2025 Thrifty Sydney 500 Supercars Official Program
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Shane Howard Chief Executive Officer, Supercars
Welcome from Supercars
Welcome to the Thrifty Sydney 500, the spectacular season opener of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship. This weekend marks the beginning of a new era, with a brand-new format, including the first-ever Finals Series, which is set to crown our Champion.
We launched the season in style, with Supercars taking on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, showcasing our sport in the heart of this great city.
The excitement kicked off with the Destination NSW 2025 Sydney Test Day, one of only two all-in test days this year, giving fans a first look at teams and drivers. Adding to the spectacle, Sydney International Speedway hosted a highoctane Sprintcars round on Thursday night.
The action officially begins at Sydney Motorsport Park with the first-ever Friday twilight race, following practice and qualifying. It’s also the first of four Friday night races in 2025. Across Saturday
Eoin MacNeill Vice President of Thrifty APAC
Welcome from Thrifty
The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship is roaring back into action, and on behalf of the entire Thrifty team, I’m thrilled to welcome you to the highly anticipated 2025 Thrifty Sydney 500.
This year marks Thrifty’s third consecutive year as a naming rights partner, and we are incredibly proud to continue supporting the opening round of the Supercars Championship.
Over three electrifying days at Sydney Motorsport Park, we’ll witness world-class drivers go head-to-head, racing into the night on Friday and Saturday. We’re sure it will keep fans on the edge of their seats, setting the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable season for Supercars.
On behalf of Thrifty, I’d like to extend our best wishes to Thrifty ambassador and 2024 Supercars champion Will Brown, along with
and Sunday, fans will witness thrilling qualifying sessions, the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout, and two 200km sprint races.
In a Supercars first, Saturday night’s racing will be followed by a live concert featuring Aussie DJ Timmy Trumpet and Sydney’s Sunset Bros, performing on a stage across Pit Straight.
Alongside Supercars, the Dunlop Super2 Series showcases the next generation of racing stars, adding to an action-packed schedule.
To all our valued partners, including Thrifty, the NSW Government, Repco, our broadcasters Foxtel and the Seven Network and of course, the incredible 350 plus volunteers here with us this weekend, thank you for being part of the Thrifty Sydney 500.
Whether trackside or tuning in from home, we hope you enjoy the thrilling racing, world-class entertainment, and unforgettable atmosphere that makes Supercars special.
the entire 2025 Supercars grid. The season ahead promises intense competition and remarkable performances, and we’re excited to witness it all come to life.
Fans can look forward to exciting Thrifty activities and events taking place around the circuit, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for your chance to get involved.
A huge thank you to the fans, drivers, volunteers, event organisers, and the Supercars team for making the Thrifty Sydney 500 possible. To our loyal Thrifty customers and those new to our community—your support drives us forward, and we’re excited to have you along for the ride.
We can’t wait to see this incredible weekend of racing unfold and celebrate the start of what promises to be an exceptional 2025 season.
Wayne Bryant Chief Executive Officer Automotive Division, GPC Asia Pacific
Welcome from Repco
Welcome to the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship – Repco’s fifth year as the presenting partner of the world’s most competitive and professional class of touring cars.
From the glistening night lights in Sydney, a return to the majestic Taupō, New Zealand, the legendary Repco Bathurst 1000 in October and all the way to a thrilling new finals race on the streets of Adelaide, the 2025 season is set to be one of the most talked about Supercars Championships on record.
It is great to see the return to The Bend and an extra round added in 2025, too. The return of Queensland Raceway is a popular destination in a heartland location for the sport.
And let’s face it, more Supercars racing is better for everyone.
We are really looking forward to Getting you Goin’ this year, and like the years that have gone by, it’ll be hard for fans to miss our involvement with the championship.
You’ll see your favourite Repco Fleet on display and on track, plus a series of new cars that will come to life. Also, the Repco fan zone will be back – bigger and better than ever.
But why does Repco support Supercars? The answer was simple: when we joined
in 2021, and it remains the same today –Repco loves cars, and so do you.
