production Cars, as Wayne, Andre and Aaren Russell led the Go-KartsGo team to victory in all sessions across the first two days, before Dean Campbell and Nathan Callaghan took victory in races three and four.

Prince Jefri Ibrahim and Broc Feeney gave Triple Eight Race Engineering the upper hand in the one and only race of the weekend for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia, overcoming a fifteen second penalty to storm through the field and take victory over Liam Talbot and Fraser Ross.

After impressive side-by-side action in the first race, Ryan Wood claimed victory before Sargent extended his lead at the top of the standings in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia after Wood suffered mechanical issues in the final race.

Photos: Speed Shots Photography

MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA TROPHY SERIES TO DEBUT IN 2023

More track time and racing will be added to the national motorsport calendar in 2023 with the introduction of the Motorsport Australia Trophy Series.

The new Trophy Series will provide further opportunities for a number of national categories to compete on Australia’s best circuits at events run and organised by Motorsport Australia.

Initially, the Trophy Series will take place at three circuits, mostly coinciding with the dates of the SpeedSeries events to provide back-to-back racing for the benefit of fans and competitors alike, as well as provide the infrastructure required for both events.

Visiting Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and The Bend Motorsport Park, the Motorsport Australia Trophy Series will feature a wide range of

categories, with full 2023 category calendars to be announced soon.

The events will also be live streamed, with further broadcast details to be confirmed shortly.

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport & Commercial Operations said the Trophy Series was nearing capacity, such is the desire for more racing opportunities.

“We've been in discussion with a wide range of category managers who have said they are eager for more track time to expand their calendars and provide as much racing as possible to their competitors,” Smith explained.

“Given that level of interest, we’re thrilled to be confirming the debut of the Motorsport Australia Trophy Series in 2023. This will provide categories with even more opportunities to go racing at iconic circuits around the country.

“Most of the events will also take place either side of the SpeedSeries events, which means logistically we can set up at venues for both events and will have staff in place to deliver both race meetings efficiently and sustainably.

“The category line up for the Motorsport Australia Trophy Series is already close to capacity, so there’s real interest there for these events and we know they will be a great success in 2023 and beyond."

Photos: Speed Shots Photography

FIVE ROUNDS LOCKED IN FOR 2023 AORC

The calendar for the 2023 Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) has been confirmed with five rounds across multiple states and territories to make up the 2023 schedule.

Starting in March, the AORC will head north for the newest event on the calendar, the Gold City 450.

Taking place just south of Townsville in the regional town of Charters Towers, the Gold City 450 will get the season underway in style, with crews to complete three sections of the challenging course.

Six weeks after the new season opener will be an event that debuted in 2022, the Pooncarie Desert Dash.

Held just north of the New South Wales and Victorian border, the Sunraysia Motorsport Club’s event was a major success amongst crews as eventual 2022 champions Ryan Taylor and Kye Floyd secured their first win for the year.

Following April’s second round will be the big one - the Tatts Finke Desert Race, which takes place in its traditional slot of the King’s Birthday long weekend in the middle of June.

A six-week break awaits crews after the iconic event, allowing them to

rest, recharge and get their cars back into shape ahead of one of the most challenging events on the calendar, the Loveday 400.

With the fourth round occurring at the end of July, crews will enjoy another lengthy recovery spell before making their way out west in October for the season finale, the Kalgoorlie Desert Race.

One of three rounds to make a successful national debut in 2022, the Western Australia event was a hit amongst crews and created the perfect backdrop for what ended up an exciting end to the championship title fight.

Motorsport Australia Managing Director of Motorsport and Commercial Michael Smith was pleased with the 2023 calendar.

“We are extremely happy as to how the calendar turned out with five rounds, as it covers five different states and territories,” Smith said.

“Having Loveday, Pooncarie and Kalgoorlie receive such positive feedback following their first year on the calendar was a major boost for the AORC and I am sure crews are

keen to get back out there and have another crack at these events now that they are familiar with them.

“The success of each new event should give crews the confidence that Charters Towers will be able to achieve a similar outcome and provide an event that will meet the high standards of the rest of the championship.

“We’re also pleased that there is a good amount of rest between each event, giving crews plenty of time to recover between each round and I am hopeful that this will allow for more crews to attend each round.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to have lost the Rainbow Desert Enduro for the 2023 season, however it is completely understandable as to why the Victorian Off Road Racing Association chose to withdraw and we support its decision and hope to see them again soon.”

The 2023 AORC season will kick off with the Gold City 450 in Charters Towers on 10-12 March.

