Category: News

Phillip Island, Victoria – Hyundai’s Josh Buchan has stormed into title contention for the 2023 TCR Australia Championship with a dominant victory in round two of the series at Phillip Island.

The 28-year-old Sydneysider scored two emphatic lights-to-flag victories from pole position to jump from eighth to fourth in the standings while his HMO Customer Racing teammate, Bailey Sweeny, extended his championship lead with a consistent run of top five finishes in the three races.

Buchan’s Phillip Island success was the first pole position and race victories for the new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR in Australia.

“What a fantastic weekend for me, Hyundai and the HMO Customer Racing team with pole position at two race wins at one of the best racetracks in the country,” said Buchan.

“The team has been working hard to understand the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, and it was an incredible feeling to have such success with the new-generation car. This is going to be a very competitive championship all the way to final round at Bathurst in November, so we’re not counting our chickens. But it is definitely a great breakthrough and gives us a lot of confidence moving forward.”

Both HMO Customer Racing drivers were among the front runners as soon as the action began at Phillip Island, with Sweeny and Buchan finishing in the top five for both practice sessions.

Buchan then vaulted to the top of the timesheets in qualifying to score pole position with a time that was more 0.3 seconds quicker than his closest rival while Sweeny stopped the clock with the fourth fastest time.

Buchan bolted away from pole position and eeked out enough of advantage over the first few laps to comfortably manage his pace for the remainder of the race to cross the finish line 2.5 seconds clear of second place.

Sweeny, on the other hand, had to charge back through the field after succumbing to wheelspin off the start line and losing places on the opening lap. Thanks to a series of skilled overtakes, he came home in fourth.

With the top-10 placegetters reversed for the second sprint, both HMO Customer Racing drivers were embroiled in door-banging clashes among the mid-field runners throughout the race. And both Sweeny and Buchan successfully played the long game and steered clear of trouble to cross the finish in fifth and 10^th respectively.

With Buchan starting from pole position again in the final race, he simply repeated his performance from Saturday to lead every lap and eventually crossed the finish line to score another win and the overall round victory, while Sweeny had another consistent run to fifth place.

Buchan’s dominant Phillip Island performance has elevated him into fourth position on the championship standings, just 22 points behind Sweeny.

The third round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship will be held at the Winton Raceway in Victoria on June 9-11.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I’m pretty rapt with the weekend’s results. I didn’t really think that was going to be the outcome before we came here, but the team has done such an amazing job in the break since round one to get to grips with the i30 Sedan N TCR and we rolled the car out of the truck with top-five pace in practice, which made me optimistic for the rest of the weekend.

“To score the first pole for the new car on Saturday was amazing and then to back it up with the first win was even more incredible. But that made me super anxious, knowing that we could lose it all in the reverse grid race two. Thankfully, we kept out of trouble which gave us pole again for the last race and we could convert that into another win.

“I’m always confident that if I can get in front then I’m pretty hard to mow down, and we proved that this weekend.

“As for the championship, I want to be there at the end and this result has put us ahead of our targets at this point in the season. So, we will continue to chip away at it and hopefully by the time we arrive at Bathurst in November we will be the one to beat.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“I had really good speed from the outset, but we probably didn’t really maximise our potential in the races after a couple of poor starts. But our consistency paid off and we’ve extended our championship lead, which is a positive.

“I’m now looking ahead to the next round at Winton, which should suit the Hyundai i30 N TCR especially considering we lose the success ballast we picked up from qualifying in Tasmania.”

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Hyundai is aiming to retain its lead in the 2023 TCR Australia Championship as HMO Customer Racing heads to the iconic Phillip Island circuit this weekend for the second round of the series.

Sophomore sensation Bailey Sweeny sits atop of the standings after dominating the opening round at Symmons Plains in Tasmania earlier this year, taking two race victories and setting the fastest lap in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, while teammate Josh Buchan battled mechanical issues in his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR and arrives at Phillip Island in eighth position.

HMO Customer Racing have worked closely with Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing in Germany over the last six weeks to better understand the unique set-up requirements of the new generation i30 Sedan N, which currently leads the TCR World Tour after recently taking victory in the opening round at Portimao in Portugal.

Buchan believes the fast and flowing nature of the picturesque seaside circuit will naturally showcase the strengths of the sleek four-door machinery and is confident he can be a genuine front-running contender at Phillip Island to claw back into title contention.