It’s in our bloodline – from the heights of being a part of Sir Jack Brabham’s F1 world title in 1966 – to your local mechanic or the garage that houses your pride and joy.
Cars mean the world to us, and we feel proud and privileged to have our name alongside the best racing series in Australasia.
I’m not one to predict who might win the championship in 2025, but I know that the ingredients are all there for another epic title fight.
The new finals system that comes into effect after the Repco Bathurst 1000 will bring a new set of challenges to drivers and teams. Every race will have a huge bearing on the series’ outcome, and there’s also a chance that a decent dose of luck will help their cause.
As I write this, and we kick off the start of the season, there’s no telling who the final four will be when we head to Adelaide, but we know for sure that anyone who makes that cut will have deserved it – and will be racing hard to become the champion.
On behalf of the entire Repco Crew, I hope everyone enjoys another thrilling Supercars season and I look forward to seeing many of you trackside in 2025.
Welcome from the NSW Government
On behalf of the NSW Government, welcome to Western Sydney for the Sydney 500.
With all the speed, skill, and Supercarsthe Sydney 500 is a marquee event on the motorsports schedule and one of the most important events on the NSW calendar.
The NSW Government backs the Sydney 500 because it turbocharges the NSW visitor economy, bringing thousands of dedicated motorsports fans like you, from all over
Australia.
So while you’re here, please enjoy all the Sydney region has to offer, including all the great food, hospitality and experiences here in Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and around the Harbour.
Enjoy all the high-octane action on and off the track!
We hope to see you here year after year.
FEEL THE HAPPY SHIVERS
Mahon Pool, Maroubra
Friday 21 February
Saturday 22 February
Sunday 23 February
2025 THRIFTY SYDNEY 500
After taking the lead of the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship in the fourth race of the year at Albert Park, Will Brown never looked back, with ultra consistency paving the way to his maiden title. In an ominous sign for the competition, Brown made a cameo appearance in the recent New Zealand Grand Prix, which he promptly won.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ross Gibb
Looking sharp: Anton De Pasquale was at the centre of one of the biggest off-season shuffles ahead of 2025, with the nine-time race winner landing at Team 18, where he will sport DeWalt colours. Chaz Mostert, on the other hand, remains at Walkinshaw Andretti United, where he will look to improve on his third place in the 2024 standings.
PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED
After sealing the 2023 championship and the 2024 Repco Bathurst 1000 with Erebus Motorsport, Brodie Kostecki is making a fresh start at Shell V-Power Racing. In a change for the squad, Kostecki’s Mustang will wear the number 38, which is significant on multiple fronts. Kostecki utilised the number in his Super2 days, while Dick Johnson’s first-ever race meeting at Lakeside Raceway in 1964 was aboard FJ Holden number 38!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Shell V-Power Racing
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Moving up: This weekend marks a significant milestone for Will Davison and James Courtney, who move clear of Jamie Whincup to share equal sixth on the all-time most-round starts list with 258 appearances apiece. However, the duo have a way to go to better Craig Lowndes’ all-time record of 304 starts. Here, Davison and Courtney are pictured in the heat of battle at Symmons Plains 2015, a meet where the pair ccame to blows on track, and a tense post-race confrontation in pit lane
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Mark Horsburgh, Supercars
The opening race of the 1996 season provided the closest margin of victory at the circuit formerly known as Eastern Creek, with John Bowe edging out Craig Lowndes by only 0.0782sec. Lowndes claimed the remaining two races of the evening and the round – an impressive feat by the rookie, who ultimately swept all before him in a dominant season. The largest victory margin at Sydney Motorsport Park came in the third race of the December 2004 round, where Marcos Ambrose beat Mark Skaife by 26.4879sec.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY an1images.com/Graeme Neander
BY
Twice Nick Percat has been victorious at Sydney Motorsport Park, dating back to 2020, when Supercars returned to racing after being shut down for just over three months post-Albert Park. After a tough couple of seasons at Walkinshaw Andretti United, Percat returned to form in 2024 at Matt Stone Racing, claiming race victories from both the Albert Park and Symmons Plains events.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jack Martin, Supercars
by
proved to be a
The 2024 visit
the Repco Supercars Championship to Sydney Motorsport Park
Chaz Mostert benefit, with two statement race wins. It was a staunch weekend for the Blue Oval, with Mustangs filling five of the six possible podium places, with Will Brown claiming third in the second encounter.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ross Gibb
The POWER behind Motorsports Finest
A strong brand heritage, over 95 years of Australasian manufacturing expertise, and proven product performance are just some of the reasons why the leading names in motorsport choose Century Batteries for their performance-bred race vehicles.
