After taking out the 2022 Precision National Sports Sedans Series in convincing fashion, Jordan Caruso believes he has plenty more to give as he prepares to take the track for the first time this season at next month’s Hi-Tec Oils Race Winton.
Featuring as part of the jam-packed Shannons SpeedSeries bill, the popular category will be holding its first round for 2023 after a long off-season.
In what was a dominant maiden series win, the 22-year-old claimed every round win to stay clear of his closest competitor in Steven Tamasi – automatically giving him the status of the driver to beat for the new season.
With a final entry list still to be announced, the series is likely to field a stacked grid, much like the 2022 season, with more competitive racing up the front expected to take place in all five rounds this year.
Ahead of the season opener, a confident Caruso believed he had improved over the off-season and was looking forward to kicking off the year at a circuit where he has enjoyed success in the past.
“I’m feeling pretty good, I’m confident and hoping a few more of the quick guys will show up so we have some really tight, close racing up the front,” Caruso said.
“I feel like I have the ability to drive better than last year, I’ve improved over the off season.
“I have quite a lot of experience at Winton, I raced there a bunch when I did Excels for three years and I have done a few test days in the Audi, have raced there twice, and done plenty of laps there.
“It’s a track that suits my driving style; It’s tight and technical, in Excels I had a few wins there, the lap record and the Sports Sedans win when we raced there last as well.
“It should be competitive at the top. I think we have a few guys coming back that will challenge us and a lot of new guys in some new cars to make it interesting, but we are hoping we will still be the ones to catch.
“We would like to win the series – that is the ultimate goal, but personally I want to keep improving, work on my driving and try to beat the times I put in at the same circuits this time last year.”
Due to limited track time, Caruso has turned to sim-racing to help prepare for when he steps in the car for real and believes it is key to building confidence and improving his race craft.
“Every time I get in the car, I feel like I’m getting better,” Caruso explained.
“I’ve been doing a lot of sim racing, which has helped in race craft and just confidence in general.
“It’s felt like forever since we drove, so when I do sim racing, I know I’m not in the real car so it might take me a few sessions to get up to speed, but it’s really been helping me when there is no opportunity to do the real thing.”
The series is one of seven categories in action at the Hi-Tec Oils Race Winton, with Saturday and Sunday’s action to be broadcast via StanSport.
Tickets to the event can be purchased via motorsporttickets.com.au
The Precision National Sports Sedan Series will take the track at Winton Raceway as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries’ Hi-Tec Oils Race Winton on 9-11 June.
