Former Australian Football League premiership player Jason Akermanis will make his Aussie Racing Cars debut with Erebus Motorsport at Sydney Motorsport Park later this month.
The controversial 35-year-old will add some colour to the Aussie Racing Cars field, but it won't be his first time behind the wheel of a race car. The Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs player has driven in Celebrity Challenge events, has driven a Stone Brothers Racing Falcon and famously rolled a MINI on the warm-up lap of a MINI Challenge race at Symmons Plains.
“We're very happy to have someone like ‘Aker' join us at Sydney Motorsport Park,” said Erebus Motorsport CEO Ryan Maddison.
“He's known as doing things a little differently, which is what our team is all about, I think it will add an interesting dynamic to Aussie Racing Cars and to our team now and in the future.”
A noted revhead, Akermanis has been racing in Superkarts of late and has made no secret of his ambition to race competitively in his post-football career.
Jason Bargwanna, commercial director for Aussie Racing Cars' category management Keltic Motorsport was pleased to bring Akermanis on board.
“It's all part of our plan to increase the profile of the Series and if we can do that with people like Aker joining forces with Erebus Motorsport then that is fantastic for all involved,” said Bargwanna.
“The interest that having someone like Jason on board is sensational and can only assist us in improving the profile of the series.”
The next round of the FW1 Aussie Racing Cars Series will be conducted at Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek, August 24-26.
See below for video of Akermanis' roll over at Symmons Plains in 2008.