A host of wildcards will join the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series’ finale for 2022 as part of this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
A field of 19 will compete in the round and while there were plenty of names and cars familiar to Australian TCR fans, the wildcards will see a new driver and car enter the fold.
Coming to Bathurst all the way from France is Teddy Clairet, who will pilot a fifth Garry Rogers Motorsport Peugeot 308 TCR.
A proven frontrunner in the highly competitive TCR Europe Series, Clairet was in the medal fight at the FIA Motorsport Games last month until mechanical problems forced him to withdraw.
The second wildcard will see the debut of HMO Customer Racing Hyundai Elantra N TCR which is featured regularly in the WTCR.
Title contender Josh Buchan who currently sits equal fourth in the standings alongside privateer Zak Soutar will race the Hyundai, hoping that extensive testing since Sandown will pay dividends at Bathurst and he will close the gap on the leaders.
His challenge for the title will be a tall order though with the top two drivers having had consistent years, as leader Tony D’Alberto holds a slender 46-point lead over Jordan Cox.
Following his initial test, Buchan was left impressed by the car and was looking forward to having a crack at the title.
“We don’t have anything to lose,” Buchan said.
“We’ve been the top three or five all year other than shunts or bad luck, we’re always there. We know we’ve got the right people and the right car to do it, so we might as well have an air swing to see if the car will give us anything extra at Bathurst.
“I think if the Elantra proves stronger, it puts more pressure on those guys.”
Trailing behind the top two is inaugural Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series winner Will Brown, who sits only 21 points behind Cox after a strong weekend at Sandown.
Click here for a full entry list.
All the action from Mount Panorama begins with the Circuit to City parade on Thursday, before practice commences on Friday ahead of the two-part qualifying session before three races are held over Saturday and Sunday.
Part of a bumper schedule making up the inaugural event at the famous Mount Panorama, races one and three will award 75 points to the winner, whilst race two will offer 60 points among the top 10 grid positions.
Joining TCR on the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International schedule are the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, the Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters, Turtle Wax Trans Am Series, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, Australian Production Car Series and the Bathurst Sportscar Challenge.
Tickets to the event can also be purchased here.
For those unable to make it, the event will also be broadcast live and ad-break free on Stan Sport on Saturday and Sunday, whilst Channel 9 will broadcast free to air coverage on Saturday afternoon.
The Supercheap Auto Bathurst International will be held in Bathurst and Mount Panorama on 10-13 October.