“Phillip Island is more like a traditional European circuit, and we know the i30 Sedan N TCR is already a winning package from its continued success in the TCR World Tour,” said the 28-year-old Hyundai Australia supported driver.

“Tassie was tough on my side of the garage, but we’ve done a lot of work since then to better understand and prepare the car for Phillip Island. And I’m looking forward to rewarding the team with a return to the front this weekend.”

For Sweeny, the 20-year-old from Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast is aiming to defend his title lead, despite carrying a 30kg penalty at Phillip Island for his Symmons Plains success.

Sweeny is confident that recent adjustments to the Balance of Performance restrictions placed on the Hyundai i30 N TCR, which now allow it to run a lower ride height and a reduction in the minimum weight, will counteract any deficit imposed by the success ballast.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30min practice sessions on Friday to fine tune the cars ahead of qualifying on Saturday before three 16-lap races over the remainder of the weekend.

Fans can catch all the action from Phillip Island and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and on-demand via Stan Sport.

What the drivers said:

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“We showed a lot of promise in Tasmania by qualifying second, but it ended up being a really tough round on my side of the garage and it was the first time I’d left Symmons Plains without a trophy.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into the new Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR during the long break we’ve had since then and are working closely with Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing in Germany. The car is proving to be fast in the TCR World Tour, but we just have to unlock that speed here in Australia.

“Phillip Island is more like a European circuit than any other in Australia so it should be a great opportunity for us to showcase its strengths. I know at the end of the day we just have to keep chipping away at it and be consistently up the front, which hopefully starts for us this weekend at the Island.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“It’s been great to say I’m the championship leader for the last couple of months, but at the same time I’m really keen to get back in the car at Phillip Island this weekend and build on the momentum we have after winning the opening round in Tasmania.

“Phillip Island is a track that always produces great racing, and we will have to bring our A-game to counteract the 30kg ballast we will be carrying as a penalty for our success in Tassie. But I’m confident we will still be fighting at the front and I’m looking forward to a clean weekend to retain the championship lead.”

2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	137
2	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	123
3	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	119
4	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	118
5	Tom Oliphant	Alfa Romeo Giulietta	108
6	Lachlan Mineef	Audi RS3 LMS	104
7	Kody Garland	Peugeot 308 TCR	102
8	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	92
9	Michael Clemente	Audi RS3 LMS	90
10	Iain MacDougal	Audi RS3 LMS	80

HMO Customer Racing has taken an early lead in the 2023 TCR Australia Championship with a dominant performance, and overall round victory, by rising star Bailey Sweeny during the season opener at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

Sweeny proved he will be a genuine title contender in his sophomore season, winning two of the three 30-lap races from the front row of the grid and setting the fastest lap in his Hyundai i30 N TCR.

The 20-year-old from Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast, who finished fifth and won the rookie of the year award in his debut season last year, qualified in third position but started the opening race unchallenged at the front of the field after a mechanical issue ruled out polesitter Will Brown and a technical infringement sent teammate, Josh Buchan, to the rear of the field from second place.

Sweeny went on to score a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the first race and greeted the chequered flag 7.6 seconds clear of reigning TCR Australia champion, Tony D’Alberto, while Buchan quickly clawed his way through the backmarkers to cross the line in seventh. He was later promoted to sixth following a post-race penalty for rival Aaron Cameron.

Buchan hoped to salvage a haul of points in the second race, which starts with the top 10 in reverse order. But he suffered a mechanical issue on the start line that restricted the power output of his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR and subsequently dropped to ninth.

Sweeny, on the other hand, continued to showcase his speed and marched through the field to finish sixth, which gave him the highest aggregate pointscore to start the final race from pole position.

Even though he dropped two positions on the opening lap, Sweeny clawed back to the front by the middle of the race and then built a comfortable lead to take his fourth individual race victory and score his second successive TCR Australia round following his maiden win at the 2022 season finale, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama, last November.

Buchan, who started from the back of the grid in the final race, quickly moved into the top 10 in the opening laps, but any further progress was halted by being stuck at the rear of a four-car, nose-to-tail train. He crossed the finished line in ninth.

As a result, Sweeny leads the 2023 TCR Australia Championship standings for the first time with 137 points – 14 ahead of D’Alberto – with Buchan in eighth on 92 points.

