Gen3 parts ‘hurdles’ persist for MSR despite making shakedown

Matt Stone Racing is continuing to deal with the “hurdle” of parts delays as it builds its second Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro Supercar.

The squad otherwise known as Truck Assist Racing today pulled off the feat of being the first team to field a Camaro race car on the track, in a shakedown which is ongoing at Queensland Raceway.

Both MSR and Ford homologation team Dick Johnson Racing are present, and the latter is similarly running just the one Ford Mustang race car today.

Tomorrow at Winton, Tickford Racing and Grove Racing are set to run one Ford Mustang each, with the former confirming that Cameron Waters will be behind the wheel.

Today, MSR has cycled both Jack Le Brocq and Cameron Hill through its Camaro, with both Will Davison and Anton De Pasquale getting laps in the DJR Mustang.

All going well, MSR’s second Camaro will complete its shakedown at the same time as Chevrolet homologation team Triple Eight Race Engineering runs its Gen3 race cars for the first time at Queensland Raceway on Thursday.

MSR team owner Matt Stone said, “Momentous occasion for the team to be the first Gen3 Camaro out on track.

“We’ve started the learning for ourselves now; we’ve seen a lot through the prototype and heard a lot so it’s good to be out here getting our own information.

“To be the first Chevrolet Racing car out there is a big win, so we’re stoked to represent the brand today.

“With the supply chain issues, we’ve just been working to fluid timelines.

“There were a few times we thought today was going to be iffy but we had a couple of good weeks and we got here without too much stress.

“Getting our second car out in just two days’ time is proving to be another hurdle as parts continue to be the big issue, but we’re confident we can keep working towards it.”

Le Brocq has identified tyre life as a “pretty interesting” aspect of the Gen3 Supercars compared to their predecessors, but Stone says there are also similarities.

“It’s been a good day,” he added.

“It’s been surprising; there’s similarities to the old car and then some things that are very different.

“It’s a very new beast and it’s exciting to have it in the flesh on a track and start the process of getting ready to race.”