With our European leg of the series now complete after the Most recent round at Hockenheim, attention has turned to home soil and most importantly, the endurance cup.

Sandown played host for round 7 of the Logitech G pro Invitational Series with the opening round of the endurance cup sure delivering action up and down the field.

161 laps around the physically demanding Victorian based circuit proved tough on all driver pairings. With some withstanding what was thrown at them better than others.

The 20 minute qualifying session proved highly contested yet again. SSR & TTR traded blows in qualifying, locking out the top eight positions with Andrew Gilliam/Jobe Stewart being the first non TTR/SSR cars, placing their Pursuit Commodore in 9th.

SSR/Boost mobile racing’s Jarrad Filsell/Dayne Warren took pole position starting alongside TTR’s pairing of Ethan Warren/ Michael Healy on the front row.
Brodie Kostecki/ Cooper Murray placed their SSR/ Boost Mobile machine in third, followed by TTR’s Madison Down in fourth, electing to start his co-driver Aaron Borg. The top five was rounded out by Brady Meyers/ Emily Jones in the #22 TTR entry.

Qualifying definitely wasn’t short of controversy, with many cars being warned for impeding, also noted was a major qualifying crash between Henry James Racing driver Chris Coxhead and SSR’s Jordan Ross. Ross being forced to tow meaning he was excluded from qualifying & forced to start from the back row.

Jarrad filsell elected to start the #94, finding a clean getaway taking control of the field into turn one closely followed by Ethan Warren. A blinding start from Fawzan El- Nabi saw the driver of the #55 momentarily slot into third, before running wide and rejoining behind stablemate Brodie Kostecki in fourth.

Further down the field drama began from the outset, with Griffin Gardiner’s Co-Driver Damon Woods finding the rear of Glen Postlethwaite’s #58 Commodore on the entry of turn one, sparking one of the biggest lap one accidents we’ve seen this season. Caught in the mess was TTR’s Ross Rizzo who Through no fault of his own found himself facing the wrong direction on the exit of turn one, only to be collected by his TTR teammate Kurt Stenberg. Ultimately the damage sustained for Ross on the opening lap may of contributed to their engine expiring whilst Richard was at the wheel on lap 34. This untimely engine failure only worsened what has already been a difficult season for Hamstead who firmly sits outside the top ten in the championship as a result.

Jake Burton along with teammate Jordan Sibberas found themselves in the action early also, Jordan being rotated into the wall on the exit of turn 5 by Bradley Vaughn, resulting in a penalty for Vaughn. This put an end to the day of Burton/Sibberas early, circulating for the remainder of the race finishing in 29th.

As the green flag running continued, there were a number of drivers making their way thought the field. One of which was the pairing of Marcello Rivera and Robert Gibbs. An impressive first stint from Gibbs set up a strong day for the #21 Evolution Racing team machine, moving up a stunning ten positions in the opening stages of the race. Their form would continue throughout the day with Marcello wheeling the Car home inside the top ten from twenty fourth on the grid. A impressive sign of what’s to come for the remaining round of the endurance cup.

The race remained relatively quiet throughout the middle stages with the Filsell/Warren pairing proving to be relatively unmatched throughout the day. The co drivers mainly took centre stage in this phase of the race, many impressing throughout their stints.

The likes of Josh Muggleton, Jobe Stewart & Cooper Murray were the benchmark in their respective co-driver stints, consistently lapping within a fraction of their lead drivers laptimes. Other notable performances included the likes of V8 newcomer Gianni Lutzu, showing he can mix it with some highly credited drivers during his stints.

As the lack of safety cars became evident, drivers settled into their rhythms and continued to tick off the laps. The final Pit stop window opened on lap 117, seeing a number of cars dive to the lane to complete the final pit stop.

Emily Jones was the first of the front runners to complete the final pit stop, handing the car over to Brady Meyers in a respectable 5th position for the run to the flag. Corey Shepherd was next to follow on lap 121, trailed closely by Brodie Kostecki on lap 126, interestingly handing his car back over to Cooper Murray to complete the remaining laps.

Dayne Warren lead the field home for a commanding victory alongside Jarrad Filsell, taking the checkered flag in just over 3 hours. The remaining podium places belonged to Rosella & El-Nabi in second along with Kostecki & Murray in third making it an all SSR podium.

Pursuit Sim Racing had a impressive race coming home 4th, followed closely behind by TTR’s Jake Maloney rounding out the top 5.

With Sandown now complete, we turn out attention to Bathurst. 161 of the most important laps of the year. With what we’ve seen so far in the 2022 endurance cup, Bathurst sure will deliver.

Who will deliver on Australia’s greatest stage? Who will be crowned Bathurst champions? Will it be the combination of Dayne Warren & Jarrad Filsell? Or Will Madison Down return to form and deliver a victory alongside Aaron Borg? Can Pursuit sim racing stand up and deliver like they’ve shown in recent rounds? Or will we see a dark horse deliver a Bathurst upset?

Tune in on the 22/23 of October to see who will etch their name In Bathurst folklore.

Published on

At the last round of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Supercar Series, the gloves at the top and of town started to come off. The heavy hitters started to get up close and personal as the series reached the halfway point. Ultimately it was Jarrad Filsell who got the victory, to the frustration of his closest rivals. Accusations were made, and tempers flared, but that just made the excitement build coming into round six at Hockenheim.

The final round of our European tour concluded with a double header, two back to back 26 lap races with a mandatory pit stop and a progressive grid. Qualifying would set the grid for race one and the finishing order for the first race would set the grid for the second.

In qualifying, it was the SSR/Boost Mobile duo of Brodie Kostecki and Jarrad Filsell locking out the front row. Madison Down would plant his TTR commodore in third ahead of rising star, Luke Rosella in his SSR Mustang. Ethan Warren, the second placed man in the championship secured a top five grid position and kept himself in the hunt.

Once again like at the last round, some big names failed to fire a proper shot in qualifying and would start in the pack. Josh Anderson, Ethan Grigg-Gault, Jake Burton, Andrew Gilliam, Richard Hamstead and Jordan Ross among the drivers to disappoint in qualifying.

At the start of race one, Kostecki would once again have problems launching the car off the line, just like at Red Bull Ring Brodie was immensely lucky not to get cleaned up as he sat stationary on the front row as the field streamed by. Filsell had no such issues, jumping to the race lead ahead of Down and Rosella. At the hairpin, it was Down with a massive move on Filsell to eventually take the lead after five or six corners of side by side action. At the conclusion of lap one, it was TTR’s Down, Filsell, Rosella, Bourke, Maloney, Rivera, Warren, Meyers, Anderson and 9ine 5ive Sim sports Dylan Rudd, who is continuing to impress against the big teams.

The race remained relatively quiet up until lap 11 with only a few on track altercations taking place. Pursuit’s Andrew Gilliam earned a penalty for spinning Vendevals Jake Burton from just outside the top 10. Shawn Mcnamara was also unlucky to have an off track excursion, escorted off unintentionally by Luke Mitchinson who was battling to keep his car under control on the exit of turn two.

Lap 11 is where Filsell made a defining move on Down at the hairpin with Rosella in the battle and the whole top eight covered by under three seconds. Rosella made a move for second on the next lap, unable to make it stick but giving Filsell the break he needed. But the train caught right up to the back of Filsell again with Madison making a move on lap 15 but running wide at the hairpin and letting Rosella through for second.

