Ash Walsh will compete in the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series with Miles Racing.
The current Formula Ford front-runner tested the #86 Falcon at Queensland Raceway yesterday before inking a deal with the newly-established outfit to compete drive with them next year.
Walsh will saddle up alongside fellow Formula Ford racer Chaz Mostert in a two-car East Coast Traffic Control Ford Falcon team next year.
Miles says that signing Walsh can be attributed to some advice that Stone Brothers Racing boss Ross Stone gave him recently.
“After a conversation with Ross Stone earlier in the year, Ross advised me to make sure that the young drivers we look at weren’t looking at going overseas in the future, and if so, to let them go and get it out of their system,” Miles said.
“Ash has had the experience overseas, his time in the Australian Formula Ford Series and a 100 percent reassurance from his father Greg that he was here to stay, ticked one very important box.
“I’ve also spoken to our driver advisor Glenn Seton regarding our direction with drivers and Ash in particular, and as a team the decision has been made to bring Ash into our team.
“There are also many other boxes required to be ticked before any decision is made on drivers, and were more than happy to have Ash and his support network be apart of our team.“
Walsh, 22, has been an emerging talent on the Australian and international racing scene for a number of years.
He finished third in the 2006 Australian Formula Ford title and took second place in 2007, recording a staggering nine-straight race wins.
In 2008, he ventured to Europe to compete in Formula Renualt. He returned to Australia last year, contesting minimal race meetings before returning to local Formula Ford with Borland’s factory Spectrum team. Walsh currently sits fourth in the title.
The Formula Ford Championship resumes next weekend at Symmons Plains, with the season finale a week later at Sandown.
The Fujitsu V8 Series’ penultimate round will be held at Sandown during the Norton 360 Challenge.
