MARC Cars Australia will debut its new Sports Sedan variant at the Gold Coast 500 this weekend. The new MARC SS will be driven by Cameron McLeod in the fifth round of the Precision National Sports Sedan Series.
“It is very exciting, two years in the making, there has been a lot go into this car and there is more development to do. We finally have it ready and on the track for a shakedown, all ready for next weekend,” said MARC Cars boss Geoff Taunton.
“It meets all aspects of Australian Sports Sedan standards. All the same silhouette, all Mustang now. The engine is back to 6.0-litre, the other car was a little bit bigger.
“We have some more horsepower, a bigger and better brake package, and a [bigger] wheel and tyre that suit [the size] what the Sports Sedans run.”
There have been several MARC Cars competing in both national and state Sports Sedans, particularly the MARC 1 Focus/Mazda models which have generally adjusted to the category rules while some MARC IIs have also competed, generally as Invitational.
Most of the time Taunton will be running the car but this weekend Cameron McLeod who drove it at the shakedown, will be behind the wheel. “Those walls and no ABS, he will be a lot better than me,” Taunton added.
McLeod has had a big year in V8-powered cars, from racing a MARC 1 to his numerous wins in Dunlop Super 3 at the helm of Brad Neil’s Nissan Altima. Neil also owns an ex-Stone Brothers, Shane Van Gisbergen Ford Falcon FG Supercar which McLeod will race at the Bathurst International in Kumho V8 Touring Cars.
The Precision National Sports Sedan Series is currently led by Tony Ricciardello who is aiming for an unprecedent 12th title in the family’s Chev V8-powered Alfa Romeo. He holds a 59 point advantage over Ashley Jarvis in Colin Smith’s Holden Monaro/Chev) while Jordan Caruso is one point behind and should start as the event favourite in the rapid John Gourlay owned and prepped Audi A4/Chev.