Pitstops would be vital as the undercut in such a tight pack would make you hero or zero. Josh Anderson amongst those who benefited from an early stop to jump a few competitors on track. When the stops had all happened, Filsell would retain the lead ahead of a recovering Down. Anderson had jumped to third on the track whilst Rosella, being the new up and comer amongst hard heads had his ears boxed and funnelled back to eighth.

In the end, Filsell would take the first win of the night for SSR/Boost Mobile Racing Whilst TTR were represented on the podium with both Down and Anderson who made an impressive strategy play in his Cooldrive Mustang. Bourke a big loser in race one, his SSR commodore unloaded amongst a TTR pack at the final turn, things were heating up for the final race of the night.

Filsell and Down on the front row, SSR versus TTR. It was going to be a cracker. Filsell got the jump, but Down was out for blood and made a decisive move on lap one to lead the field. Ethan Grigg-Gault had a fantastic start and put himself deep inside the top 10 battle in his Logitech G ERT Commodore. But it would all come to nothing as Hamstead was caught napping at the hairpin and missed his brake marker, EGG an innocent victim and ruining any chance of a good result. In a cruel blow for the Evolution Racing Team, his teammate Marcello Rivera was also caught up in the incident.

Madison Down and Jarrad Filsell continued to battle, trading paint again on lap four and keeping the following TTR cars in the battle. A pack of five cars at the front formed between Filsell and four TTR cars. Warren exited this group on lap six, trying to pass Filsell on the outside and being escorted to the grass. Anderson and Rosella began to close the gap to the top four cars, whilst Kostecki who started almost last was fighting his way through the pack, picking off cars almost every lap.

By lap 10, Down still had the lead with the top six cars separated by a little over 2.5 seconds. Rudd was in the top 10, showing impressive speed and consistency to hold position whilst Kostecki and Ross who both started off the back had made their way up to 15th and 16th respectively. Gilliam and Hamstead were also both recovering from penalties and made their way to the back of the top 10.

On lap 13, it all kicked off again at the front with Filsell attempting a pass on Down. Madison having none of it would immediately hit back and bring his teammates at TTR along to help him. Jake Maloney made an impressive pass on Filsell in the final sequence of corners and Madison was able to skip away just before the round of pitstops began. Anderson once again was an early stopper, but this time the train pitted a lot later which gave them a big tyre advantage heading into the final part of the race.

By lap 20, and after all the stops had played out it was a sea of TTR cars at the front. Anderson benefitting from the undercut was trying to hold on to his lead but Maloney and Down were chasing him down with a big tyre advantage. Filsell was fifth whilst Rosella followed from a distance. With two laps remaining, it looked like a TTR sweep of the podium, Maloney in third place held a healthy 3.5 second gap over Filsell. A mistake for Jake gifted Jarrad the final podium place with just two laps remaining, while behind a huge battle pack from sixth to 15th had formed, Rudd unlucky not to hold on to a brilliant top 10 position.

As the dust settled and post race penalties concluded, Madison Down and TTR had won the round. A brilliant hit back in the championship and a demonstration of the depth and competitiveness of TTR. Filsell was handed a penalty in race two putting him back to fifth position, whilst Rosella came in fourth. Anderson and Maloney would round out the podium making it a TTR 1-2-3.

The Overall results for the round fall the way of Madison Down with Filsell in second and Anderson rounding out the podium places. It was action packed and there was a lot of paint traded. But now we change tempo as we gear up for the first of our endurance races and welcome 40 co-drivers to the series for the Sandown 500 on the 1st of October. Tune in for a special Saturday evening broadcast to see the next instalment of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Supercar Series.

Published on

For any prospective championship challenger in the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series, unexpected twists and turns are par for the course. However, the opening round of the 2024 Series at Sebring delivered a devastating blow to the championship aspirations of several top contenders.

A major accident on Lap 38, at the final corner of the track, entangled a significant portion of the front-running cars, leaving drivers such as Madison Down, James Scott, and Jarrad Filsell scrambling to pick up the pieces. With the championship fight for these drivers effectively starting at Round 2, slated to commence at Phillip Island on April 10th, the question now looms large: How can these drivers bounce back and resurrect their championship hopes over the remaining 11 rounds?

The Sebring incident sent shockwaves through the racing community, particularly among fans and pundits who had earmarked the aforementioned drivers as prime contenders for the 2024 title. Reigning champion Madison Down, whose skill and consistency has made him a force to be reckoned with, found himself caught in the chaos along with 2023 runner-up James Scott and 2022 champion Jarrad Filsell. The collision also affected a slew of other drivers, including Brady Meyers, Ethan Grigg-Gault, and Josh Anderson, all of whom were anticipated to play pivotal roles in the championship chase.

Jarrad Filsell sits stricken on the track after being involved in the lap 38 crash

For these drivers, the road to redemption begins with resilience and adaptability. The setback at Sebring served as a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of competitive racing, where fortunes can change in the blink of an eye. However, true champions are defined not by their ability to avoid adversity but by their response to it. As they prepare to tackle the challenges that lie ahead, each driver must adopt a strategic approach to maximize their chances of success.

First and foremost, the drivers must focus on maintaining a positive mindset. Dwelling on past misfortunes will only serve to hinder their performance on the track. Madison Down stated: "It doesn’t really change my approach. The plan is always to maximise each race and having a shocker in Round 1 doesn’t change that."

James Scott also shared a similar mindset by saying that his approach is to "Tackle the rest of the season the exact same way. Just try and rack up as many wins as possible. "

Above all, perseverance will be the hallmark of those who rise to the challenge and emerge victorious. The road to the championship is fraught with obstacles and setbacks, but it is those who refuse to succumb to adversity who ultimately come out on top. After a technical failure at this very race in the inaugural 2022 Season Madison Down knows all too well how hard the fightback can be after he managed to resurrect a second place finish in the overall points that year.

He said: "The difference this time around versus 2022 is that almost the entire championship contending line up also had shockers. So the title fight is still wide open in my opinion. The positive to take out of Round 1 is that we’re fast. We were in a super strong position all night and definitely fast enough to get the job done. I’m confident that we can still defend the Number 1, it’s just going to take an absolutely flawless year from here with no room for any more mistakes or penalties."

Madison Down limped his battered TTR Commodore home for a P31 finish

As James Scott mentions, the additional two rounds in the 2024 championship also serve as an extra opportunity for drivers to score points: "Naturally 12 rounds could benefit me but won't do anything if we don't have the car speed so ensuring we are as fast as we can be at each round will be paramount and we will see we're we round up at the end."

As the championship battle shifts to Phillip Island for Round 2, the contenders must steel themselves for the challenges that lie ahead. With their championship hopes hanging in the balance, there is no room for error. However, in the crucible of competition, true champions are forged, and the stage is set for a thrilling display of motorsport prowess. The road to redemption begins now, and only time will tell which driver will emerge triumphant in the 2024 Logitech G Pro Invitational Series.

Published on

After a month of racing the stage was set as we headed to Mount Panorama Bathurst for the final round of the 2023 Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series. A championship looming, and qualification places still up for grabs, All was to play for over the course of the 33 lap encounter.

