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Supercheap Auto TCR Australia series – Mid season report

With plenty to race for in the remaining months of 2022, take a look at how the seasons of our regular Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships categories are shaping up.

The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia series has completed four rounds of its 2022 season with some familiar names continuing to occupy the top step of the podium.

As the series gears up for the fifth round of its season at Queensland Raceway, we look back on its season so far.

Last year, the series ran five rounds for the whole year, but it’s on track to surpass that this year with next month’s visit to Queensland Raceway to take this season’s tally to five with two to go.

Race winners so far:

Symmons Plains:

Race 1: Jay Hanson
Race 2: Jordan Cox
Race 3: Zac Soutar

Phillip Island:

Race 1: Josh Buchan
Race 2: Jay Hanson
Race 3: Nathan Morcom

Mount Panorama:

Race 1: Aaron Cameron
Race 2: Bailey Sweeny
Race 3: Aaron Cameron

Sydney Motorsport Park:

Race 1: Josh Buchan
Race 2: Jay Hanson
Race 3: Nathan Morcom

Rounds remaining

5-7 August: Queensland Raceway
16-18 September: Sandown International
11-13 November: Mount Panorama

Photos: Speed Shots Photography

Championship standings after four rounds:

Tony D’Alberto – 412 points
Dylan O’Keeffe – 388
Josh Buchan – 379
Jordan Cox – 378
Jay Hanson – 356
Aaron Cameron – 355
Nathan Morcom – 349
Zac Soutar -349
Will Brown – 343
Ben Bargwanna – 329

Currently, Supercars co-driver Tony D’Alberto holds a 24-point lead over his young rival Dylan O’Keeffe, who is bouncing back strongly after a difficult start to the season.

Despite having not won a race in 2022 and crossing the line in 14th in the final race of last month’s round at Sydney Motorsport Park, D’Alberto has consistently finished within the top 10 across the first half of the year and has been banking solid points in every race.

Like D’Alberto, O’Keeffe has been ever so consistent this year after a difficult start to his 2022 season where he made contact with the Hyundai i30 N of Brad Shiels during the opening round in Symmons Plains.

Since then, O’Keeffe has not finished lower than seventh, while also making it on to the podium on multiple occasions – his best finish being third at the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 hour in April.

Sitting third in the championship and only nine points behind O’Keeffe is Josh Buchan.

It’s been a fantastic season for Buchan, who has proved he is well in contention for this year’s title, as well as making history at Eastern Creek becoming the first driver to win a Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series night race.

Making up the top five on the championship standings are Jordan Cox and Jay Hanson and both had crucial DNFs this year – Cox having a forgettable round in Bathurst and Hanson having one in Tasmania.

This year marks the first year since 2019 that TCR have raced at Queensland Raceway and while there are a number of new drivers making up the entry list, there are quite a few to be returning – including D’Alberto and O’Keeffe.

Both drivers will fancy their chances with O’Keeffe winning two races there back in 2019, while D’Alberto placed within the top five in all three races.

Tickets to the event are available for purchase and be done so here.

With just three rounds to go in the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia series, the championship is all but decided and will no doubt come down to the wire between the front runners.