While there’s plenty of international competition headlining this year’s Race Sydney, the Shannons SpeedSeries will also welcome a large field of state competitors from Series X3 New South Wales as a part of an entertaining on-track spectacle.
An icon of mid-90s motoring, the Hyundai Excel hatchback has had a new lease of life in recent years as a popular and affordable form of grassroots motorsport.
Series X3 NSW was established in 2015 with the primary goal of aligning with existing state series’ to develop an affordable, entry-level class for Hyundai Excel X3 models produced between 1994 and 2000.
The Excels are no strangers to the Shannons SpeedSeries, having already run at Race Tasmania and the Bathurst 6 Hour this year.
The NSW group are currently in the midst of its exciting five-round 2023 season, with the Race Sydney round acting as a non-points-scoring event after the category joined the Shannons Trophy Series bill earlier this year.
Tickets to Race Sydney can be purchased here.
While the round won’t count towards the series’ points tally, its inclusion presents an excellent chance for motorsport enthusiasts to witness a blend of New South Wales’ finest emerging talents and seasoned drivers.
It’s also a unique opportunity for these drivers to share the track with national and international categories, creating an enticing blend of competition.
Before taking to the track in November, the exciting category will have one last hurrah at Sydney Motorsport Park in October, where a series winner will be crowned in both its Trophy and Master’s classes.
Currently leading the way in the Trophy division is Lewis Buhagiar, after claiming an emphatic round win last time out in August ahead of 16-year-old Blake Tracey and Jack Wood.
With the lead currently at 94 points over George Wood, another round win in October would ensure he enters Race Sydney as the 2023 series winner.
Meanwhile, the fight for Masters Sprint honours is expected to go right down to the wire with Shannon Williams and Brian Sciberras heading into the final round equal on points.
Sciberras brought himself back into title contention after a brilliant second place round finish last time out, sharing the podium alongside John Markwick and round four winner, Gavin Faulkner.
Although the series frontrunners will attract attention, the category possesses the capacity to introduce several race contenders, allowing a few drivers to potentially emerge as winners in any given round.
Race Sydney is expected to be no different, just like in previous events, we can expect a handful of drivers to enter the competition as potential race winners, ready to challenge the established frontrunners and keep fans on the edge of their seats with thrilling, unpredictable action on the track.
Series X3 NSW will be one of four exciting categories to join in the action at Race Sydney this November, featuring day and night sessions for Kumho TCR World Tour and Supercheap Auto TCR Australia, National Trans Am Series and Workhorse Radical Cup Australia.
Tickets to Race Sydney can be purchased here
Race Sydney is the first stop in Australia for the Kumho TCR World Tour, as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries on 3–4 November.