The second round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship will be held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on May 12-14.

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“I couldn’t ask for a better way to start the championship, with two race wins and leading the championship for the first time. It’s my second round victory in a row.

“We showed last year that the momentum was building from the middle of the season, which we’ve put into effect right from the start of this year. Hopefully we can continue be among the front runners at Phillip Island and be consistent to stay at the top of the ladder.”

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“We didn’t have the weekend we expected with a few curveballs thrown at us that put us on the back foot right from the outset.

“The team at HMO Customer Racing did an amazing job to rectify the issues and we know we have a very fast car. But we just didn’t have the opportunities to showcase its speed here at Symmons Plains because it is such a difficult track with limited passing. If we had kept our second place from qualifying it would have made the rest of the weekend a lot easier, but that’s racing…

“On the bright side, we got a bunch of points, the car isn’t damaged and we’ve learnt a lot more about the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TC R. Plus, we’re not taking any success penalties to Phillip Island where we know the car will be strong and I can guarantee we will try everything to get back to the front and make it a lot easier than what we had here.”

HMO Customer Racing has taken first blood with Bailey Sweeny scoring a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the opening race of the first round of the 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

The 20-year-old qualified third, but ending up starting alone on the front row after pole sitter Will Brown damaged the transmission in his Audi RS3 LMS that could not be repaired, while team mate Josh Buchan was stripped of his second place when he was penalised for an engine irregularity that was discovered in post-qualifying checks.

Sweeny made a lightning getaway off the start line and was never challenged throughout the 30-lap race, building a comfortable 7.5 second margin by mid-distance and then controlling the pace to take the chequered flag ahead of reigning series champion, Tony D’Alberto, and Kody Garland.

Buchan, meanwhile, made a stunning comeback to show the true pace of the latest-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR after the team were hampered by a turbo charger issue during Friday’s initial practice sessions. The 28-year-old charged from the back of the grid to scythe through the back markers in the opening laps, and soon became embroiled in a nose-to-tail battle with Jordan Cox that saw the two drivers swapping positions throughout the remainder of the race. Buchan crossed the finish line in seventh, handing him a second-row starting position for the second race which reverses the Top 10.

What the drivers said

Bailey Sweeny – Hyundai i30 N TCR #130

Qualifying: P3 (56.3137sec)

Race 1: P1 (56.9386sec – Fastest Lap)

“It is awesome to take the first win of the season. After Josh’s little mishap in qualifying we had a clear run from the front row of the grid into the turn one. I then put the blinkers on and focused on myself, managing to pull away and build a comfortable lead. The Hyundai i30 N TCR is a rocketship this weekend and I can’t wait to see what we can do starting from 10th in the reverse grid race.”

Josh Buchan – Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR #30

Qualifying: P2 (56.2112sec)

Race 1: P7 (57.0187sec)

“The first race of the year is one that got away from us. As an overall result it’s not too bad, considering the trouble we had to overcome yesterday. We made up six spots pretty quickly in the race and start on the second row of the grid tomorrow, which gives us a great opportunity to salvage some points and catch up on some silverware. More importantly, there’s a silver lining to our day in that we won’t carry any success ballast into the next round at Phillip Island.”

HMO Customer Racing had a bittersweet first day of official practice for the 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship at Symmons Plains, with Bailey Sweeny setting the pace at the front of the pack while Josh Buchan was hampered by mechanical issues near the back of the grid.

Sweeny set the fastest time in the first of two 20-minute practice sessions around the fast 2.41km circuit, located just south Launceston in Tasmania, and traded times at the top of the timesheet with Will Brown to finish the second session just over 0.1sec behind in second place.

Buchan, on the other hand, battled with an engine issue in his new generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR that restricted his outright top speed, a critical factor to achieving a fast lap time at Symmons Plains. He finished ninth and 12th respectively in the two practice sessions.

Qualifying begins at 1:20pm Saturday with the first of three 30-lap races at 4:10pm.

What the Drivers said:

Bailey Sweeny – Hyundai i30 N TCR #130

“It’s been a really positive start to the season; we were fastest yesterday in the tyre test and then quickest again in P1 and second in P2. It’s very close at the top of the timesheets and it feels like the difference between a great lap and a good one will be first or fifth, but hopefully we remain at the pointy end. Let’s see what the weekend brings.”