The distinction of holding the record for the worst starting position to win at Sydney Motorsport Park is held by Rick Kelly, who, in April 2004, stormed through from grid 17 to claim the victory. In a significant milestone, Kelly’s success provided Holden with its 150th ATCC/ Supercars round win. Also showing their wet weather skills were second-place Craig Lowndes, who drove through from 15th on the grid, while third-placed Garth Tander started 16th!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY an1images.com/Dirk Klynsmith
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PATHWAY TO STARDOM
The Dunlop Super2 Series returns in 2025 with perhaps the most competitive field in the storied history of the class, which continues to be a star maker.
Since the year 2000, the Dunlop Super2 Series has continued to be the perfect proving ground for aspiring Supercars racers.
All told, 22 of the 24 full-time drivers on the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship grid have utilised the Super2 Series as a launch pad to the big league.
The list of Series champions makes for impressive reading – from 2003 victor Mark Winterbottom, whose career included Bathurst 1000 and Supercars Championship crowns, to 2012 winner Scott McLaughlin, whose dominance of the local scene has seen him graduate to being a leading light in North American Indycar competition.
Elsewhere over the past decade, Super2 victors in the form of Cam Waters, Todd Hazelwood, Bryce Fullwood, Thomas Randle and Broc Feeney have stepped up to the main game, while 2023 champ Kai Allen this year will make his full-time debut aboard a Penrite Racing Mustang.
Of the 2024 Super2 field, one returning driver will be reigning series champion Zach Bates, pictured above, who switches over to Eggleston Motorsport for his title defence.
The Eggelston equipe has expanded to five entries for 2025, including Elliot Cleary, Cody Burcher, Jordyn Sinni and Bradi Owen.
Another powerhouse in the class will undoubtedly be Tickford Racing, who will field entries for second-generation racers Nash Morris and Rylan Gray, plus Reuben Goodall and Lachie Dalton.
Elsewhere from the main game ranks, Walkinshaw Andretti United will field Campbell Logan once more, this time alongside rookie Matt Hillyer.
Triple Eight Race Engineering returns to the class and will look to add to their two previous driver’s titles with rookies Jackson Walls and Ben Gomersall.
Also fielding a pair of first timers will be Anderson Motorsport, with pilots
Jones Racing is back with Cody Gillis and Brad Vaughan, while the Image Racing/Erebus Academy will be represented by Jobe Stewart, Jarrod Hughes and Max Geoghegan.
The Blanchard Racing Team will field a Mustang for ex-TCR ace Bailey Sweeny, image below, as Matt Chadha Motorsport aims to enter cars from both the Ford and Holden camps later in the season.
While the drivers are the stars of the Super2 show, the cars also hold a special place in the sport’s history, with the majority of the field having a pedigree in Supercars championship competition with a variety of teams.
Although the bulk of the entry consists of the Gen2 Ford Mustang and Holden ZB Commodore, the Ford Falcon FG X, Holden VF Commodore and Nissan Altima have also been added to the eligibility list of machines allowed to compete. ■
Ryan Tomsett and Ayrton Hodson, while Kelly Racing returns with sophomore second-generation drivers Mason Kelly and Cameron McLeod.
Brad
2025 DUNLOP SERIES, ROUND 1
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
For over two decades, the Porsche Carrera Cup has pitted the brightest young talents against seasoned pros in equal equipment.
