Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series rookie Josh Buchan has described his first race win in the category as a “big relief”.
Buchan led all but the first two laps in Race 1 at Sydney Motorsport Park after a brave move around the outside of John Martin at Moffat Corner (Turn 1), becoming the fifth different victor of the season.
The achievement comes in the New South Wales Formula Ford title winner’s fourth round in TCR, in which he landed a seat with the inaugural series winners HMO Customer Racing.
“It’s great, it’s a relief,” the Hyundai driver told Speedcafe.com.
“Everyone will play it down and say we were just sort of… It’s all rubbish. Big relief, really happy to get it out of the way and join a pretty elite club.”
While prolific in Formula Fords, his Supercheap Auto TCR Australia debut at Symmons Plains in January was just his second event in a tin top.
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Buchan says he is now coming to terms with the driving style required from his i30 N.
“For me, it’s a car, it’s got tyres, it tells you how fast it wants to go, so you just talk to it and if as fast as it wants to go is pole and a win, then that’s how fast it wants to go,” he quipped.
“I didn’t think [driving style] was that big a deal when I first drove the car, but I’m understanding now what they want to go fast,” added Buchan.
“There’s my theory of going fast and then there’s the car’s theory, and we’re kind of joining the cogs together at the moment.
“I can always pull a lap out, I did in Tassie in the first round, but to pull them out consistently, I feel like I’m a little bit more intelligent than what I was a couple of months ago.”
Buchan described a TCR as “one of the most exciting cars I’ve ever stepped into,” citing just how important it is to be able to get a handle on a car which can be quite nervous in the rear end.
“They’re really tail happy, which I quite like,” he explained.
“I like hanging the back out a bit and holding on, and these really reward a mix of that crazy but controlled element, which is why Will Brown went really well in the car.
“So, I’m a big fan of how they behave.”
Race 2 of the weekend starts tomorrow at 10:10 local time/AEST.
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