DPR’s Dylan O’Shea again would prove to be the star of qualifying around the 6.213 kilometre precinct, placing a strong 2:03.1 securing pole position over championship leader Dylan Rudd of 9ine 5ive SimSports. Pursuit Sim Racing driver Jobe Stewart made a return to competition for the final round, sticking his #35 Commodore comfortably in third position with 9ine 5ive SimSports duo Ric Kuznetsov & Bradley Rattew rounding out the top five at the conclusion of qualifying. Other strong performances in qualifying included Michael Talijancich, securing his best qualifying position of the season in 12th, followed by WK&P driver Harrison Dengate who found himself starting out of a competitive 13th position.

O’Shea would convert from pole position, making a solid getaway clearing the nose of Dylan Rudd well before they arrived at turn one. Stewart on the other hand, struggled to get off the line from third position, seeing the Pursuit driver fall into 5th position behind Bradley Rattew & Ric Kuznetsov.

It was a clean getaway for the majority of the field until Brian Borg & Michael Talijancich found trouble before they made it across the start line on lap one. Talijancich, unable to find a gear as the lights went out, found himself stranded on the grid as cars around him got underway. Brian Borg completely unsighted, slammed into the rear of the #777 Pursuit Sim Racing commodore putting an end to Borg’s day before it even began. With the flame out in the engine compartment, the #017 Mustang would be left with no choice but to retire, becoming the first of many casualties over the course of the race.

O’Shea would continue to control the field at the front for the opening laps with Rudd still on his tail. Kuznetsov moved himself up into the podium paces early, with Robert Gibbs also showing excellent strength in the opening laps gaining four positions in the opening two laps.

Further back trouble continued to brew in the mid field. Brett Loxton found himself involved in his first incident of the night on the end of lap 2, placing a move down the inside of the ailing Talijancich which saw the two make contact on the apex of the final turn. Paul Young became the innocent victim in this, finding himself facing the wrong way. Regathering himself he would rejoin the race, only to find himself buried at the tail of the field.

Green flag racing would only last for a handful of laps after this, the caution flying early on lap five for an incident up mountain straight. Loxton again finding himself in the wars, rotating the Fishy Motorsports entry’s of Michael whiting & Michael Angus ultimately retiring both entry’s to the pit lane and cruelly ending the pairs chances of finishing inside the top 20 for the 2023 Logitech G Pro Invitational qualifying series.

With the caution flying, the field made the decision to transit the lane at the conclusion of lap 5. O’Shea would lead the field down the lane for the first time with Rudd, Kuznetsov, Gibbs & Jobe Stewart all following suit. DPR’s Andrew Dyson made a net gain in the first compulsory pit stop, gaining 4 positions on the exit of the pit lane promoting him up into 11th position as they resumed behind the safety car. Adam Briggs also did a nice job in the first pit cycle, jumping Sandown winner Bradley Rattew moving into 9th position.

The safety car would move away from the field at the conclusion of lap 7, Dylan O’Shea taking control of the pace ahead of the restart. Racing would resume off the exit of Murray’s Corner, O’Shea waiting until the last moment to get racing back underway.

A well timed restart from Robert Gibbs allowed him to challenge Jobe Stewart for 4th position after the restart, attempting to craft a move around the outside of Griffins Bend. Unfortunately this attempt lasted all but a moment, Gibbs finding himself out of the groove in the marbles fighting for grip, resulting in being shuffled a position down the order with Shawn McNamara capitalising on Robert’s misfortune.

With racing well underway again the field started to settle into a rhythm as they approached the middle of the race. The fight inside the top 20 was close, Matthew Bowler leading a gaggle of cars which included the likes of Thomas Freeman, Christopher Ireland & Bailey Fridd that were only separated by a couple of seconds.

Meanwhile, the battle between O’Shea & Rudd was beginning to heat up, trading fastest laps on a number of occasions after the first safety car restart. All came undone for Rudd though on lap 16 with an ambitious move into the chase on O’Shea, firing off the road and rejoining in 6th position, ending his challenge at the front for the time being.

Josh Muggleton was the next to make a critical mistake while comfortably sitting inside the top ten on lap 18, with a violent spin on the exit of Forrest Elbow narrowly avoided allowing Adam Briggs, Bradley Rattew & Andrew Dyson to make their way past dropping Muggleton back outside the top ten into 11th for his troubles.

The second of the compulsory pit stops were set off by the back half of the top ten lead by Dylan Rudd. All taking the opportunity to transit the lane at the beginning of lap 21. Excellent timing from Rudd placed him back on circuit in clean air, allowing him to get to work on clawing the gap back off Dylan O’Shea. Adam Briggs and Andrew Dyson weren’t as lucky, rejoining into the circulating traffic of Sebastian Varndell & Tyler Blackburn who were yet to take their final pit stop taking them out of the equation.

O’Shea and Stewart would stretch their tyres out to the conclusion of lap 22, boxing with the intention making up the ground on fresher rubber. For O’Shea, this decision would prove costly, Rejoining the race well behind the new effective leader of Dylan Rudd, who made his tires switch on from the outset of his final stop, Jumping five cars in total to jump to take control of the effective race lead by lap 23.

Rudd would be able to breathe a sigh of relief a number of laps later though with the caution flag flying for the second time on lap 24. The cause of the caution was Tyler Blackburn, who’s night would end with an engine expiring on the exit of the cutting, coming to a rest entering Reid Park.

The field reset behind the Logitech G safety car before we would see a seven lap sprint to the flag resume on the begging of lap 27. Rudd made an opportunity to break away from the outset, opting to restart the race early off the exit of the chase, pulling his teammate Kuznetsov along with him.

O’Shea’s day went from bad to worse on lap 29 trying to make an ambitious pass work into Griffins Bend on Rehan Liyanage for fifth position, ultimately demoting him to 10th we’re he would end his day.

The pace of the field behind was no match for the strength of Dylan Rudd though, who managed to lay down lap after lap, containing his margin to Kuznetsov and the field behind, crossing the line to take the race and championship win by a margin of 0.6 of a second. An excellent achievement for Rudd, whose been the class of the field over the course of the 2023 Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series season. Kuznetsov, Stewart, McNamara & Liyanage would round out the top five five as they crossed the line, along with Briggs, Rattew, Dyson, Gibbs and pole sitter O’Shea rounding out the top ten.

Published on

Round one of the Logitech G Pro Invitational qualifying series delivered close quarters racing of the highest quality and Round 2 proved to be no different at Hockenheim.

In an interesting qualifying session, It would be Dylan O’Shea setting the pace early, posting a 1:37.982 with seasoned veteran Josh Muggleton close behind on a 1:38.009. But ultimately it would be youngest competitor Rehan Liyanage taking his first pole position of the series by sessions end. The Pursuit Sim Racing young gun setting the time sheets alight with a staggering 1:37.824 securing pole by only .060 over Synergy Sim Racing stalwart Damien Johnstone. A big moment for Liyanage, cementing his place as a true force amongst the qualifying series contingents.

Robert Gibbs would stay true to form in qualifying, Placing a 1:37.961 to secure 3rd on the grid. Dylan O’Shea would line up 4th with Dylan Rudd of 9ine 5ive SimSports rounding out the top five. Impressive performances from the likes of Sebastian Varndell & Chris Ireland would also see them line up inside the top ten for the first time this season.

