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Triple Eight Race Engineering boss Roland Dane and Prince Jefri Ibrahim of Johor will team up as part of a star-studded Hyundai Excel grid at Queensland Raceway this weekend.
All three tiers of Supercars will be represented in the EFS175, a 57-lap two-driver race on Sunday.
The mini enduro forms part of the Queensland Racing Driver Championship across August 21-22 at the Ipswich circuit.
Matt Stone Racing’s Zane Goddard is among the top-flight Supercars drivers contesting the event with Ben Gomersall, son of team co-owner and Super3 Series driver Jason Gomersall.
From the Super2 Series ranks, Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Broc Feeney will partner Super3 Series front-runner Nash Morris.
The pair are regulars in the Excel scene, Feeney having earlier this year raced with Russell Ingall at Sydney Motorsport Park as part of preparations for their Bathurst 1000 wildcard.
Super2 Series rookie Declan Fraser of MW Motorsport is locked in as are Touring Car Masters drivers Ryan Hansford and Ryal Harris, the latter also being a competitor in the V8 SuperUtes Series.
Dane and Ibrahim will share Triple Eight Race Engineering co-owner Jess Dane’s Hyundai Excel.
Completing the high-profile names on the card is Supercars race winner Tim Slade.
The 36-year-old has previously shared a Hyundai Excel with his father at Winton Motor Raceway in 2019.
Last year Slade contested the mini enduro at Queensland Raceway with Brett Parish where he met Darren Whittington who he’ll race with this weekend.
“They’re all racers and any race you do you want to win,” the Blanchard Racing Team driver told Speedcafe.com.
“They put a lot of effort into the build of their cars, all the serious guys. It’s come a long way.”
Hyundai Excel racing has long proven to be a popular proving ground for drivers looking to step up from karting into car racing.
Slade sees the cars as a solid footing for those wishing to make the step to the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series.
The Gold Coast-based driver tested an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR last year at Winton Motor Raceway.
“They’re quite a good, fun, little car,” he said of the Excel.
“Dad, when I was a kid, he was always racing different bits and pieces. He’s driven quite a few different track and rally cars. He loves it. He has a ball in his little thing.
“Obviously being front-wheel drive, it has front-wheel drive traits, so it’s perfect if you were looking at getting into something like TCR.
“I’ve driven both and what you learn in the Excel definitely carries over like the TCR car being front-wheel drive.”
The main event of the EFS175 takes place on Sunday, August 22.