2023 AORC CALENDAR

Round 1: Gold City 450, Charters Towers, Queensland - 10-12 March

Round 2: Pooncarie Desert Dash, Pooncarie, New South Wales - 21-23 April

Round 3: Finke Desert Race, Alice Springs, Northern Territory - 10-12 June

Round 4: Loveday 400, Loveday, South Australia - 28-30 July

Round 5: Kalgoorlie Desert Race - Kalgoorlie, Western Australia - 19-22 October

Pooncarie Desert Dash

Photo: Gears and Wheels Photography

Finke Desert Race

Photo: Dakar Press Team Australia

Loveday 400

Photo: Bob Taylor

ROBINSON WINS KALGOORLIE AS TAYLOR CROWNED CHAMPION

The 2022 BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC) season reached a thrilling climax last month as Ryan Taylor and Kye Floyd were crowned champions following a dramatic Black Diamond Drilling Kalgoorlie Desert Race.

In what was an incredibly close fight for the title, Taylor and Floyd ended up taking out the Championship after finishing the 323km race in second place behind Beau Robinson and Jake Clucas, who had produced an almost faultless weekend to take out the victory.

Incredibly, the eventual champions were essentially gifted the title when fellow contenders Jake and Kate Swinglehurst were forced to retire midway through the third and final section of the event.

Up until that point in the race, Swinglehurst had held a slender lead in the championship fight over Taylor, even after a tyre puncture had cost them multiple positions in section two.

It was a battle that was destined to go down to the wire, however at the start of the weekend, Swinglehurst held the advantage courtesy of a brilliant Prologue win over Robinson and Taylor.

Very little changed in the first section of the race as the trio were the standout performers - Swinglehurst staying in the lead after the first completed lap, 11 seconds between he and the third placed Taylor.

However, the championship fight was turned on its head during the second section as Swinglehurst sustained a rear puncture and lost plenty of time as a result.

Despite falling to 11th for the event, the Queenslander only needed to finish seventh or higher to regain the championship lead, but engine issues midway through the final section prevented him from doing so.

Photos: Dakar Press Team Australia

“Thanks to Dad who got me into this. We have finally got the number one”

The DNF ended what had been an entertaining title fight for much of the season - only eight and half points separated Taylor and Swinglehurst heading into the final round.

Meanwhile, Taylor had kept his cool and finished comfortably in second place behind a fastcharging Robinson, giving him a title that was decades in the making for his family. The son of the late great Nev Taylor thrilled they could finally celebrate a title.

“I am speechless. I don’t know what to say,” Taylor said post-race.

“Thank you to Team Taylor and my whole family who have supported me all through the year. Thanks to Dad who got me into this. We have finally got the number one.

“This is for him. Honestly, I think we got a bit of help from him this weekend.”

Ending the year in second on the outright AORC standings were West Australians Brent Smoothy and Reese Burgess after the duo overcame some mechanical dramas on Sunday morning to finish their home race in fifth place, while Extreme 2WD rivals Brett Comiskey and Reese Burgess finished the year in third.

Taking out fourth place on the 2022 standings was Garry Turnbull, who alongside daughter Tamara rounded out the Kalgoorlie podium in dramatic fashion – the South Australians just edging out 2021 Kalgoorlie Desert Race winners Nick Hicks and Mark Gater by just one and a half seconds.

In the KINCROME SXS Motorsport Australia Championship, first-year driver James Cook and navigator Mitch Aucote sealed the title after a dominant performance in Kalgoorlie having won all three sections.

“I have no words to describe this feeling. So much work has gone into this,” Cook said.

“There are probably two people I would really like to thank. My navigator Mitch and my mechanic. All the hours of dedication that we put in.

“I didn’t think it was possible to do this. We just put our head down and ass up this year and just got it done.”

It was another first-year driver in Glenn Brinkman, who took out second place for the championship after Glen Ackroyd had mechanical issues on Saturday, while Greg Campbell rounded out the podium.

Dakar Press Team Australia

WEBBER INDUCTED INTO SPORT AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME

Australian former Formula 1 star Mark Webber has been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

One of nine Australian sporting icons to be inducted, Webber was unanimously voted in by the Hall of Fame’s panel for his many years at the top level of international motorsport.

The Sport Australia Hall of Fame considers many factors when selecting athletes for the prestigious club, with each inductee having excelled in their chosen sport and done so with dignity, integrity, courage, modesty, pride and ambition.