Josh Buchan – Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR #30

“Well, practice is done and dusted for the first round and we’ve got some work to do to extract more speed from the i30 Sedan N TCR. We’ll put our heads into the laptops and see what we can come up with and hopefully find a fix for qualifying and fight a little higher up the grid. Bailey is doing a great job on the other side of the garage, so at least one of us is kicking goals. But we won’t give up and hopefully the races come to us.

Josh Buchan is ready for a title assault on the 2023 TCR Australia Championship armed with a striking livery, created exclusively for his new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, and supported by Hyundai Motor Company Australia.

The 28-year-old Sydneysider enters his third season in the TCR Australia Championship and will spearhead a streamlined two-car operation at HMO Customer Racing alongside last year’s rookie of the year, Bailey Sweeny, who will continue to compete in the Hyundai i30 N TCR (hatch).

Buchan will debut the new-look i30 Sedan N TCR, which takes inspiration from Hyundai Motorsport’s global racing activities, in the curtain raiser to the seven-round Speed Series at Symmons Plains in Tasmania this weekend.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Executive Officer Ted Lee said: “Motorsport has been part of Hyundai N’s DNA even before we launched an N road car. From 2014 in the World Rally Championship, then from 2018 in world TCR, we have been competing and winning at the highest levels.

“Our new project with HMO and Josh Buchan in Australia is an exciting new chapter in our high-performance story. We wish him well.”  

Josh Buchan said: “The car looks amazing with its striking new livery and I’m very proud to have the support of Hyundai Australia for the 2023 TCR Australia Championship.

“There is no doubt we have lifted the bar in terms of presentation this year, and now it is up to me and the team to elevate the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR to the position it deserves – at the front of the pack.”

Buchan finished third in the 2022 TCR Australia Championship standings with consistent front-running results, including six podium appearances with one race victory and pole position. He played a crucial role in HMO Customer Racing winning the 2022 TCR Australia Teams’ Championship.

Having christened the new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR with a podium finish in least year’s final round at Mount Panorama, Buchan believes he has the car to beat in 2023.

Similarly, Sweeny is confident of stepping-up to be a championship contender in his sophomore season.

The 20-year-old from Batemans Bay on NSW’s south coast was the standout rookie in 2022 with five podium finishes including two victories on the daunting Mount Panorama circuit at Bathurst. He finished fifth in the championship standings.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I’m excited to get back in the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR and begin my title assault at Symmons Plains this weekend, a circuit that has been good for the team in the past.

“It was hugely beneficial for us to run the new car at Bathurst last year and get an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses in race conditions, and I feel confident we have the right ingredients to win in 2023.

“It has always been a dream of mine to compete in a world championship, which will be fulfilled this year with two rounds of the new TCR World Tour in Australia. It will be very special to race against the world’s best touring car drivers on our home turf. And hopefully we can do enough throughout the year to be among the Top 30 in the World Rankings and be invited to the World Tour Final at the end of the season.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“I can’t wait to get back to racing this weekend at Symmons Plains after a long summer break. With my first season behind me, I can take off the training wheels and it’s time to throw out the rookie badge.

“I learnt a lot last year and am proud of the progress I made, particularly in the second half of the season. I left Tassie last year in last place on the championship table and came back to finish the season in fifth overall. So, I would be disappointed if I’m not in the fight for the championship right from the start.”

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Mount Panorama, Bathurst: HMO Customer Racing has scored two double podiums in a dramatic final round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship at Mount Panorama in the Bathurst International.

Rookie sensation Bailey Sweeny proved to be the new Prince of Panorama, starting where he left off earlier this year when he scored his breakthrough maiden race victory during the third round of the championship. The 19-year old dominated both practice sessions, secured a front row start in qualifying, and finished first and second to claim his first TCR Australia overall round victory.

In the opening 50-minute race, Sweeny won the holeshot and went on to score a lights to flag victory with team mate Nathan Morcom clawing through from his fourth-placed starting position to claim third.

Josh Buchan, meanwhile, gave the latest-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR an ignominious debut when it stalled on the startline following an issue with the launch control system. He kept his title aspirations alive, however, with a storming drive back through the field to cross the finish line in 11^th and was later elevated to ninth in the classified results after a series of post-race penalties were issued.

