New Ginetta adds to competitive 18-car Monochrome GT4 Australia field at The Bend

A field of 18 will contest Round 2 of Monochrome GT4 Australia using The Bend Motorsport Park’s West configuration this weekend.

A new entry for The Bend bolsters the Ginetta ranks, with a brand-new G55 to be shared by Scott Turner and Rob Rubis, featuring backing from Mackay Goodwin Lloyds Auctions.

The new G55 arrived in Australia recently and has been tested by Turner at Queensland Raceway.

After a history-making opening round at Phillip Island, George Miedecke and Rylan Gray will aim to continue their winning ways at The Bend. Phillip Island marked the first win for the Ford Mustang in GT4 competition anywhere in the world, however the pair will be against a strong field spread across six different car brands.

Reigning series winner Shane Smollen enjoyed a solid run in Pro-Am Cup, sharing his Method Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS alongside former TCR Australia privateer Lachlan Mineeff. The pair secured both class wins at Phillip Island despite increased competition, namely from the DNA Racing Team McLaren Artura GT4 of Jason Yu and Josh Buchan.

The Black Diamond Building and Construction BMW M4 GT4 G82 of Steve Jakic will also be a contender, partnered by stepson Ryder Quinn, while the Love Motorsport Mercedes-AMG to be shared by Rob Love and Antonio Astuti will be targeting redemption after an incident at Phillip Island.

Mark Cotterell and Jarrod Hughes left Phillip Island with a few Pro-Am Cup trophies as both came to grips with the Ginetta G55 GT4.

A new entrant to the Pro-Am Cup field is Tony Quinn, who raced solo at the opening round and will have young New Zealander Jackson Rooney partnering him in the Game Over Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Silver Cup is where the outright fight is expected to be as the pair of Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4s were immediately on the pace at Phillip Island. Young guns Marcos Flack and Tom Hayman proved impressive, as did motor racing returnee Nathan Morcom in the entry he shared with Tom McLennan, so expect both to rival the Mustang at The Bend.

Sam Brabham scored the first pole of the season at Phillip Island and alongside Bailey Love in the second Love Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 will be a factor. Another entry from the three-pointed star, former production car ace Jake Camilleri was impressive running solo and will aim to continue this performance at The Bend.

Another to impress driving solo was TekworkX Motorsport’s Zoe Woods in her Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR as she targets a podium, while Tim Leahey has been reclassified as a Silver following a strong performance at Phillip Island in the Central West Prestige BMW M4 GT4 G82.

Am Cup will be hotly contested, led by Mark Griffith in his Mercedes-AMG GT4 against the pair of Randall Racing BMWs featuring Jacob Lawrence and John Bowe in the newer specification G82 alongside Peter Lawrence in the F82 partnered by Jamie Augustine. Vince Gucciardo adds a Porsche flavour in his GB Galvanising Racing entry.

Monochrome GT4 Australia will race on the West configuration for the first time on May 31-June 2 as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries to be broadcast live on 7plus and 7mate.

QUOTES

Scott Turner

#29 Mackay Goodwin Lloyds Auctions, Ginetta G55 GT4

“Rob and I have mainly been in Production Cars where we are current Class B winners from last year,” said Turner.

“We decided to take a step up to race in more purpose-built cars and we think it’s going to be the category to grow the most as it gets more coverage down the track.

“Jordan Cox is in our corner and although his involvement in TCR Australia precludes him from helping us intimately during our weekend’s, he has helped us to get the set-up right in the Ginetta.

“We’ve also got Blake Adamson helping us as our technical guy, who works with Cam Waters in Supercars, so we have a great little team behind us. We get a bit of help from Mark Griffith as he transports the car and can provide added support if needed.

“The Ginetta has only completed two tests days at Queensland Raceway. My driving and business partner Rob Rubis hasn’t even been in it yet, so Thursday practice will be his first drive.

“Testing has gone very well. Jordan Cox complemented the steering and braking of the Ginetta, so we know we’re going in the right direction.

“I think we should have a really good chance in Am Cup.”

Round 2, Monochrome GT4 Australia entry list, The Bend