Spending more than a decade at the pinnacle of international motor racing, the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Webber claimed a total of nine wins throughout his 215 starts, 33 further podiums and 13 pole positions.

Having raced with a number of teams throughout his 12-season

stint in Formula 1, the New South Welshman spent a large portion of his career with Red Bull Racing, where he came third on the outright standings on three occasions.

Debuting in 2002 for KL Minardi Asiatech, Webber’s first race proved quite successful with a P5 at the Australian Grand Prix – remarkably his debut performance would be his best result for the next three seasons.

Making the move to BMW Williams at the end of 2004, it didn’t take Webber long to pick up his first F1 podium for his new team - a third place on the biggest stage of all, the Monaco Grand Prix.

Again, it would be another lengthy wait before he got his next podium, which came with his new team Red Bull in 2007.

Webber reached a new level in 2009 with his first two Formula 1 wins in Germany and Brazil and

another four podiums, ending the season in fourth place.

Arguably his best season in F1 came in the following year, where he claimed four wins and a further six podiums yet fell just short of a World Championship by 14 points.

In 2011, he claimed just one win, however his consistency saw him finish third again after picking up a further nine podiums and finishing all but one race in the top five.

Webber had just two more seasons in Formula 1 and during that time, he picked up a further two wins and 10 podiums before leaving the Championship with another third place at the end of 2013.

The Australian then joined the Porsche Factory Team to contest the highly acclaimed FIA World Endurance Championship alongside German Timo Bernhard and New Zealander Brendon Hartley, a move

Weber at FIA Prize Giving in 2013, finishing third in the Formula 1 Championship

that would bring Webber more success over the next three years.

Three podiums in 2014 marked a solid start for the trio, however their big moment came in 2015 when they won the FIA World Endurance Championship title courtesy of four consecutive victories and a further two podiums.

Since his retirement in 2016, Webber remains a Porsche Ambassador and Red Bull Athlete, works as a F1 Pundit for British TV outlet Channel 4 and co-founded highly-esteemed talent management company, Jam Sports Management, who looks after future F1 driver Oscar Piastri. He was also inducted in the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2018.

Webber now becomes the fifth motorsport representative to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame joining Sir Jack Brabham AO OBE, Alan Jones MBE, Peter Brock AM and Allan Moffat OBE.

Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser congratulated Webber.

“Being inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame is an incredible achievement and further highlights Mark’s stellar career at the highest level of motorsport around the world,” Fraser said.

“What Mark achieved in putting Australian drivers back on the map in Formula 1 cannot be underestimated, as well as the longevity for which he had such a prosperous career.

“Of course, there were a couple of other Australians who made it to Formula 1 in between Webber and Alan Jones, however Mark’s long standing tenure during the height of his career and his nine Grand Prix wins make him one of this country’s most successful drivers in the sport.

“Add his FIA World Endurance Championship title and his work off the track to the fold, Mark is undoubtedly a deserving recipient of this prestigious honour.

“On behalf of everyone at Motorsport Australia, and I am sure many in the Australian motorsport industry, a big congratulations to Mark for this outstanding achievement.”

Webber was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Catherine Cox, Brad Fittler, Tanya Harding, Cara Honeychurch, Chris Judd, Karrie Webb, George Bedbrook and Adrian Hurley.

All nine inductees will be honoured in a television special, ‘Sport Australia Hall of Fame - Heroes and Legends’ on Thursday 8 December on the Seven Network.

“What Mark achieved in putting Australian drivers back on the map in Formula 1 cannot be underestimated”

Photos: Red Bull Content Pool

LEWIS TAKES THE LEAD AFTER ADELAIDE HILLS THRILLER

Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin have stormed into the lead of the 2022 RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC).

Their victory in the Adelaide Hills Rally saw them move ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia teammates Harry Bates and co-driver John McCarthy after claiming back-to-back ARC Wins.

It was another impressive performance from the new

championship leader who claimed a number of stage wins throughout the weekend, including maximum bonus points in the EROAD Power Stage.

Having won one stage on the Sunday morning, Shamrock Motorsport’s Richie Dalton and Dale Moscatt finished the event in second, while young gun Troy Dowel and co-driver Bernie Webb rounded out the podium in third.

After Lewis has claimed an early lead on the first four stages on the Friday

Photo: Chantel Collins

Photos: Daniel Kalisz

Photo: Dakar Press Team Australia

night, the reigning champion in Harry clicked into gear and back into the lead on the Saturday morning, with three consecutive stage wins.