That provided a massive opportunity for Buchan to make a serious dent in the championship leader’s advantage with a front-row start in the second race, which reverses the top 10. Unfortunately, the second race was red-flagged after one lap behind the safety car and later cancelled due to inclement weather conditions and visibility issues across the top of the mountain.

It set-up a thrilling championship finale, with Sweeny starting from pole position, Morcom in third and Buchan in ninth. Sweeny again got a fast start and lead into the first corner but was subsequently boxed out into Griffins Bend and dropped to fourth behind Morcom.

In a frantic battle for the lead a few laps later, Morcom sustained damage to his Hyundai i30 N TCR and was forced to nurse his car home to sixth place.

Sweeny again proved to be quickest driver with the fastest lap of the race and recovered to steal the lead shortly after a mid-race safety car period, only to make a mistake with his brake balance adjustment on the final lap and crossed the finish line in second, which was enough to score the overall round win.

Buchan showcased the speed of the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR with a measured and masterful drive through the field to join Sweeny on the podium in third.

The results elevated all three drivers in the championship standings, with Buchan taking a brilliant third place, while Sweeny finished as the best placed rookie in fifth and Morcom climbed to sixth.

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What the drivers said:

Car 11 – Nathan Morcom

“We showed great pace this weekend at Bathurst, and it was fantastic to score a podium in the opening race. We were on for a win in the last race there, and I went for a move but, unfortunately, we both moved over at the same time and touched, and from there I just had to salvage what we could with the damage to the car. Overall, it has been a great weekend for the team and finishing sixth in the championship is a positive.”

Practice 1: P5 – 2:14.0219sec

Practice 2: P5 – 2:13.6007sec

Qualifying: P4 – 2:13.3726sec

Race 1: P3 – 2:15.0sec

Race 2: Cancelled

Race 3: P6 – 2:15.1300

Car 30 – Josh Buchan

“It’s been a successful debut for the new Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, as we were in the top five all weekend in terms of speed. A bit of an error at the start of race one cost us a lot this weekend, and then missing out race two put an end to our championship hopes. Nonetheless, finishing third in the final race was a great boost for the team, which did an excellent job, and gives us a great understanding of the car and a head start into the 2023 Championship.”

Practice 1: P3 – 2:13.9040sec

Practice 2: P4 – 2:13.4340sec

Qualifying: P5 – 2:13.6139sec

Race 1: P9 – 2:15.4sec

Race 2: Cancelled

Race 3: P3 – 2:14.8198sec

Car 130 – Bailey Sweeny

“Bathurst has been a brilliant track for us all year, and we showed again that we have the fastest car – even with a bit of success ballast. I nearly got a clean sweep of the weekend, until I made a small mistake on the last lap of the final race. I’m a bit disappointed in myself, but it’s all learning for next year. There were plenty of positives for us; finishing fifth in the championship as rookie of the year, with race wins and podiums in our maiden season. Even though our season has only just finished, I’m already looking forward to having a real crack in 2023.”

Practice 1: P1 – 2:13.6704sec

Practice 2: P1 – 2:12.9560sec

Qualifying: P2 – 2:126032sec

Race 1: P1 – 2:14.3sec

Race 2: Cancelled

Race 3: P2 – 2:14.7054sec

2022 TCR Australia Championship Standings – after Round 7, Bathurst International

1.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	704
2.	Will Brown	Audi RS3 LMS	702
3.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	667
4.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	648
5.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	610
6.	Nathan Morcom	Hyundai i30 N TCR	582
7.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	579
8.	Dylan O’Keefe	Peugeot 308 TCR	577
9.	Zac Soutar	Honda Civic Type R	565
10.	Jay Hanson	Audi RS3 LMS	535

Winton Raceway, Victoria: HMO Customer Racing is set to debut a new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR in the season finale of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship, the Bathurst International, in November.

The Hyundai outfit last week received the brand-new four-door sedan at its Campbelltown facility in South-West Sydney and gave the car its first shakedown test at Winton Raceway in Victoria today.

Team drivers Nathan Morcom and Josh Buchan shared the responsibility during its Australian track debut to gain a better understanding of its performance potential ahead of its competitive debut at Mount Panorama in the hands of Buchan, who sits fourth on the championship ladder and remains in contention for the 2022 TCR Australia title.

“It’s very exciting that new cars are being introduced to the category, which shows the growth of the championship and its relevance to manufacturers such as Hyundai,” said Buchan.

