Entries flooding in for 2018 APC

Since series registration for the 2018 Australian Production Cars season opened last week, entries have been flooding in and it was North Queensland’s Naylor Brothers Racing that was first off the blocks.

Mitch and Leigh Naylor were quick off the mark, taking advantage of the early bird entry options and a further discount for signing up for the entire season ahead of time.

“When we saw the new prices for 2018, we were very excited to see that entries had been made even more affordable,” Mitch said.

“We think it is also excellent that the APC has shown the initiative to run its own Six Hour while largely reducing the cost for the overall season.

“This instantly gave us more incentive to nominate for the whole year – the early bird entry specials along with the ‘whole series nomination’ deal is exactly what we think was needed, especially for teams like ourselves – small, privately-run outfits that don’t have incredibly deep pockets!

“We think the Series is certainly taking a step forward with the new entry packages, the increasing of the live streaming to two days, and of course the Phillip Island Six Hour.

“We can’t wait for 2018 – the APC is proving to be a real competitive and affordable level of racing, and as competitor numbers increase we think it will really grab the attention of more people and become a popular step for racers who want to get into something incredibly quick for the fraction of what other series’ may cost.”

There is one other aspect of early entry that appeals to the Naylors.

“Our car number is important to us – Mitch and I have been racing in Karts for more than 15 years, Mitch with the number 2 and myself with the number 4 since day dot. So for us, the number 42 is something we wanted to keep on our race car, and early entry has ensured that we can do that,” Leigh Naylor explained.

“We had a shocking 2017 season, with many mechanical failures and racing incidents. It honestly felt like we were bombarded with bad luck, so we are eager to start 2018 fresh and hopefully with all of that out of the way!

“Looking back, there were five instances across the year where somebody crashed into us or we had a mechanical failure, and every time we were in first place when it would happen! While that is unfortunate, it has given us a lot of confidence in our own driving, so as long as we can get the car sorted we are hoping we can hopefully show everyone we mean business in 2018!”

While Series registration is proving a popular choice for competitors, those looking to enter event-by-event can do so as well.

“We have been really pleased to see the pick-up of ‘whole season’ sign-ups since we opened registration last week,” APC category manager Iain Sherrin said.

“We also released entry open dates and fees for those looking to enter individual events, with the first event at Sandown Raceway opening for entries on the 26th of February.

“You don’t need to wait until February however to get your name on the list – simply complete the registration form and select which event/s you want to enter to secure your place.

“As the return to Sandown for national production car racing and with the New South Wales Production Car Championship joining us on the Saturday, Sandown is shaping up to be big and so I encourage anyone interested in competing to make sure they get their registrations in early!”

For more on the APC, please visit www.australianproductioncars.com.au or www.facebook.com/AustralianProductionCars or call category manager Iain Sherrin on 0422 449 446.

2018 APC Entry Fees and Entry Open Dates:

Round One – Sandown Raceway* – Entry Opens 26th February