The 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship is again shaping up as an epic battle aboard Stuttgart’s fastest one-make machinery.
Since 2003, the Carrera Cup has been a star maker, both here and abroad.
Take, for instance, Matt Campbell, whose dominance of the local scene saw him picked up by Porsche internationally.
The Queenslander has subsequently parlayed his local 2016 Carrera Cup success into a role as a spearhead for Roger Penske’s assault on global prototype racing with the Porsche 963.
Other examples of young guns using the category as a stepping stone are plentiful.
There’s Kiwi Callum Hedge, who is now rapidly climbing the North American open
wheel ladder after sealing the 2023 Carrera Cup Australia title.
On these shores, 2021 champ Cameron Hill has cemented his place in the Supercars field, ditto two-time series victor Jaxon Evans.
Other current Supercars drivers who have graduated from the Carrera Cup include David Reynolds, Ryan Wood and Aaron Love.
While the Pro class at the head of the field features aspiring aces seeking to make their mark, forever, they have been able to benchmark themselves against seasoned pros, many with extensive Supercars Championship credentials.
This list includes inaugural champion Jim Richards, plus five-time series winner Craig Baird, and other Carrera Cup champions
in the form of Fabian Coulthard, Steven Richards and David Wall.
While the focus on the front of the field is fixed on the battle for Pro honours, within the Pro-Am ranks for semi-professional racers, the action is just as intense.
At the heart of the category is the spectacularly styled Cup car, the first racing version based on the current 992 generation road car, and the first one-make racer from the German manufacturer to feature a wide, turbo-spec body.
Producing around 375 kW (510 hp), the new 911 GT3 Cup exceeds the output of its immediate predecessor by 25 horsepower.
Coupled with an increase in traction and downforce, the potent package has seen lap times tumble, both here and abroad.
For this season, Harri Jones seeks his third series title, this time aboard a car tuned by his family-run team, while Adrian Flack will be out to seal a third straight Pro-Am crown.
Jones and Flack will also look to continue their success in the Endurance Cup, a series within a series consisting of 40-to-45minute races contested over multiple rounds. ■
PORSCHE PAYNTER DIXON CARRERA CUP AUSTRALIA
WORK HARD, PLAY HARD
The V8 SuperUtes are a class going from strength to strength, with deep fields turning on the thrills in machinery that resonates with the masses.
there’s nothing on earth like the Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series, which, in 2025, is continuing its ascendency within the Australian motorsport scene, with big grids turning on tight racing.
While the on-track product has continuously evolved, perhaps the strongest suit of the category is the familiarity of the vehicles with the fanbase - the ever-growing dual-cab segment of the marketplace now has true relevancy on the racetrack.
Picture an angry pack featuring the Isuzu D-MAX against the Mazda BT-50, Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Mitsubishi Triton and Holden Colorado – it’s a recipe bound to redraw battle lines in the grandstands.
While the category had its genesis in 2018, it truly came of age in 2021 when it ushered in its V8-powered era, with competitor numbers subsequently taking off.
Despite the various vehicles involved in the class, a long list of spec components under the skin of the V8 SuperUtes ensures a level playing field for the different marques.
A control 6.2 litre V8 powerplant is mated to a six-speed transmission, with a range of standardized components in the driveline simplifying life for competitors.
Big Brembo brakes provide stopping power, while low-profile Yokohama tyres and a lowered ride height have added to the
sporting credentials of the package.
While the series has only been contested six times, it has amassed a significant honour roll.
Inaugural series champion Ryal Harris repeated the feat in 2021, with his extensive list of credits including a trio of titles earned in the old V8 Ute Racing Series.
The Queenslander also had a stint competing in the Super2 Series.
Kiwi Tom Alexander won the 2019 title driving for the legendary Ross Stone, while Aaron Borg claimed back-to-back series victories in 2022 and ’23.
Meanwhile, the 2024 title went down
to the wire on the streets of Adelaide, with Adam Marjoram claiming his maiden series win.