“I’ve never driven a brand-new anything before – from go-karts and throughout my car racing career – so to be given this opportunity is very special.

“On top of that, to learn that I will then be driving the i30 Sedan N TCR for the first time in competition at Bathurst is phenomenal and a genuine privilege. It’s a real honour to have the support to make this happen from all the team at HMO Customer Racing, including team owner Barry Morcom and my chief engineer Rob Benson, and also Hyundai Australia.

“While it is not ideal that I will be heading to Bathurst with very few laps under my belt, we have already proven how successful the i30 N TCR already is in hatchback form with multiple wins and are confident the i30 Sedan N TCR will be just as competitive, particularly at Bathurst.

“In any case, it is be great to get a better understanding of the car ahead of next year so we can get a head start and hit the ground running for a full title tilt in 2023.”

Morcom added: “It is be great to jump into the later generation TCR car to experience the differences between the two models and get a better understanding of how it performs.

“We know the i30 N is such a great car out of the box, and we have plenty of reference data at Winton Raceway with the hatch, so I can’t wait to see what the i30 Sedan N TCR can do.

“The car looks amazing in person, and the controls – especially on the steering wheel – are even more advanced, so it will be beneficial to get a good systems check and shake down all the new components ahead of Bathurst.”

The Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR is known globally as the Elantra N TCR and, like the i30 N TCR hatchback that HMO Customer Racing has used with great success over the past four years including victory in the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019, is built by Hyundai Motorsport’s Customer Racing division at its Alzenau facility in Germany.

The car made its competition debut in the season opening race of the 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Sport Challenge at Daytona International Speedway in January 2021, and has since chalked up numerous high-profile victories, including a dominant class win at this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hour race.

The Elantra N currently leads the World Touring Car Racing (WTCR) series in both the teams’ and driver’s championship courtesy of BRC Hyundai Squadra Corse and Spain’s Mikel Azcona, and also recently clinched the Italian TCR Championship with Dutchman Neils Langeveld.

The final round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia will be held at Mount Panorama at Bathurst on November 11-13.

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Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR Tech Specs

Dimensions

Length: 4710mm
Width: 1950mm
Wheelbase:2 750mm
Minimum Weight: 1265kg including the driver

Engine

Turbocharged 4-cylinder in line, transversally installed
Distribution: two overhead camshafts, 16 valves
Displacement: 1998cc
Max. output: 350hp @ 7000 rpm
Max. torque: 450Nm @ 3500 rpm

Transmission

Front-wheel-drive
Gearbox: 6-speed sequential with paddle shift
Clutch: Cerametallic twin-disc
Differential: multi-plate limited slip differential with external pre-load

Chassis

Front suspension: McPherson strut, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension: 4-arm multi-link axle, coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: electrical power assisted rack and pinion

Brakes

Dual circuit hydraulic system
Front brakes: six-piston calipers, 380 mm steel ventilated discs
Rear brakes: two-piston calipers, 278 mm steel discs

Wheels

Braid 10″x18″ aerodynamic rims, specifically designed for Hyundai Motorsport

Fuel System

100-liter fuel tank with endurance refuelling capability

Interior

OMP race seats and 6-point, HANS compatible, harness

Sandown Raceway, Melbourne: HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan remains in title contention for the 2022 TCR Australia Championship heading into the final round at Bathurst following a wet and wild weekend of racing at Sandown Raceway in Melbourne for Round 6 of series.

The Hyundai outfit started the weekend with plenty of optimism having shown impressive speed in the dry conditions on Friday, with rookie sensation Bailey Sweeny topping the timesheets in the opening practice session closely followed by Buchan in third – the first time both drivers had ever driven the circuit in a Hyundai i30 N TCR.

Sweeny and Buchan backed-up their pace in the second session in fourth and ninth respectively while teammate Nathan Morcom focused on race set-up and finished eighth and 18^th in the two practice hit-outs.

The conditions were drastically different on Saturday though as heavy rain saturated the notoriously slippery circuit ahead of qualifying. Still, Sweeny and Buchan both made the top-10 shootout and qualified in ninth and tenth positions respectively while Morcom had an uncharacteristic trip off the road and qualified in 13^th.

All three 22-lap races were held in wet and tricky conditions, and Buchan made steady progress and consistently matched the pace of the leaders. He would have scored a string of top five finishes but dropped places in the second race after being tagged by a rival. Instead, he ended the weekend with fifth, ninth and then fourth in the double-points paying final.

