Having competed for the Sieders outfit in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia Scholarship Series throughout 2025, making the step up into SuperUtes was an easy decision for the young charger.
“When we started looking at options for 2026 across a few different categories, the V8 SuperUtes championship was one that stood out,” Dan told Speedcafe.
“We wanted to commit to a national series that was competitive, with experienced drivers I could learn from, and SuperUtes ticked all the boxes.”
As the youngest driver in the category, Dan joins three of the most experienced campaigners – David Sieders, Adam Marjoram, and Aaron Borg – between whom the last four titles have been shared.
Getting to grips with driving the unique vehicle was handled over two test days at Sydney Motorsport Park in late January, driving a Mazda BT-50.
“The SuperUte is a big step up and very different to anything I’ve raced before, including Toyota 86s, Legend Cars and even the Ginetta Junior Championship in the UK,” said Dan.
“The power, weight and driving style are all new, so the goal was to learn and adapt as much as possible.
“By the end of my qualifying simulation, I was only a couple of tenths off last year’s pole time.
“I’m happy with that and with how my progress is tracking, but I’m also realistic – there are so many variables that can swing lap times by a few tenths either way.”
Despite his age, Dan has experience in a number of different categories, including two rounds in the highly competitive Legend Cars Australia series at the end of 2025.
Dan came away from the Legend Cars cameo with eight victories from 10 races, including winning the Australian Title at Winton Motor Raceway.
Dan steps back into the Legend Cars series for a full time campaign in 2026 with CXC Racing, alongside a full season commitment to V8 SuperUtes with Sieders.
The 2026 Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes Series commences at the Dunlop Sydney 500 from February 20-22.
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