Unfortunately, a fire on the 10th stage of the event opened the door for brother and teammate Lewis to not just take the event lead, but potentially the outright championship too.

The rain threatened to cause drama throughout the day on Sunday, and while several stages were cancelled, the majority took place allowing competitors to enjoy plenty of time at the world class facility.

Harry eventually made his way back into the field on Sunday and won four of the seven stages, however it was too little too late as Lewis had a handy lead in the bank.

Enjoying a consistent outing across the final day of action, Lewis went on to claim the EROAD Power Stage by the smallest of margins – just one hundredth of a second separating he and brother Harry.

As a result of their win, Lewis and McLoughlin also secured the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship victory ahead of Dalton and Moscatt, while Realty Lane’s Daniel Gonzalez and Larisa Biggar secured third place in the APRC qualifier.

“It’s been an amazing weekend, I think we won 12 stages and by far that’s the best performance we’ve ever had in the Australian Rally Championship,” Lewis said.

“We were also able to have the better of Harry and John for a period of time on both gravel and tarmac which was exciting in itself. I think that added confidence after Gippsland enabled us to push a little harder and gave us that slight bit of belief that Harry and John are actually beatable.

“It was unfortunate for them (Harry and John) to have their issues because it was a cool battle we were in; it was intense and we were all enjoying it so I hope we can continue that in Coffs Harbour.

“The GR Yaris was amazing all weekend, straight out the box it just clicked. It felt like I was at one with the car from that first stage on Friday night and that carried on all the way through.”

In the White Wolf Constructions ARC Production Cup, Jamie Luff and Bradley Luff held onto their

lead to finish ahead of locals Zayne Admiraal and Matthew Heywood. Following a brilliant FIA Rallystar win, Curiositi’s Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic ended the Cup battle in third.

For the Shamrock Haulage 2WD Cup runners, James Dimmock and Paul Bennett secured the win ahead of Guy Tyler and Steven Fisher, while Glenn Campbell and Darran Ambrose rounded out the 2WD podium.

Meanwhile, the season-long battle of the Glendun ARC Junior Cup continued with South Australians Molly Spalding and Douglas Johnson taking the win ahead of Dimmock and Bennett.

And in the ARC Classic Cup, David Thomson and Matthew Sanders completed the event to secure a class win in their mighty Mazda RX7.

The ARC returns to Coffs Harbour for the first time since 2018, with the Supercheap Auto Coffs Coast Rally hosting the Championship decider, as well as the winner takes all FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship finale.

That event takes place on 25-27 November, with free attendance for all spectators and a number of fan-friendly activation at the Service Park at C.ex Stadium.

“It felt like I was at one with the car from that first stage on Friday night and that carried on all the way through”

Photos: Daniel Kalisz

SVG AND TANDER WIN WET BATHURST EPIC

Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander gave the iconic Holden brand the perfect Bathurst send off last month after winning the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 – their second in three years.

In what was an incident-filled affair featuring eight safety car interventions over the course of the 161-lap race, van Gisbergen and Tander were consistent throughout, claiming victory by just over a second.

Taking out second place behind the #97 winning Holden Commodore was last year’s winner in Chaz Mostert, who had Fabian Coulthard as his co-driver, while polesitters Cam Waters and James Moffat rounded out the podium.

With all 161-laps eventually completed, fittingly it went down to the wire as van Gisbergen held off a fast-charging Mostert, who had been one of the fastest throughout the day.

Both contenders had problems at different stages during the race - the #97 handed a time-penalty for an unsafe release while the Walkinshaw Andretti United #25 had been stuck behind a stubborn Brodie Kostecki for large portions – however by the final stint, both were deserving of the win.

Having started from sixth, it took van Gisbergen around 45 laps to take the lead after race leader Moffat was tagged by Kostecki.

From that point on, van Gisbergen and Tander did everything they needed to do in each of their stints and did a superb job in defending all pressure

It was a result that gave Holden a victory in its last ever appearance at Mount Panorama, as well as giving the Kiwi a record-breaking 19th win of the season – his 73rd career win.

“It’s pretty cool (being last Holden winner), however Garth won the race too and it was team effort and a fan effort. All the support for Holden was special,” van Gisbergen said.

“I can’t thank the team enough. Garth was on it this year, as was Andrew Edwards (engineer). He does a great job.

“When Chaz got into second, I got worried because we know how fast he is here, but once the gap stayed at around a second, I knew we were okay.

“For the last couple of laps, I got Andrew to talk me through it and keep me focused.