The solid haul of results has elevated him back to fourth position on the championship ladder, 93 points from the series leader, heading into the final round, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama on November 11-13.

Sweeny, meanwhile, produced plenty of highlights throughout the three races and was one of the fastest drivers in the field. But the tricky conditions saw him see-saw through the pack, finishing eighth, 16^th and seventh in the three races.

Still, the 19-year-old has moved up one position on the championship ladder to eighth, and is looking ahead to repeat his heroic, race-winning performance at Mount Panorama to challenge for a top-five finish as the highest rookie.

Morcom, meanwhile, had a weekend to forget in the challenging conditions but consistently knocked on the door of the top 10, finishing the three races in 12^th, 12^th and 11^th respectively. The final round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia will be held at Mount Panorama at Bathurst on November 11-13.

What the drivers said:

Car 11 – Nathan Morcom

“The weekend started with a lot of promise as I dialled myself back into the track during practice. But the changing conditions in qualifying meant we headed into the unknown. I was comfortable in the top 10, but then I made an error while adjusting the brake bias and went off the track, which caused a red flag and meant my previous fastest lap was deleted and left me in 13^th on the grid. In the opening race, the spray from the other cars was so bad I couldn’t see past my bonnet, so I was cautious and brought the car back in one piece. We tried a different set-up, which was better in some areas but the car lacked drive out of the corners which is critical at Sandown. We then threw what we knew out of the window in race three and tried another set-up direction that was really positive and we had good speed once the tyres were up to pressure. It all came to us just a little too late.”

Practice 1: P8 – 1:15.2093sec

Practice 2: P18 – 1:17.6799sec

Qualifying: P13 – 1:24.4957sec

Race 1: P12 – 1:24.3481sec

Race 2: P12 – 1:23.1932sec

Race 3: P11 – 1:22.2568

Car 30 – Josh Buchan

“It’s been a crazy, crazy, crazy few days at Sandown for the penultimate round. The car was really good straight out the truck in practice one and I only wish it remained dry so the weekend could have run more smoothly than what it did. But, nonetheless, we had some good results and I could have nabbed a podium in the final race if I had got clear of some of the slower cars earlier in the race. But it was a little bit fickle to get by without causing an incident. So, I just had to let the race come to me and chip away. I’m now really looking forward to the last round at Bathurst, especially as we’re not carrying any weight penalties this time around. We should be quick up there, and if the luck goes our way, instead of the way it has missed us a few times this year, then we should be on for a good result.”

Practice 1: P3 – 1:14.9116sec

Practice 2: P9 – 1:15.5151sec

Qualifying: P10 – 1:24.3617sec

Race 1: P5 – 1:22.4784sec

Race 2: P9 – 1:22.7681sec

Race 3: P4 – 1:22.0733sec

Car 130 – Bailey Sweeny

“We had plenty of car speed this weekend and were certainly one of the quickest in the dry, and within the top five in the wet. Unfortunately, we don’t have the results to show it. We accidentally put an old set of wet tyres on for qualifying, which hurt our starting position and put us back in the pack. I had plenty of optimism going into the second race and starting from third, but – as we entered unknown territory with the conditions at the worst – I had a lock-up on the opening lap and lost a lot of places. In race three, I think we really showed the potential of what we could have achieved. After a cautious opening lap, I charged through from 13^th to be challenging for fourth until I was taken out by another driver and had to settle for seventh, with the second fastest lap. I’m now focused on heading to Bathurst where I know we can be fast and hopefully repeat my breakthrough TCR victory from earlier this year and reach my target of a top five finish in the championship.”

Practice 1: P1 – 1:14.7623sec

Practice 2: P4 – 1:152462sec

Qualifying: P9 – 1:24.0300sec

Race 1: P8 – 1:22.8218sec

Race 2: P16 – 1:22.6755sec

Race 3: P7 – 1:21.5409sec

2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Championship Points

1. Tony D’Alberto                  Honda Civic Type R             658

2. Jordan Cox                       Peugeot 308 TCR                 602                

3. Will Brown                        Audi RS3 LMS TCR               585

4. Josh Buchan                    Hyundai i30 N TCR             565

5. Zac Soutar                         Honda Civic Type R             565

6. Jay Hanson                       Audi RS3 LMS TCR               529

7. Dylan O’Keefe                   Peugeot 308 TCR                 502

8. Bailey Sweeny                Hyundai i30 N TCR             489

9. Ben Bargwanna               Peugeot 308 TCR                 479

10. Nathan Morcom           Hyundai i30 N TCR             471

September 12, 2022

SANDOWN RACEWAY, MELBOURNE: HMO Customer Racing will engage full attack mode for the penultimate round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship at Sandown Raceway this weekend.

