Phillip Island Circuit – Round One

Our first round of the 2025 TGRA Scholarship Series at Phillip Island was nothing short of a rollercoaster. Stepping back into the car for the first time in over three months, we knew there would be some challenges, but nothing could have prepared us for the setbacks we faced in practice.

Saturday got off to a tough start when a major issue in Practice 2 saw the ball joint shear off completely, resulting in a full loss of steering. Not the way we wanted to begin the weekend, but the team didn’t miss a beat getting the car ready and back on track for practice three.

Just when we thought we had things under control, another hurdle hit, this time, a full gearbox replacement was needed. Thanks to the unreal effort from Dean Hefren, Paul Dankowski, Jake Talty, Steve, and Dad, who completed a full gearbox change and a driveshaft check in under an hour. A huge shoutout to everyone in the WLR garage who pitched in to get the car off the stands just three minutes before qualifying.

With everything the team had put in to get us back on track, delivering a strong result in qualifying was the best way to repay their efforts. We managed to put together a solid lap, securing P2, just 0.04 seconds off pole.

Race 1 was intense, with plenty of battles early on. Unfortunately, a forced error on our behalf resulted in an incident that brought out the safety car. Finishing P3 under safety car, we then received a five-place penalty, dropping from P3 to P8.

“We apologise for our involvement in the safety car and found the penalty to be more than fair.”

The team once again put in an incredible effort between races, repairing heavy damage to the rear end and replacing a punctured radiator to have the car ready for the next race.

Race 2 saw us climb from P8 back up to P3 despite a compromised setup due to the previous incident. Another hard-fought battle saw us hold our ground and salvage a strong result. Race 3 was much of the same, intense push-and-shove racing from start to finish. We fought hard, but ultimately, we fell just short, finishing in P5.

Despite the setbacks throughout the weekend, we still managed to secure P3 overall for the round and currently sit third in the championship. Not the easiest way to kick off the season, but there’s plenty to take away, and we’re already looking ahead to Round 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park on March 21-23.

“The team and myself are hoping for a cleaner, more consistent run for the rest of the season, and as always, a massive thank you to our sponsors and supporters for backing us every step of the way. See you in Sydney!”