Qualifying didn’t go without controversy though with teammates Adam Briggs and Kenneth Latter from Synergy Sim Racing colliding at the exit of turn seven in the final 15 minutes of qualifying. Both cars yet to set a competitive lap time, Briggs & Latter would both be forced to start from the rear of the grid in positions 39 & 40. To add insult to injury, Briggs would be slapped with a pit lane drive through penalty to be served under racing conditions as a result of the incident.

Liyanage would convert the start to lead the field into turn one, followed by Robert Gibbs & Dylan O’Shea. Front row starter Damien Johnstone had a troubled start to the race, unable to convert from the front row of the grid. Difficulty getting away saw the driver of the Synergy Sim Racing #033 commodore get tangled up at turn one with Trans Tasman Racing’s Josh Muggleton. Damien’s day would go from bad to worse receiving a drive through penalty which would ultimately ruin his chance of any competitive result.

It didn’t take long for the action to begin, Brett Loxton & Bailey Fridd being being the first drivers caught up in a tangle at the turn 5 hairpin.

Meanwhile at the front of the field, Liyanage would control the pack for the opening lap before relinquishing control to Robert Gibbs through the Parabolika on lap 2. As drivers settled into a early Rhythm Gibbs would continue to lead with Liyanage close in tow, Rudd, O’Shea and Rattew would make up the top five.

Early movers saw the likes of Kurt Stenberg climb his way up the standings, gaining 7 positions in the opening six laps of the race to sit just outside the top ten. A welcome start to the race for Stenberg, looking to make up for misfortunes that took place during the opening round at Phillip Island.

The pack would remain relatively line astern for the laps that followed until Andrew Dyson dived to the lane at the conclusion of lap 9 to be the first of the lead competitors to take one of their compulsory pit stops. Many of the top competitors made the decision not to react, opting to continue setting the pace from the front of the field. Dyson’s DPR teammate Dylan O’Shea would eventually be the next to follow suit pitting at the conclusion of lap 12, this setting off the beginning of the opening pit stop cycle. Rudd, Liyanage & Rattew would make their first journey to the lane at the conclusion of lap 13 leaving Robert Gibbs out front controlling the field. Gibbs would box entering lap 16, A fuelling mishap causing the ERT driver to over fuel ultimately taking him out of contention for the race win. Gibbs would re join 14th behind Bradley Rattew and look to salvage a result.

As the first round of stops came to a close, Pole sitter Liyanage would take control of the race leading by 5.2 seconds after a short fill saw him re gain his original starting place. O’Shea would comfortably sit second, followed by Rudd & Dyson. DPR’s Dyson was a clear winner after the opening round of stops, climbing his way into a competitive 4th place.

Brian Borg & Hayden Veld would provide a wonderful spectacle over the mid point of the race, A brilliant door to door battle between the two resulting in Hayden eventually coming out on top on lap 27. Other battle packs featured inside the top ten, The battle between Christopher Island, Ric Kuznetsov, Kurt Stenberg & Bradley Rattew over 7th providing much needed entertainment during the long period of green flag running.

Dylan Rudd Would be the first of the front Running competitors to pit on lap 29, A decision that would prove to pay off late in the race. Other drivers would soon follow, with all the front running cars completing their compulsory pit stops by the conclusion of lap 35.

As the field settled into its effective order in the closing laps It was clear it would be a two horse race at the pointy end of the field. Dylan Rudd took the effective lead ahead of Rehan Liyanage in the dying stages, only half a second separating the two heading into the final laps.

As the white flagged waved on lap 44 we were treated to the best battle of the season to date, both Rudd & Liyanage going toe to toe for the race victory. After spending the entire lap side by side trading blows It would come down to the final three corners. Exiting the stadium section side by side for the final time neither driver was willing to give an inch, resulting is Rehan finding the grass on entry and receiving a slow down penalty. Dylan Rudd would claim the victory, his first of the season, followed by Andrew Dyson in 2nd & pole sitter Rehan Liyanage rounding out the podium for Hockenheim. The remainder of the top 5 consisted of Dylan O’Shea & Ric Kuznetsov followed by Robert Gibbs, Shawn McNamara, Sebastian Varndell, Josh Muggleton & Thomas Hinns rounding out the top 10.

At the conclusion of two rounds, Andrew Dyson takes control of the championship over Hockenheim race winner Dylan Rudd with Robert Gibbs, Rehan Liyanage & Ric Kuznetsov rounding out the top 5 in overall points.

With another fantastic round of racing complete in the Logitech G Pro Invitational qualifying series Attention will now turn to Sandown for the pinultimate round of the championship.

Published on

Anticipation has been building for some time in recent months as to who would be the hot favourites in the qualifying series, A number of those names featured at the top of the time sheets in qualifying almost immediately. With qualifying split into two separate groups, Both would receive 15 minutes to set their respective times that would determine the grid.

Group one would be headlined by TTR’s Josh Muggleton in qualifying who set a 1:28.309 to sit on top of the time charts at the conclusion of their qualifying stage, Followed by Harrison Dengate & Sebastian Varndell who rounded out the top 3. Some drivers struggled to find their feet, The likes of seasoned veterans Michael Talijancich & Cameron Veacock finding themselves featuring a little lower in the standings than they would of liked.

Group 2 rolled out for the final 15 minutes of qualifying. The tone was set early, James Scott immediately making his presence felt. The likes of Dylan Rudd, Robert Gibbs & Ric Kuznetsov would challenge James at the top of the timesheets, Rudd finding himself only 7 thousands shy of pole position at the conclusion of the session. Impressive times saw the top 4 only separated by 5 hundredths of a second in total with the top ten separated by a staggering .268 of a second.

With gridding procedures complete, James Scott would lead the field into turn one closely followed by Dylan Rudd & Robert Gibbs. An uneventful opening account to the race for most, Drivers all choosing to take a balanced approach to the start of the race. Andrew Dyson found positions early, gaining 2 positions in the opening laps to move up into 7th. Rehan Liyanage, Adam Briggs & Damien Johnstone formed 8th through to 10th in one of the early battle packs that formed inside the top 10.

With two compulsory pit stops required across the 45 lap event, this opened up a variety of strategy selections. Andrew Dyson would be the first to transit the lane pitting at the conclusion of lap 9. This manoeuvre set of flurry of pit stops. Adam Briggs would be the first to follow suit on lap 10 with the likes of Brian Borg, Rehan Liyanage & Damien Johnstone all heading to the lane on lap 11.

With a majority of the field now making the decision to tour pit lane for the first of their compulsory pit stops, This left James Scott, Robert Gibbs & Dylan Rudd out front still setting the pace.

Adam Briggs and Andrew Dyson worked well together, Making their way through traffic comfortably as they tried to gain an advantage with their early pit stops.

After the first round of pit stops where completed it would be Robert Gibbs leading the field, his lap 16 pit stop provided him with ample opportunity to undercut Scott, who chose to run long.

Further down the field , Sebastian Flock along with Matthew Bowler were in a fight for the top ten, Closely followed by 2022 series competitor Luke Mitchinson who was having a strong showing in the opening round of the qualifying series.

A difficult first round of pit stops for Shawn McNamara saw the 9ine 5ive SimSports driver and 2022 competitor fall well outside the top ten after running as high as 6th early in the race. He was being trailed by Henry James Racing driver Thomas Hinns & ERT’s Bailey Fridd.