Following a roller coaster run in the previous event at Queensland Raceway, the team is confident it can reclaim its race-winning form at the historic Victorian circuit, which returns to the TCR Championship for the first time since 2019.

With all three drivers – Josh Buchan (5^th), Bailey Sweeny (9^th) and Nathan Morcom (10^th) – in the top 10 on the championship ladder for the first time this season, the team is planning for a ‘semi-final’ performance at Sandown that will cement its title aspirations ahead of the Bathurst International finale at Mount Panorama in November.

With a mixture of long, fast straights and heavy braking zones, the HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30 N TCRs are well prepared to overcome the challenges of the 3.1km circuit, which will almost certainly produce a tightly packed field in qualifying and plenty of door-to-door racing during the three 22-lap races.

Morcom is the only driver at HMO Customer Racing to have previous TCR experience at Sandown Raceway, finishing inside the top 10 in 2019. Sweeny recently raced at the Victorian circuit in a Toyota 86, while Buchan will make his racing debut at Sandown this weekend.

What the drivers said:

Car 11 – Nathan Morcom

“I’m pumped to get back in the car this weekend and return to Sandown Raceway for the first time in a couple of years. It’s such a historic track which presents plenty of unique challenges, especially if it is wet which is forecast for this weekend. That could actually be a blessing for us in a way as we’re still carrying 30kg of success penalties from qualifying in the top 10 at Queensland Raceway. We had good speed in the last round, and it was a shame we couldn’t capitalise on it when I was taken out in the opening race. The team has done an amazing job preparing the car for this weekend, and I’m aiming to repay them with a clean weekend at the pointy end and move back up the championship ladder before the final round at Bathurst.”

Car 30 – Josh Buchan

“Surprisingly, I have never actually raced at Sandown before. I have done plenty of laps around there with driver training events in road cars, but that isn’t an indication of how the weekend is going to go for me. Looking at the weather report though, I think all bets are off and the form guide is going to be very hard to read. Hopefully the fact we’re not carrying any weight penalties this weekend means we have an advantage compared to others, and it is important for me to have a clean weekend and carry the championship challenge into the final round at Bathurst. ”

Car 130 – Bailey Sweeny

“I’m looking forward to heading back to Sandown Raceway, having raced there only a few weeks ago in the Toyota series. But the Hyundai i30 N TCR is a completely different machine and I’m excited by the challenge. We had a pretty successful run in the previous round at Queensland Raceway that put us in the top 10 on the championship ladder for the first time this season. I’m aiming to continue that momentum at Sandown even though we’re carrying a fair chunk of success penalties. The possibility of rain could counteract though and be a bit of an equaliser.”

Sandown Raceway: Track Facts

Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Length: 3.104km

TCR Pole Record: 1:14.6863, Will Brown – 2019

TCR Lap Record: 1:13.9637, Nestor Girolami – 2019

TCR Schedule – Sandown Raceway

Friday September 16	Saturday September 17	Sunday September 18
Practice 1: 11:30am	Qualifying: 11:35am	Race 2: 12:55pm
Practice 2: 2:40pm	Race 1: 4:20pm	Race 3: 4:10pm

2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship Standings

1. Tony D’Alberto                  Honda Civic Type R             544

2. Jordan Cox                       Peugeot 308 TCR                 486

3. Jay Hanson                       Audi RS3 LMS TCR               484

4. Zac Soutar                         Honda Civic Type R             469

5. Josh Buchan                    Hyundai i30 N TCR             459

6. Will Brown                        Audi RS3 LMS TCR               455

7. Dylan O’Keefe                   Peugeot 308 TCR                 444

8. Aaron Cameron               Peugeot 308 TCR                 415

9. Bailey Sweeny                Hyundai i30 N TCR             407

10. Nathan Morcom           Hyundai i30 N TCR             399

* after Round 5, Queensland Raceway