What to look out for at Queensland Raceway

The term ‘Blockbuster’ gets thrown around a lot these days, but there’s no doubt that round five of the Shannons SpeedSeries fits that bill entirely.

Queensland Raceway will welcome a packed program on 11-13 August – here’s what you need to look for across what is set to be an incredible weekend of racing.

Supercheap Auto TCR Australia

While dramatic weekend at Winton did nothing to clear up the unpredictable nature of this year’s Supercheap Auto TCR Australia fight, the key story in Queensland will be: Can anyone beat the Hyundai’s?

They’ve been the most consistent cars this year and often the quickest too, which is why Bailey Sweeny and Josh Buchan sit one and two in the championship.

Although, just 46 points cover the next group of drivers – Jordan Cox, Aaron Cameron, Lachlan Mineeff, Ben Bargwanna and reigning champion, Tony D’Alberto.

And then there’s the joker in the pack as Will Brown also returns, looking for nothing but wins.

This TCR round will be key to how this title battle unfolds.

National Trans Am Series

Every round of Trans Am thrown up something different this year.

From James Moffat’s domination in round one, to Nash Morris’ heroics on Phillip Island and Lochie Dalton’s masterclass at Winton, there’s been something different each time the series gets on track.

It appears likely to be much the same this weekend, when the series rolls into Queensland with less than one hundred championship points covering the top seven in the championship.

For the first time in 2023, there is a four-race format in Queensland just to add to the unpredictability, but it also means that consistency will be rewarded. One non-finish from any of those key contenders at this point of the series, it could then well be game over already.

Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia

It might be the second Porsche series in Australia, but the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge has been number one for action so far this year.

An incredible battle between some of the best young stars of the sport has put on a show for three rounds so far, which is certain to continue at Queensland Raceway this weekend.

Young Kiwi, Marco Giltrap leads the standings, but New Zealand compatriot, Ronan Murphy isn’t far behind – and last time out it was Aron Shields doing the winning.

As always with one-make Porsche Racing, there’s action throughout the field with class battles – and Queensland Raceway always throws up unpredictable racing.

There’s a host of contenders amidst this incredible field, all looking to make their mark in the world of Porsche Racing.

Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS

It’s Crunch time in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS at Queensland Raceway.

We are four rounds into the series and there’s next to nothing separating the key contenders heading into what is the penultimate round of the season.

To put it mildly, this could be the most critical round of the year – with a golden opportunity to leave Queensland with a big margin and go to Adelaide firm title favorites.

But if you have a bad weekend, it could be game over.

Liam Talbot leads the title race, but the fight between he and the Porsche of Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson boiled over at Phillip Island a few rounds ago and shows no signs of reducing in intensity either.

The Triple Eight Mercedes’ are back to add their say into the mix, while Mr Consistency Geoff Emery remains a title threat, as does the Merc of Ross Poulakis and Jayden Ojeda.

This weekend, there’s also a top-10 shootout thrown into the mix – just adding to the intensity.

 

Kumho V8 Touring Car Series

The Kumho V8 Touring Cars Series continues to grow, and along with it the grids and the competition.

QR has always been a happy hunting ground for the V8’s and this weekend marks the only time that these cars will race here in 2023.

Jude Bargwanna has been money out in front this year and has a nice lead in the championship, but Jim Pollicina has plenty of experience in his Commodore at QR and you can never count the Sydneysider out – especially if he qualifies anywhere near the front row.

Jamie Tilley is also in the title mix and feels due for a big result in his rookie season, while plenty of the new additions to the grid cause also shake up the usual pecking order.

Mobil 1 Australian Production Car Series and Monochrome GT4 Australia Series

With more than 35 cars, the Mobil 1 Australian Production Cars and Monochrome GT4 Australia grids offer a huge amount of diversity this weekend.

The growing GT4 field includes a pair of McLaren 570s for the first time, taking to four the number of brands represented as they join Mercedes, Porsche and Ginnetta on a grid that started with four cars but is now approaching double figures.

Meanwhile, the Production Car battle includes the tantalizing prospect of long-time co drivers Beric Lynton and Tim Leahey racing each other in a pair of identical BMW M3s.

The Sherrin Brothers, Andrew and George Miedecke and a host of others add to what is a stacked Queensland grid.

The Production Cars at Queensland are famous for their Saturday evening ‘Fight in the Night’ which is always a racing highlight, but the shorter races around it are likely to be fun too.

Those planning on attending the event can still purchase tickets, with single day and weekend passes available, while kids under the age of 15 can enter for free.

Avoid the queues by purchasing tickets at motorsporttickets.com.au – with no extra online charges.

Stan Sport and the Nine Network will be the best places to catch all the action from the fifth round of the Shannons SpeedSeries 2023 season.

Fans will be treated to 12 hours of live, ad-break free and on-demand coverage across two days of jam-packed action at Queensland Raceway.

Sign up for a 7-day free trial now.

Live and free-to-air coverage will be also available on 9GO! on Saturday from 2:00pm-5:00pm AEST – interested viewers are encouraged to check your local guides for more information.

The fifth round of the 2023 Shannons SpeedSeries season will take place at Queensland Raceway on 11-13 August.