Lap 31 would mark a critical point of the race, Drop Bear Motorsports driver Tyson Broad pulling his ailing ZB Commodore off the circuit at Southern Loop triggering the first and only safety car of the race. Pit lane went into frenzy with a number of drivers making a visit to the lane to complete their final mandatory pit stop. A scintillating stop from Kurt Stenberg saw the TTR driver climb into 4th position under caution, Behind Andrew Dyson who stayed out on 9 lap old tyres having already completed his mandatory stop requirement prior on lap 24. Briggs would slot himself into 5th followed by Jobe Stewart, Dylan Rudd, Brad Rattew, Rehan Liyanage & Ric Kuznetsov who would round out the top 10. Gibbs and Scott would both also visit the lane under safety car, Gibbs retaining his lead for the restart.

Lap 35 would see green flag racing resume and it wouldn’t take long for fireworks to begin. Turn 4 again would provide arguably the biggest incident of the night, Brian Borg & Sebastian Varndell coming together at Miller corner setting off a chain reaction on corner entry with multiple cars being caught up in the scuffle.

Kurt Stenberg’s night also came unstuck at Miller corner on lap 41. After a brilliant run through the field to be comfortably in 4th, a late drama under brakes saw Stenberg miss his apex by a tight margin and get turned around by the pack of cars behind which included Briggs, Stewart & Dylan Rudd. Stenberg was able to rejoin the circuit in 23rd position though unfortunately would find himself demoted to 32nd by race end.

Further up the front Robert Gibbs and James Scott were trading blows. Gibbs putting up a fruitful defence showing he can race against the best there is. Scott though managed to find a way past on lap 40 at Doohan corner with a bold and assertive move up the inside. Gibbs would continue to apply the pressure but ultimately it would be James Scott who crossed the line for the win by .5 of a second over Gibbs. Dyson would put on a clinic to finish on the podium in 3rd followed by Briggs & Liyanage rounding out the top 5. Stewart, Kuznetsov, Rudd, McNamara & Damien Johnstone would round out the top 10.

Round 1 of the Logitech G Pro Invitational qualifying series sure has delivered some exciting racing. James Scott has set the benchmark during race 1. The question is who of the 45 field of drivers will step up and knock him off.

Be sure to stay up to date with all the latest at https://supercarsproinvitational.com.au to see who will reign supreme!

Published on

The 2023 season officially kicked into gear last week with the Turn in Race Apparel Sebring Sprint and a handful of drivers stood out with notable performances on the bumpy Florida track.

1. Madison Down

Madison Down’s performance perfectly sums up how quickly things can change in the Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup. After a power outage put an end to his hopes at Sebring in 2022, Down would return in 2023 with a dominant display of driving sweeping both pole position & the race win. If his form from round 1 is anything to go by, we expect Madison Down to be ruthless in his pursuit of a championship in 2023.

2. James Scott

First full time start, first podium. Pretty solid first day in the office for James Scott. Although he will be seething he couldn’t get the jump on the TTR duo of Madison Down & Brady Meyers, a podium is a solid way to being the long haul in 2023. With a result on the board early in the 2023 Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup, Scott will only look to get better from here.

3. Jake Moloney

Jake Moloney is no stranger to clinical drives through the field, but Sebring was a sensational statement from the TTR stalwart. A difficult qualifying saw Moloney in 20th, but it was clear from the moment the flag dropped his race pace exceeded his turn of pace in qualifying. Constantly moving forward, Moloney made the move for 6th in the closing stages, holding off Wayne Bourke & Ethan Grigg-Gault in a thrilling battle.

4. Jack Boyd

If you looked at the qualifying standings, Jack Boyd would of been a name that looked rather out of place in 40th. But it didn’t take long for the Synergy Sim Racing driver to turn the tables with a scintillating drive through the field to claim 20th position at the line. A great drive for Jack showcased what he is capable of when under pressure to perform, one would wonder what was achievable with a better grid position.

5. Thomas Freeman

A somewhat dark horse entering the 2023 Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup, Thomas Freeman showed he was a driver to watch over the course of the 44 lap encounter at Sebring. Qualifying 38th, it looked like it may be a difficult night for the Fishy Motorsports driver, but driving through the field to 21st by end of the race, it’s highlighted the potential this driver has to offer. Keep an eye out for Freeman in round 2 at Phillip Island to see if he can keep moving forward.

6. Blake Worboys

With arguably the most competitive Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup field in recent times, Blake’s performance on his return to the series in 2023 is a great springboard for the season ahead. A fairly clean day in the books coming home 17th is nothing to be unhappy about for Worboys, who for the most part was mixing it in and around the top 15 for the majority of the race.

7. Luke Rosella

After finishing 5th in the 2022 instalment of the series, there were high hopes for the Synergy Sim Racing driver heading into 2023. Although finishing in 19th and a penalty may not look like the greatest result, digging deeper you’ll find it doesn’t tell the whole story. Qualifying an outstanding 3rd, not only would Rosella start at the front, he looked like a genuine contender early on. Although things didn’t go to plan, his efforts at round one of the Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup haven’t gone unnoticed.

Published on

The Logitech G Pro Invitational Series proudly announces the signing of SimSpeed TV as its new Broadcasting Partner.

SimSpeed TV, a renowned premier Sim Racing broadcaster not only in the AUS/NZ region but worldwide, brings unparalleled expertise and a dedicated audience to the prestigious Pro Invitational Series.

The partnership between the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series and SimSpeed TV is a testament to the shared commitment to excellence in sim racing. With years of experience and a well-established audience, SimSpeed TV is perfectly poised to enhance the viewing experience for fans of the Pro Invitational Series.

"We're thrilled to welcome SimSpeed TV onboard as our official Broadcasting Partner for the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series," said Brenton O'Brien, Co-Founder of the Pro Invitational Series. "Their unparalleled expertise and dedication to delivering top-notch sim racing coverage will undoubtedly enhance the viewing experience for fans worldwide. Together, we're set to elevate the excitement and prestige of sim racing to new heights."

While the partnership had already been planned for the 2024 main series, recent technical complications during the in-house production of Round 1 of the Qualifying Series prompted an acceleration of the collaboration. As a result, Round 2 of the Qualifying Series on January 7th at Magny-Cours will mark the inaugural broadcast under the new partnership, bringing exhilarating sim racing action to viewers worldwide via SimSpeed TV.

SimSpeed TV's dedication to innovation and excellence aligns seamlessly with the core values of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series. Together, we aim to elevate the sim racing experience to new heights, offering fans unparalleled access to thrilling races and behind-the-scenes insights.

"We are honoured to join forces with the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series as their official Broadcasting Partner," said Jay Kennedy, Owner of SimSpeed TV. "Our team is committed to delivering immersive and engaging coverage that captures the excitement of sim racing, and we look forward to showcasing the best of the Pro Invitational Series to audiences around the world."

The partnership with SimSpeed TV marks an exciting new chapter for the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series, further solidifying its position as a leading force in the world of sim racing. With SimSpeed TV's expertise and global reach, fans can expect nothing short of thrilling, action-packed broadcasts that bring the excitement of sim racing to life.

