Australia’s largest state-based racing category, Circuit Excel, is set to hold its first National title this weekend after a two-year break due to the Covid pandemic.
The popular grassroots category returns to Morgan Park Raceway – the venue that hosted the first Excel Nationals back in 2016 – where the event will run in conjunction with the Improved Production Nationals.
Series X3 QLD will host 60 cars from across the country as they take to the grid for a busy event schedule consisting of four qualifying sessions and eight heat races before culminating with a 25-lap finale on Sunday afternoon.
The Nationals title will be up for grabs with reigning champion, South Australia’s Asher Johnston, not attending this year. 2018 Champion, Michael Clemente, won’t in attendance either leaving two-time Champion, Cameron Wilson, to battle it out against a new generation of competitors.
Competition at the front of the grid will be unpredictable with the top drivers from their respective states converging on the event. Ones to keep an eye on include local competitor, Jarrod Hughes, who currently leads the Series X3 Championship having won the last seven races in succession.
Toyota 86 Racing Series regulars, Ryan Casha and Rylan Gray will be looking to put a stop to the dominance of Hughes while Connor Roberts returned to form last weekend with a clean sweep at Lakeside. Former Queensland Excel series champions, Frank Mammarella, Brett Parrish and Brock Giblin also feature, in this star-studded field.
The 21-strong interstate contingent include the likes of Victorian, Hugo Simpson, who won last weekend’s Victorian State Round, South Australia’s Shayne Nowickyj who raced at this years’ Bathurst 6 hour and NSW’s Lewis Buhagiar who currently sits second in the series.
The event is encouraged by an increased female representation with four women on the grid including Alice Buckley who recently returned from an FIA Girls on Track experience in France and Holly Espray who is a top performer in the local series. The Racing Together squad will be headlined by Braedyn Cidoni in car 16.
The 2022 event is the first time all competitors will run on the Supashock control suspension package which has been a welcomed introduction to the category. Federal Tyres is once again the control tyre supplier with sponsors Link Signs, West Bremer Radio MotiV8 Training and I Do Car Loans also supporting the event.
Entry is free all weekend for spectators with on-track action commencing from 9am Saturday. Stay up to date via the Series X3 Queensland Facebook page and MyLaps ‘Speedhive’ timing results.
