Consecutive records for growing Productions

The Jacuzzi Spas Australian Production Cars have once again pulled in a record-breaking field for 2018 with 37 cars to take part at the Shannon’s Nationals this weekend in Ipswich.

A combination of experienced and first-year drivers will tackle the famous Queensland Raceway in two 300-kilometre races, including the popular ‘Fight in the Night’ on Saturday night.

Category manager Iain Sherrin was blown away with the amount of competitors that have shown interested in the event and the series.

“I haven’t seen an entry list like this for national production car racing at Queensland Raceway in more than 10 years, possibly ever,” Sherrin said.

“Having such a strong entry list for this weekend’s round two of our 2018 season is a testament to the health and vitality of this exciting category which is growing from strength to strength while enjoying increasing competitor and sponsor support.

“With our season opener at Sandown selling out before the early-bird entries had even closed and now this record-breaking QR field, the future for this series is certainly looking bright.”

Headlining the record grid is current series leader Beric Lynton alongside Tim Leahey, with the BMW M3 driver looking to make it three Fight in the Night victories from the past four years,

Last year’s round winners, Rick Bates and Bob Pearson will not take part in the weekend, allowing Sherrin and brother Grant, in their BMW M4, to close in on Lynton.

Fresh from his Logies win, Grant Denyer will once again team up with former Supercars driver Tony D’Alberto in their Lotus Exige 350 Sport, with their main objective to make amends for their disappointing DNS during the practice sessions for the first round at Sandown.

Veteran Jake Camilleri will also be making his return to the category, teaming up with Brad Woods after taking time off to compete internationally.

Mercedes C63 pilots Juston Anthony and Karl Begg are hoping to compete for the outright podium finish after an impressive A2 class win, with Anthony confident in their car.

“We always intended to build a car to not only compete in A2 but A1 and eventually outright and while we have outright pace sorted, we need to improve our power down,” Anthony said.

“At Queensland, we will come out pretty disappointed if we can’t get an outright podium at least.”

Anther motor sport star to return to the APC is Aaron Seton in the B1 class, with the 19-year-old teaming up with Michael Benton in the Ford Falcon GT.

Benton leads the class with closest rivals James Keene, Dominic Marten, George Karadimas and Geoff Russell all chasing the lead in the five-car class.

After a shock defeat in the Class C category during last year’s Fight in the Night, Colin Osborne will be hoping to win it this year, with the Renault Megane RS265 Trophy R driver to joined by new partner Geoff Full.

Ellexandra Best will be looking to go back-to-back for the main event without her co-driver and car from last year. The Class D winner will team up with Jason Walsh in the KIA Proceed GT.

MG Motorsport’s James Brock and Elliot Barbour will be looking to add to the their Class E win at Sandown last round, as the class gains two new entrants to make it four all up.

A new five car ‘I’ class has been added into the Queensland mix with only two drivers out of ten not from the Sunshine state.

For the full entry list, click here.