New Zealand Toyota 86 Champion Brock Gilchrist has been named the winner of a test in a Red Bull Ampol Racing Gen3 Camaro Supercar thanks to the Tony Quinn Foundation (TQF).
The 19-year-old secured the title in a nail-biting final race of the season at Hampton Downs although that did not guarantee him the drive in one of the Triple Eight Race Engineering machines at Queensland Raceway.
Instead, additional criteria including sportsmanship and ‘commercial success’ were to be considered in this, the second year of the prize, but Gilchrist still got the nod.
“It’s mind-blowing,” he said.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to drive a Supercar … it was always a dream of my dad who was a massive fan and of course I’m named after one of the greatest.
“And my dream and my dad’s dream is going to come true in not just any Supercar, but that one, a Gen3 Red Bull Camaro. I’ll be pinching myself for a little while yet.”
Rain fell at Hampton Downs in the final race of the 2023 Toyota 86 Championship and Gilchrist was shunted out of third position in the early stages.
However, given the points lead which he carried into the contest, merely finishing was enough to secure the title.
TQF Trustee Josie Spillane said, “He’s come a very long way as a driver even this season.
“All of the Trustees came together last week. We agreed all round that regardless of the championship outcome on Sunday, Brock was our choice for this outstanding opportunity.
“His motorsport talent is obviously evident and he has also worked incredibly hard on the off-track requirements of being a top-line racing driver.
“Putting a racing season together these days and finding sponsors is not an easy job and he was the last guy on the grid for this season. Nevertheless, in a field of up-and-coming talent, Brock for us, was the standout performer.
“He’s charismatic, engaging and is extremely professional in all of his off-track dealings with everyone. He had a tough season last year and came back in emphatic style this season and that caught the eye of every Trustee – Tony, Steve Horne, Greg Murphy, John Gordon and myself.
“He is doing a great job of laying foundations for a shot at big future if he wants it.”
Gilchrist will fly to Brisbane in July for a test at Ipswich, as well as time with three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen and Quinn himself.
Triple Eight Team Principal Jamie Whincup said, “We believe strongly in the importance of developing future talent and giving opportunities to up-and-coming drivers. We’re proud to be able to support the Tony Quinn Foundation in this way.
“Driving one of the Red Bull Ampol Racing Gen3 Camaros is a massive opportunity and we’ve no doubt Brock will make the most of it.
“We’re excited to see how he goes and we’ll give him all the tools to do a great job and have some fun.”
The Gen3 Camaro Supercar test is not the only prize which Gilchrist earned in his title-winning campaign.
As champion, he also won an all-expenses-paid trip to race a Gazoo Racing Supra GT4 Evo in Round 3 of the ADAC GT4 Germany championship at the Nurburgring in August.
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