A capacity grid is set for the opening round of the Australian GT Championship when the season kicks off at the Clipsal 500.
The category, celebrating its 10th anniversary, has released a bumper entry list for its return to the Adelaide streets, comprising a field of 34 cars featuring 11 manufacturers.
The championship will boast an international flavour for its curtain raiser with factory Audi driver Christopher Mies set to star in the #74 JAMEC PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 alongside Greg Crick.
He will be joined by former F1 driver Tomas Enge, who will pilot M Motorsport’s Reiter Engineering Chevrolet Camaro with owner Justin McMillan.
The 38-year-old Czech, who made three starts for Prost Grand Prix in 2001, could feature for the team in further events during the season.
A second Reiter Engineering Camaro will be piloted by the renowned Steven Richards alongside Victorian racer Dale Paterson.
The new McLaren 650s will make its Australian competitive debut in the hands of Tony Quinn and Carrera Cup racer Tony Walls.
Former Australian GT champion Klark Quinn will jump behind the wheel of a McLaren MP4-12C GT3.
Erebus Motorsport returns to the championship with an all new line up in its Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3s.
Morgan Haber will switch from the Dunlop Series to drive the #28 car, while Max Twigg and Geoff Emery will share the sister #36.
Veteran V8 Supercar drivers Dean Canto and Steven Johnson will feature having sewn up deals to drive Andrew Taplin’s Aston Martin Vnatage and JAMEC-PEM Racing’s #75 Audi R8 entries respectively.
Meanwhile, Warren Luff will drive the Fastway Racing Porsche GT3 Cup car with New Zealander Simon Ellingham.
Maranello Motorsport will be notable absentees from the grid after its Ferrari 458 and Bentley Continental GT3 sustained heavy damage at the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this month.
However, Ferrari will be represented by Kiwi operation Trass Family Motorsport, spearheaded by Jono Lester, and Adrian Deitz’s 458 Italia set to be shared with Cameron McConville.
The Australian GT Championship will contest two 20 lap sprint races held on Saturday and Sunday, with a 60 minute feature set for Saturday evening.
Australian GT Championship Clipsal 500 Entry List
|
Vehicle #
|
Division
|
R1
|
Driver Surname
|
First Name
|
Driver Grading
|
Vehicle Make
|
Model
|
|
2
|
Championship
|
y
|
Fitzgerald
|
Peter
|
Master
|
Audi
|
R8 Ultra
|
|
3
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Foessel
|
Ben
|
Master
|
Ginetta
|
G50Z
|
|
5
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Weeks
|
Kevin
|
Gold
|
Ford
|
GT 2011 GT3
|
|
6
|
Championship
|
y
|
Antunes
|
Nathan
|
Expert
|
Audi
|
R8 Ultra
|
|
7
|
Championship
|
y
|
Quinn
|
Anthony
|
Master
|
McLaren
|
650S GT3
|
|
8
|
Championship
|
y
|
Deitz
|
Adrian
|
Gold
|
Ferrari
|
458 GT3
|
|
y
|
McConville
|
Cameron
|
Pro
|
||||
|
11
|
Championship
|
y
|
Walls
|
Tony
|
Gold
|
McLaren
|
650S GT3
|
|
12
|
Challenge
|
y
|
Cook
|
Brendan
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY09
|
|
y
|
Kingsley
|
Matt
|
Expert
|
||||
|
14
|
Championship
|
y
|
Taplin
|
Andrew
|
Master
|
Aston Martin
|
Vantage GT3
|
|
y
|
Canto
|
Dean
|
Pro
|
||||
|
19
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Griffith
|
Mark
|
Master
|
Audi
|
R8 LMS
|
|
21
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Danny
|
Stutterd
|
Master
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY11
|
|
27
|
Championship
|
y
|
Lester
|
Jono
|
Pro
|
Ferrari
|
458 GT3
|
|
y
|
Kelly
|
Paul
|
Master
|
||||
|
28
|
Championship
|
y
|
Haber
|
Morgan
|
Expert
|
Mercedes Benz
|
AMG SLS GT3
|
|
33
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Ellinghham
|
Simon
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY11
|
|
y
|
Luff
|
Warren
|
Pro
|
||||
|
36
|
Championship
|
y
|
Twigg
|
Max
|
Master
|
Mercedes Benz
|
AMG SLS GT3
|
|
y
|
Emery
|
Geoff
|
Master
|
||||
|
37
|
Championship
|
y
|
Quinn
|
Klark
|
Expert
|
McLaren
|
MP412-C
|
|
38
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Taylor
|
Greg
|
Gold
|
Audi
|
R8 LMS
|
|
y
|
Mawer
|
Barton
|
Expert
|
||||
|
43
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Griguol
|
Brenton
|
Gold
|
Ferrari
|
F430 GT3
|
|
47
|
Championship
|
y
|
Koundouris
|
James
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
997 GT3-R
|
|
48
|
Championship
|
y
|
McMillan
|
Justin
|
Master
|
Reiter
|
Camaro GT3
|
|
y
|
Enge
|
Tomas
|
Pro
|
||||
|
49
|
Championship
|
y
|
Magro
|
John
|
Master
|
Lamborghini
|
Gallardo FLII
|
|
51
|
Championship
|
y
|
Macpherson
|
Andrew
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
997 GT3-R
|
|
y
|
Winslow
|
James
|
Expert
|
||||
|
53
|
Challenge
|
y
|
Gartner
|
Richard
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY09
|
|
54
|
Challenge
|
y
|
Alford
|
Tony
|
Gold
|
Lotus
|
Exide Cup R
|
|
63
|
Championship
|
y
|
Lilley
|
Ross
|
Gold
|
Lamborghini
|
Gallardo LP600 FL11
|
|
64
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Simon
|
McLennan
|
Master
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY11
|
|
y
|
Tim
|
Macrow
|
Expert
|
||||
|
66
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Goodacre
|
John
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY11
|
|
68
|
Challenge
|
y
|
O’Donnell
|
Michael
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
GT3 Cup Car MY09
|
|
69
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Koundouris
|
Theo
|
Gold
|
Porsche
|
996 GT3-S
|
|
71
|
Championship
|
y
|
Paterson
|
Dale
|
Master
|
Reiter
|
Camaro GT3
|
|
y
|
Richards
|
Steven
|
Pro
|
||||
|
73
|
Championship
|
y
|
Hovey
|
Michael
|
Gold
|
Ginetta
|
G55 GT3
|
|
74
|
Championship
|
y
|
McLaughlan
|
Steven
|
Master
|
Audi
|
R8 Ultra
|
|
y
|
Johnson
|
Steven
|
Pro
|
||||
|
75
|
Championship
|
y
|
Mies
|
Christopher
|
Pro
|
Audi
|
R8 Ultra
|
|
y
|
Crick
|
Greg
|
Expert
|
||||
|
77
|
Trophy
|
y
|
Jinadasa
|
Jan
|
Gold
|
Lamborghini
|
LP560-4 GT3 2011
|
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