The Bend and the Sporting Car Club of South Australia will together usher in a new era for South Australian Circuit Racing, partnering to promote the SA Motor Racing Championships from 2024 after decades of the championship being run solely by the SCCSA.
The groundbreaking partnership will see the SA Motor Racing Championship expand from four to eight events across The Shell V-Power Motorsport Parks International & GT circuit layouts and the iconic Mallala Motorsport Park.
The series of events will challenge grassroots and professional racers with the existing state level racing categories to be joined by National and International categories such as Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, Australian Formula 4 and the Toyota 86 Scholarship Series. Additionally, various visiting state-level categories from New South Wales and Victoria will host rounds of their championships at the SA events including NSW Production Sports and VIC E30 Racing.
The core values of the partnership are based on raising the profile of South Australian state-level events whilst delivering competitive event entry fees, a simplified entry process and increased track time for competitors. All factors of the model enhance the aim of increasing field sizes and placing aspirational categories directly in the eyes of the next generation of Motor Racing Participants.
Representatives of The Bend and The SCCSA gathered on Monday to celebrate the announcement:
Wayne Williams, Operations Manager - Shell V-Power Motorsport Park
“We have worked tirelessly alongside the Sporting Car Club to create a model that will enhance the competitor experience and place South Australia as a national leader when it comes to state-level race meetings.
The combined effort to consult with all the racing clubs and categories involved has resulted in a calendar that will support the expansion of the championship.”
Alistair MacDonald, CEO - Shell V-Power Motorsport Park
“The history of the Sporting Car Club of SA’s involvement in Motorsport is incredible. To be able to expand our existing relationship with them and partner to put on this championship is a fantastic outcome for the wider South Australian Motorsport Community.”
“The involvement of the visiting state, national and international categories is not only great for Motorsport in SA but it’s incredibly exciting for the Murray River Lakes & Coorong region with the expected increase in visitation.”
Chris Frith, President - Sporting Car Club of South Australia -
“The Sporting Car Club has been a fantastic custodian of Motorsport in SA. We started in Motorsport in the 1930s/40s running the Australian GP at Lobethal, we were heavily involved in the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix when it was in Adelaide and we have continued to expand on that operating state-level motorsport events through Motorsport Australia here in SA for over 40 years.”
“Being involved with national categories is important for exposure for our local categories. That’s one thing that has been difficult in the past is to gain national exposure and having the national categories here at racing events mixed with club-level racing, is perfect for the competitors, not only for their own personal improvement but for the category’s improvement as well.”
“We are looking forward to this partnership which can only expand what the club can do, what the competitors can achieve and it furthers a great relationship that we’ve developed with The Bend over the years running events both here and at Mallala.”
The First event of the 2024 SA Motor Racing Championship will be held on March 1-3, 2024 with entries opening on January 8.