For more information about the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series and to stay updated on upcoming races and broadcasts, visit https://supercarsproinvitational.com.au

About SimSpeed TV - SimSpeed TV is a premier Sim Racing broadcaster, renowned for its high-quality coverage of sim racing events worldwide. With a dedicated team of professionals and a passion for excellence, SimSpeed TV delivers immersive and engaging broadcasts that capture the excitement of sim racing for audiences around the globe.

Published on

It was Brady Meyers who claimed the maiden Logitech G Pro Invitational race win, but on the exit of the final corner of the race, Josh Anderson had snuck his nose in front of Brady and was in position to take the win himself.

As Jake Burton was left ruing his fuel miscalculation within sight of the finish line as his spluttering Commodore relinquished the lead, TTR teammates were neck and neck behind. Only a bump in the track stumped Andersons run to the line, with him eventually finishing just 0.187 seconds behind Brady.

Josh will be the first to admit he got a bit lucky with the result, but you have to be in a position to capitalise and Anderson was in the lead group from the very start. Qualifying fourth and settling into a solid third place off the start, Anderson ran a basic split strategy which saw him assume the lead on lap 23, passing Brodie Kosteki on the back straight. By lap 30 Anderson had fallen to third but was firming as a contender in the race.

Making his final pit stop on lap 33 Anderson exited the pits with strong track position but quickly realised he had short filled almost a lap worth of fuel. Josh stated “I had to save -100 for the entire final stint”.

Managing to save a massive amount of fuel in only 11 laps is a mighty effort. A Battle with TTR team mates Ethan Warren and Brady Meyers ensued, Anderson smartly utilising their draft to maintain lap speed and save enough fuel to put him in a position to win the race.

Next round lookout for the blue TTR/Cooldrive Mustang. Anderson was ruing his second place finish at Sebring and that means he will be ready to put things ‘right’ at Winton!

Published on

After two rounds of the championship, we are pretty sure everyone would agree that the stars of the show aren’t just the drivers, but also the broadcast and commentary team.

We have already re-introduced Stephen Sandman Clarke to you all, the voice of Sim Supercars, but who else do we have? This week, we introduce to you the voice behind the intros and the outros, Priya Richards. 

Priya is a new name to sim racing but is not in any way new to the world of Motorsport.  Priya has been travelling to events around the country before she could walk having grown up in a family that shares 12 Bathurst 1000 wins with her father Steve and Grandfather Jim. 

Through this, Priya has developed her own branding in the industry whilst working for Airtime Media in Melbourne as a videographer and editor. 

An avid horse rider, Priya has the exact attributes in what we were looking for when the series began. A strong advocate for a higher presence of female involvement we approached Priya three weeks before the series began. Without hesitation she agreed and has done some outstanding work since. 

It is a real honour to have the Richards name involved in our series, but the one that belongs to Priya as she carves her own path into the world of Sim racing. 

You can catch more of Priya’s work on her podcast “Girls on the Grid” which you can catch on Spotify here:

Published on

Richie Stanaway completed his first round of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Supercar Series at Red Bull Ring and immediately hit it off with SSR’s Tom Freer. Stanaway showed glimpses of speed throughout the night, appearing near the top of the time sheets throughout practice, as did Freer. But it was when the two found each other on track that sparks began to fly.

After the second safety car restart, Freer got shuffled back into Stanaways clutches and it wasn’t long before the fun kicked off. Stanaway passed Freer to move close to the top 10, a few laps later Freer making a move on Hamstead, who in turn made a move on Stanaway which escorted Stanaway off the circuit. Stanaway’s spotter immediately reported the move to race control but it was deemed play on. Richie decided to take himself out of the battle and opted for an early pit stop, an undercut he thought would move him away from that pack.

A few laps later, Freer would pit, and when he took to the track again Freer on the fresh rubber cruised up to the back of Stanaway and put a move on at turn 4, but this is where the gloves came off. Not content to sit behind, the Simblacks machine immediately tried to pass into the second last corner, pushing Freer into a slowdown. Freer incensed by the contact retained position and made a double block move down the front straight to hamper the run of Richie, both of them coming in way too hot at turn 1 and allowing Hobson to slice through.

Aggravation levels rising as Simblacks were reporting Freer, and Freer reporting Stanaway. Eventually the final passing manouver was at turn 3 by Stanaway, escorting Freer wide and giving him no room to fight back. The SSR machine had no more tyres left as the pack behind had now caught up, shuffling Freer down to 16th, whilst Stanaway will be ruing missing out on a maiden top 10, coming come in 11th.

It was a bruising battle, the gloves were off. Tune in on July 13th to see these two resume the fight!

Published on

As we head to round 3 at Red Bull Ring this Wednesday night for the Logitech G pro invitational Supercar series, Richie Stanaway joins the all star field.

Whilst real life commitments have meant Jackson Souslin-Harlow will only be available for enduro races, it opens the door for Richie to complete the 40 car field in his SimBlacks entry. The 2017 Supercars Sandown 500 winner is set and ready to fight for wins once the cars hit the track.

Tune in at 7:30pm, Wednesday to see Richie on track along with all the action from Red Bull Ring.

Published on

Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup drivers ventured across to Europe for round 6 of the series held at Red Bull Ring on Wednesday night.

15 minutes of qualifying would prove to be a mentally draining affair, the limited qualifying time posing a challenge for all 42 entrants to set their competitive times.

It would be Evolution Racing Team’s Ethan Grigg-Gault setting the benchmark in the early stages of the session, closely followed by Watkins Glen race winner & championship leader Jake Burton. Madison down showed some speed during qualifying, his second run jolting the Trans Tasman Racing driver into provisional pole position with little over 5 minutes remaining.

The final qualifying run proved to be incredibly close, with the likes of Jordan Ross laying down a competitive time inside the top 5 for the time being. Dylan Rudd jumped onto the front row for no more than a split second alongside Madison Down before James Scott shot to the top of the time charts with a blistering lap that saw the driver of the #088 claim pole position for the 60 lap race around the Red Bull Ring Circuit. Scott would share the front row with championship challenger Madison Down, followed by Dylan Rudd, Gilliam & Ethan Grigg-Gault rounding out the top 5. Jordan Ross, Filsell, Burton, Stewart & Shawn McNamara would finalise the top ten in qualifying.

Starting form pole position, James Scott would lead the field towards turn 1 with Madison Down behind. Gilliam showing early aggression, made easy work of Madison Down at turn 6, promoting himself into second position behind Scott on the opening lap of the race. It didn’t take long for Gilliam to show his cards, making an authoritative move down the inside of Scott at turn 3 on lap 2. Ethan Grigg-Gault took full advantage of this manoeuvre on Scott, slicing underneath the #088 machine on the exit of turn 2, moving up into the second position behind new leader Andrew Gilliam.

Down and Scott lead the charge into Turn 1

Gilliam continued to break the air for the cars behind in the early stages, Grigg-Gault, Scott, Down & Jarrad Filsell all sitting behind using the tow to their advantage as the field reached the 10 lap mark of the 60 lap event.

Down the field, incidents started to evolve as drivers got Deep into their first stints. Damien Johnstone & Sebastian Varndell would be the first to have issues, both drivers coming together on the approach to the turn 4 braking zone. Varndell managed to keep his Ford Mustang on the road, continuing on with little positions lost. Damien Johnstone on the other hand, enjoyed a off track excursion that would see the Synergy Sim Racing driver drop back down the order.