Elsewhere, the V8 SuperUte alumni includes Cameron Crick, who in 2025 is making select solo Supercars championship race starts for Matt Stone Racing as a wildcard.
This year’s schedule encompasses six events covering five Australian states, with rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park, Symmons Plains Raceway, Carco.com.au Raceway in Perth, the streets of Townsville, the Repco Bathurst 1000 and the Penrite Oil Sandown 500. ■
TYREPOWER V8 SUPERUTE SERIES,
TOILET
ACCESSIBLE TOILET
PARENTS ROOM
FIRST AID
FOOD
BAR
SMOKING AREA
PARKING
INFORMATION SERVICES i BIG SCREEN
OFFICIAL MERCH STALL
MERCHANDISE
TICKET GATES G
ACCREDITATION SERVICES A
OFFICIALS ACCREDITATION C
OFFICIALS SIGN ON O
FREE PUBLIC SHUTTLE STOP
FREE PUBLIC SHUTTLE
BLACKTOWN BUS SHUTTLE
HELIPAD H
MEDIA CENTRE
TV COMPOUND
SUPERCARS PADDOCK
TAXI/UBER DROP ZONE
LIFT
PIT WALK MEETING POINT
GRID WALK MEETING POINT
ACCESSIBLE VIEWING PLATFORM
VIEWING MOUND
TRACKSIDE PARKING
PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL ACCESS TO INSIDE TRACK
MERCHANDISE ALLEY
BEER GARDEN TUNNEL
VISITORS CENTRE
RESERVED & UNRESERVED GRANDSTAND ARDC
OFFICIALS OF THE EVENT
NATIONAL SPORTING AUTHORITY
Motorsport Australia
PROMOTER / ORGANISER
Supercars Australia Pty Ltd
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Nicole Dickinson, Kaye Callander, Kimberly Hughes
SUPERCARS OFFICIALS
VCS STEWARDS
Matt Selley, Bradley Tubb, John Leahy
VCS RACE DIRECTOR
James Taylor
VCS DEPUTY RACE DIRECTORS
David Mori, David Stuart
CLERK OF THE COURSE
Kaye Callander
SECRETARY OF THE EVENT
Kimberly Hughes
MEDICAL DELEGATE
Dr Carl Le
HEAD OF MOTORSPORT
Tim Edwards
STARTER
James Delzoppo
DRIVING STANDARDS ADVISOR
Craig Baird
TIMING CO-ORDINATOR
Dan Beattie
RECOVERY CO-ORDINATOR
Alistair Walker
SAFETY CAR DRIVER
Jason Routley
SAFETY CAR COMMUNICATOR
Jacqueline Devereaux
VOLUNTEERS
Youssef Abboud
Zoran Ananijev
Dave Anderson
Stacy Andreadis
Carla Andrews
Carol Armstrong
Matthew Ashby
Suzannah Ashby
Peter Ashworth
Grant Atkin
Graham Banks
Ben Barford-Morel
Bianca Baxter
Andrew Beattie
Cheree Beattie
Glenn Beaumaris
Will Beck
David Bell
Aaron Bennett
Loren Bennett
Edwina Best
Peter Best
Afiq Bin Abdul Rashid
Caitlin Binskin
Alan Bishop
Raelene Blacklock
Hannah Bland
Josh Boehm
Adrian Bond
Steven Bray
Alectra Brew
Sandy Brew
Scott Brisbane
Syd Brooksby
Melinda Brown
Mitchell Brunton
Jamie Budd
Steven Burgess
Chris Burrows
MEDIA MANAGER
Paul Glover
SUPPORT EVENT OFFICIALS
SUPPORT CATEGORY STEWARDS
John Leahy, Matthew Halpin, David Anderson
DEPUTY CLERK OF THE COURSE
Michael Hancock
ASSISTANT CLERKS OF THE COURSE
Steve Preece, Joanne Hodge
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
Loren Bennett
CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS
Cheree Beattie
CHIEF OBSERVER
Melanie Goh
COMMUNICATORS
Daniel Sutton, Peter Durkin, Jessica Nicholson, Lousie Smith