"It was epic. I am rapt.”

For Tander, it was his 57th win and 100th podium at the top level in Australia – one that he was thrilled to get especially after the thrilling conclusion.

Photo: Edge Photographics

“Don’t know what to say. No words right now. Can’t really believe it to be honest. The guys did such a great job,” Tander said. “Shane at the end of the race, how can he do that? His focus and ability to punch out laps like that. Seriously impressive to watch.

“Such an honour to be part of the last ever Commodore to win here at Bathurst That will sink in a bit later. Can't believe it.”

As for the race itself, unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the first incident with a multi-car pile up occurring right after the first turn causing the safety car to be deployed for the first time.

Remarkably, Thomas Randle and Zak Best’s #55 Mustang was the only casualty.

The second incident came shortly after the first restart, with Zane

Goddard going off track and rejoining unsafely – the youngster hitting the Holden Commodore of Andre Heimgartner and Dale Wood as well as the Ford Mustang of David Reynolds and Matt Campbell – all three cars were out for the rest of the race.

Just two other cars would eventually fail to finish the rest of the day, despite a further six safety car periods as it settled down after the second restart.

Those casualties were Jack Smith and Jaxon Evans, who retired after 138 laps, while the final DNF of Will and Alex Davison's day ended on lap 141, which set up the final sprint following their recovery.

Photos Edge Photographics

“Such an honour to be part of the last ever Commodore to win here at Bathurst ”

TITLE WINNING SVG GOES BACK-TO-BACK ON THE COAST

Shane van Gisbergen sealed his third Repco Supercars Championship title after claiming an unassailable championship lead in the opening race of the 2022 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

The 2022 champion-elect went into the penultimate round of the 2022 season with a comfortable 557-point gap over his closest rival in Cameron Waters, who was the only driver in title contention

Needing only to score a points-finish in either one of the season’s four remaining races, van Gisbergen claimed the championship convincingly with a win by over 17 seconds from David Reynolds in the first race at Surfers Paradise.

With just 450 points on offer for remaining races of the season, van Gisbergen’s lead at the conclusion of the race made it impossible for any other driver to surpass him at the top of the standings.

Speaking after his championship winning race, van Gisbergen was proud to win the title.

“Basically we had to beat one car to secure it (the title) and we killed everyone. That was amazing,” van Gisbergen said.

Photo: Edge Photographics

“Thank you to Red Bull Ampol Racing Team. What a year. It has been a lot of fun.

“It’s certainly pretty special to see the guys how much effort they have been putting in and just how good our cars are.

“I am stoked. It’s hard to put it into words.”

The 2022 champion-elect continued his fine form on the final day of the event, as he picked up pole position and converted it to a race win over Chaz Mostert and Will Davison, complete a clean sweep of wins on the Gold Coast in the process.

In winning his third title, the Triple Eight Race Engineering star joins compatriot Scott McLaughlin, Craig Lowndes and Peter Brock as three-time winners of Australia’s premier touring car category.

He also becomes just the 11th driver in Australian Touring Car Championship/Supercars history to win three or more championships, and the 11th driver to secure titles in consecutive years.

This year has proved to be van Gisbergen’s most commanding season since joining the championship more than a decade ago, with his wins on the Gold Coast taking his total of wins of the season to 21 and thus breaking the record of race wins in a single season.

In addition to his record-breaking run of 21 wins, van Gisbergen has also claimed a further six podiums in 2022, which puts his on the

most equal most amount of podium finishes in a single season.

The two-time Bathurst 1000 winner is also one of six drivers to finish every race this season, with all but two of his results being outside the top 10.

Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser congratulated van Gisbergen on securing his title.

“On behalf of all those at Motorsport Australia, I congratulate Shane on his becoming the 2022 Champion Elect,” Fraser said.

“To win the toughest motor racing category in Australia on one occasion is a difficult feat, but to do it three times in your career, two of which were in consecutive years, is a testament to his outstanding talent and hard work as he has relentlessly sought improvement every year.

“It’s been an incredible year from Shane and I am sure I speak on behalf of many motorsport fans when I say how much in awe we are of his talent. I suspect he will continue break more records the longer he keeps racing in many forms of our sport.

While van Gisbergen was the major story of the race, Reynolds was the next best in second place after sensationally claiming pole position earlier on Saturday. It was a closer battle, with Chaz Mostert and Will Davison separated by barely one and a half seconds. van Gisbergen's nearest title rival Cam Waters was a further 30 seconds behind in fifth.

Photos: Edge Photographics

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