Bradley Rattew was another driver who was caught out in an incident on lap 20. A spontaneous move from Luke Rosella at turn 3, saw the 9ine 5ive SimSports driver under attack on the run to turn 4 from Josh Anderson. Braking late, the #36 Trans Tasman Racing Commodore looked like getting the move done cleanly on Rattew, slightly wide of the apex contact was made between Anderson & Rattew, sending both off the circuit.

Rattew and Rosella make contact at Turn 3

As the drivers started to reach the middle portion of the race, Pursuit Sim Racing’s Andrew Gilliam continued to lead the field over Evolution Racing Team’s Ethan Grigg-Gault. James Scott, Down & Filsell made up the top 5, continuing to take full advantage of the draft, saving fuel ahead of their opening pitstops.

Lap 24 would see the leading pack peel off to take the first of their compulsory pit stops, Gilliam, Scott, Filsell, Ross & Jobe Stewart all opting to take to the lane.

Madison down stayed out behind Ethan Grigg-Gault with Jake Burton also choosing to continue on.

Grigg-Gault would make his way to the lane a lap later on lap 25, along with O’Shea, Liyanage & McNamara who’d also make a trip to the pit lane for the first time. Down would be the final lead driver to transit pit lane on lap 29, rejoining behind stablemate Brady Meyers.

The field would cleanse on lap 33. Andrew Gilliam again would retain the lead with Ethan Grigg-Gault behind. Difficulty’s on pit entry for James Scott would see Filsell move into 3rd position, James falling to 5th behind Pursuit Sim Racing’s Jobe Stewart.

Madison Down elevated himself to 2nd in the Championship

Jarrad Filsell & James Scott shocked the field laps later when they decided to split from the pack and make their final scheduled pit stops on lap 41. This call was questioned by many, unsure wether traffic would come into play for the SSR duo.

Grigg-Gault would be the next contender to blink, opting to try cover Filsell & Scott. Andrew Gilliam & Jobe Stewart would make their move together one lap later on lap 44, also trying to maintain their respective track position.

After completing his final compulsory pit stop, Grigg-Gault put in a contender for pass of the season on James Scott at turn 3, diving deep under brakes creating a 3 wide situation on approach to the hairpin. Excellent traction on the exit of turn 3 would see the Evolution Racing Team driver move into effective second position behind Jarrad Filsell on lap 46.

10 laps to go would mark a turning point in the race. It was clear at the front of the field the aggression level had lifted. Filsell now lead the train, with Grigg-Gault close behind. Team tactics came into play on lap 51, Filsell managing to hold Ethan Grigg-Gault wide at the turn 3 hairpin allowing James Scott to make his move down at turn 4. Grigg-Gault would find himself shuffled off line again, demoting the #7 Commodore back into 4th position. It didn’t take long though for Ethan Grigg-Gault to strike back though, putting on a passing clinic at turn 3 again, charging back into a podium place with only a handful of laps remaining.

Series leader Jake Burton was already suffering from a difficult night after making contact with the pit exit wall earlier in the race when things again went sour for the #8 TTR Commodore. On lap 58, Dylan Rudd would make a uncharacteristic mistake on the approach to turn 4, locking the rear tyres and sending himself into a self spin on the apex. In a rush to rejoin the field, Rudd found reverse at the wrong time, moving into the path of Rehan Liyanage & series leader Jake Burton, collecting the pair in the process. Falling to 18th, Burton is left wondering what could of been, now relinquishing his championship lead.

A spun Dylan Rudd makes contact with points leader Jake Burton

Filsell would lead Scott home in a dominant display for the SSR pair. After a difficult season to date, Filsell has finally broken through for victory, as he now sets his sights on making up as much ground as possible in the championship. Madison down would collect the final place on the podium after a late race penalty for Ethan Grigg-Gault, ensuring he keeps himself well and truely in the title fight. Meyers would collect a strong points haul in 4th, with Gilliam rounding out the top 5 after 60 laps of intense racing.

James Scott has now bounced back to the championship lead after Burton’s Misfortune, taking control as we look ahead to Belle Isle in little over 2 weeks time. Madison Down has been promoted into 2nd, only a mere 22 points away from the championship lead.

As the series moves closer to Belle Isle, the focus now moves to the championship battle at hand. Can James Scott hold on and prevail at Belle Isle heading into endurance season?

Published on

The age old debate. Pre qualifying… is it the best way?

One word. PERFECTION. It’s that simple.

5 hours, 2 tracks. 95 competitors. All aiming to be part of the top 45 drivers advancing through to the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series Qualification rounds.

Every moment of every lap counts as drivers will try to put together the most perfect lap they can possibly muster from themselves.

Every Braking marker, Brake application, Turn in point, Throttle application, Slide…. Every. Single. Corner. As close to PERFECTION as they can be.

But what makes the word PERFECTION so special? Nobody can truely achieve PERFECTION. But everyone can chase it. Who will get close and achieve their goal of making the Logitech G Pro Invitational series?

Will it be the lightning fast Robert Gibbs? Thomas Freeman? Does Andrew Dyson and DPR have what it takes? Or will a dark horse steal the show?

It’s time to find out on the 17th-19th of January.

Published on

The first stage of the Logitech G Pro invitational series qualifiers has now reached its conclusion. With 15 hours of pre qualifying held over 3 consecutive nights between the 17th-19th of January the top 45 is set to battle it out in the hopes of securing a place on the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series grid for 2023.

Plenty of heavy hitters placed their times over the course of pre qualifying, Which saw Synergy Sim Racing driver James Scott on top of the time charts with a impressive collective time of 3:04.051 with Jobe Stewart of Pursuit Sim Racing close behind, 0.125 away from Scott.

Plenty of impressive performances included the likes of Matthew Bowler, sticking his Evolution Racing Team machine comfortably in 3rd place, followed closely by youngest competitor Rehan Liyanage & Brad Ryan who rounded out the top 5.

Further down we saw some familiar names feature inside the top 20. Ric Kuznetsov, Dylan Rudd, Kurt Stenberg and Jamie Dike all secured a place into the next stage of qualifying. A somewhat great performance from Kurt Stenberg in particular, placing his Trans Tasman Racing Commodore well inside the cutoff in 10th place after a difficult campaign in 2022.

A number of new faces impressed on the timesheets also, DPR drivers Andrew Dyson & Dylan O’Shea both making early statements along with Drop Bear Motorsports Tyson Broad all showing what they are capable of against some of the best competition there is to offer.

Towards the back of the field we saw a number of efforts to improve above the cutoff line. Zachary Hanlin found improvement on the final night securing himself into the next round of qualifying for Altus Esports.

The top 45 was rounded out by Michael Angus who posted a collective time of 3:05.837, Securing 45th by a matter of 0.028 of a second over Tyler Blackburn from RACEONOZ who unfortunately misses out on advancing by the narrowest of margins.

A number of drivers fell below the cutoff line in pre qualifying. Simon Chadwick, Justin Wallace, Reuben Goodall, Wade Sheedy, Tao Soerono all missing out on a opportunity to advance into the next round of Logitech G Pro Invitational series qualifying. Although a number of drivers won’t see themselves advance to the next stage, plenty of positives can be drawn from their attempts, now setting their sights on securing drives for the endurance cup set to be held on a later date.

Stage one of qualifying for the Logitech G Pro Invitational series may have concluded, But for the top 45 there is plenty more to come! With stage two set to kick off on the 1st of February, who’s got what it takes to Reign supreme?

Published on

Trans Tasman Racing have put on a dominant display of driving at the season concluding event held at Road Atlanta on Wednesday evening.

Qualifying saw a hotly contested session, with Madison Down solidifying his title charge with a commanding pole position over Evolution Racing Team’s Ethan Grigg-Gault. Title challengers James Scott & Brady Meyers would line up on row two, followed by Josh Anderson who would round out the top 5. Making up the remainder of the top ten saw Jake Burton in 6th, followed by Richard Hamstead, Tom Freer, Brenton Hobson & Ric Kuznetsov rounding out the top 10.

Contact on lap 1 between title contenders

Racing soon got underway, With Madison Down leading the field away on the approach to turn 1. A rough getaway for the #77 Trans Tasman Racing Commodore left Down vulnerable, with Ethan Grigg-Gault & James Scott adding pressure on the approach. Entering the corner three wide, down would loose out on the run towards the turn 2 & 3 complex, with Grigg-Gault & James Scott side by side racing for the lead. Contact between the two saw both cars exit the road, falling down the order handing the race lead back to championship favourite Madison Down. Josh Anderson would slot into second place after the turn 3 scuffle, with Brady Meyers moving into the final podium position.

Lap 15 saw the opening pitstops of the night begin, with Synergy Sim Racing duo Brenton Hobson & Tom Freer making the call to be the first to clear their opening compulsory pit stop of the night.

O'Shea with a motor detonation early in the race

Meanwhile on circuit, Dylan O’Shea’s top 10 championship hopes went up in smoke, suffering from a engine failure on lap 18 of the race entering the final chicane. With power out completely, O’Shea managed to nurse his ailing 9ine 5ive SimSports Mustang back into pit lane without bringing out the safety car. A night with promise coming to an end early, O’Shea will now look towards 2024.

With Madison Down continuing to lead the way, it would be James Scott peeling off to take service on lap 21 from 6th position in a bid to gain an early advantage, gaining back some of the track position he lost during his lap 1 incident with Ethan Grigg-Gault. James would re join in clean air, setting the pace.

Josh Anderson would be the next to pit, making move to the lane on the end of lap 29. He would be followed by Trans Tasman Racing Stablemates Madison Down & Brady Meyers only laps later, Down choosing to relinquish the lead on lap 30, with Meyers boxing on lap 31 also.

As the field cleansed, Josh Anderson would inherit the lead ahead of the early pitting Ethan Grigg-Gault with Meyers also jumping championship leader Madison Down. James Scott’s early stop worked well for the #088 gaining slight track position and putting his Synergy Sim Racing Commodore well and truely back in the fight.

TTR Team Mates make contact

Anderson would continue to lead the race comfortably throughout the middle stint of the event, consistently lapping inside the top 4 times while out front.

Behind, moves were starting to be made, notably Jake Burton would make some ground in this stint, passing teammate Richard Hamstead on lap 40, moving into the top five and continuing his charge. Others making good ground included Dylan Rudd, Andrew Gilliam, Jordan Ross & Wayne Bourke who all were finding a way to advance up the order and into contention for a great finishing position.

As Meyers cleared Grigg-Gault advanced towards the race lead on lap 45 moving into second, Anderson made his move to the lane, being the first to take their final pit stop if the night. Ethan Grigg-Gault would follow a lap later on lap 46 along with Jordan Ross & Brady Meyers pitting at the conclusion of lap 48. Burton would follow suit a lap later along with Gilliam & Wayne Bourke.

As race contenders re emerged and settled back into a rhythm, Down finally would put to make his final stop of the night on lap 53. Pitting from the lead, Down would enter back into the race in a comfortable 5th position, now setting his sights on doing what he has to do to claim the 2023 title.

Jake Burton finishes 2023 on a high note

It was a three way fight at the front however to close out the 2023 season, with Brady Meyers, Josh Anderson & Jake Burton throwing the kitchen sink at one another, all with the hope to claim the final victory of the season. An excellent move from Burton into turn 1 on lap 59 secured the lead for the #8, while Josh Anderson & Brady Meyers continued their battle trying to hold onto second. All would come undone only corners later for the pair, with contact being made firing Meyers off the road and out of contention. Anderson would hold onto second, while Meyers would tumble down the order promoting James Scott into a podium place.

No further movement would take place in the dying stages, with Jake Burton taking yet another commanding victory to round out his 2023 campaign. Anderson would finish the year off in style in second, with James Scott securing his runner up status with a solid podium to round out the year. Grigg-Gault ended a solid campaign in 4th position at road Atlanta, followed by Madison Down in 5th, finally securing the Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup title for 2023.

Published on

Turn In Race apparel joins forces with the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series for Sebring.

Turn In Race Apparel has come onboard as the naming rights sponsor for the opening round of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series set to take place at Sebring International Raceway.

Turn In Race apparel provides a wide range of custom apparel for race teams, E sport teams, Race leagues you name it!

With Turn In Race Apparel’s custom designs you have the ability to select from a wide range of colours, Accessories & styles to suit your vision.

Teams who already are using Turn In Race Apparel within the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series include 9ine 5ive SimSports & Synergy Sim Racing, will you be the next in line?

For 10% off your Turn In Race Apparel order be sure to mention the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series at checkout!

We look forward to working alongside Turn In Race Apparel at Sebring on March 22 as we prepare to go racing in 2023.

Be sure to check out Turn In Race Apparel at: https://turnin.store

Published on

In what was a remarkable turnaround of form for any driver in the pro series, Marcelo Rivera posted his best result so far this season, assumed team bragging rights and announced himself as a real podium threat for the remainder of the championship.

Qualifying 28th for a lowly finish of 23rd by his own standards at Round one, Marcelo stunned the field by jamming his ERT Commodore third on the grid for round two at Winton. It wasn’t exactly out of the blue, as everyone knows what Marcelo can do, but the turnaround in form and to be the leading ERT driver against class team mates was a huge statement for Marcelo.

Speaking with “Celo”, he maintained it was really no shock to him as he knew his Sebring result was out of the ordinary, but as soon as he good stuck into testing and tuning for round two, he stated “I just seemed to feel really comfortable in the car to be honest. I didn’t feel like I had to push like crazy to do a good lap time”.

Car #21 picked up a pair of seventh place finishes, netting him sixth place overall for the round and vaulting him up to 12th in the points.

The ERT cars have looked very pacey all year but may lack a little bit of tyre life, whilst Marcelo agrees Winton is a unique circuit, he thinks they may have found a better direction and will remain strong in the coming rounds.

We head to Red Bull Ring on June 29th, whilst draft and staying in a draft train is a big feature of the track, tyre life will also play an important role. We will be watching with interest to see if the ERT cars have found that little bit extra to keep their rubber. If they have, we're sure Marcelo will be right in the battle.

Published on

The inaugural Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series concluded at Mount Panorama on the 22nd of February, Dylan Rudd coming out on top winning the championship and the final round in a dominant display of driving.

20 drivers secured their places for the 2023 Logitech G Pro Invitational series, so who impressed the most over the four round championship?

Published on