Category: News

Hyundai’s Tom Oliphant scored his breakthrough first overall round victory in the TCR Australia Championship during an action-packed and heated round two of the 2024 series at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

The expat Brit, who made his debut in the TCR Australia Championship at Symmons Plains in 2023 and has joined the reigning teams’ champions HMO Customer Racing this season, bounced back from a disappointing qualifying position to charge through the field and score a double podium result, finishing second in the reverse-grid race and then clearing out to a dominant victory during a door-banging and dramatic final 30-lap sprint.

It was Oliphant’s second race victory in the TCR Australia Championship after winning the reverse-grid race at Winton Raceway in 2023 and elevated him back into title contention and into the top 10 in the drivers’ standings.

The weekend was marred by controversy both on and off the track, with teammate Buchan losing a significant number of points after finishing second in the opening race when stewards declared it didn’t meet the prescribed time allowance following a lengthy red-flag period to recover a competitor after an opening-lap incident.

The reigning champion gained positions in the reverse-grid second race to finish sixth and was set to start the final race on the front row – and potentially steal the championship lead from rival Ben Bargwanna – but was forced to start in the middle of the pack following the late decision to scrap the points from race one following an appeal by a competitor team.

In the race, Buchan muscled his way into a podium position only to be spun out by Zac Soutar while racing through the fastest section of the circuit, sending his i30 N TCR off the circuit in a dramatic cloud of dust. He managed to rejoin the race and nurse his damaged Hyundai across the line in 11^th.

HMO Customer Racing now heads to Phillip Island in Victoria for the third round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship on April 12-14.

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I don’t really know how to sum up such a weird weekend. We had the second fastest car all weekend, but the events that unraveled in race one led to the confusing decision that was made to start the final race, which was chaotic. In all honesty, it was actually good fun out there – there was a lot going on. At this point, I don’t really want to say anything about the incident, but I think there will be a lot to unpack from this weekend and Phillip Island can’t come soon enough. I’ll just press on and try again another day.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“I reckon I’m the happiest guy on the grid after everything that has happened. It’s been an entertaining weekend – let’s put it that way. We were quick in the opening practice but then went into the wrong direction in qualifying. We made great changes for the race set-up and we were rapid. The car I had underneath me was superb and to come away with the most points from the weekend is a surprise. I’m well aware it had a lot to do with a judicial decision, but I’ve been in this game long enough and have had my share of bad luck – so I’ll happily take a dose of good luck for this one. Either way, this is exactly the result I needed to turnaround my championship aspirations. I’m really, really pleased.”

Race Results: Round 2, Symmons Plains Raceway, Tasmania

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P9 (56.5462sec)	P5 (56.4056sec)
Practice 2	P5 (56.5222sec)	P10 (56.8956sec)
Qualifying	P2 (56.1652sec)	P10 (56.8568sec)
Race 1	P2 (56.8963sec)	P8 (56.7549sec)
Race 2	P6 (57.0215sec)	P2 (56.9321sec) – FL
Race 3	P1 (56.8927sec)	P1 (56.9118sec)

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2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – Provisional

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	187
2.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	186
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	186
4.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	169
5.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	168
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	164
7.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	161
8.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	133
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	125
10.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	124
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	121

Hyundai’s Josh Buchan and HMO Customer Racing teammate Tom Oliphant are both seeking revenge at Symmons Plains Raceway as the 2024 TCR Australia Championship resumes for round two in Tasmania this weekend.

Buchan, who scored a podium finish on his TCR debut at the short yet fast circuit in 2021, was robbed of victory the next year when he was penalised for a rule that no longer exists (weaving under the safety car) and then denied a front-row start in 2023 due to a technical issue.

This year, having kick-started his TCR Championship defence with second place in the opening round at Sandown, the 29-year-old reigning TCR Australia champion is aiming for redemption on the Apple Isle and reclaim the lead in the drivers’ standings.

Similarly, former British Touring Car Championship race winner Oliphant is hoping to re-start his championship attack at Symmons Plains and recover lost ground after a tricky debut with HMO Customer Racing, where technical gremlins hampered the top speed of his Hyundai i30 N TCR.

Oliphant is confident the team has rectified the issues after a positive test session and plans to unleash some aggressive driving tactics on the technical 2.4km circuit.

Having made his first appearance in the TCR Australia Championship in Tasmania last year, Symmons Plains will be the first circuit that Oliphant has previous experience and says it has a lot of familiar characteristics from ‘old school’ circuits in his native Great Britain.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Symmons Plains Raceway on Friday afternoon to fine tune the cars ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 12:05pm and the opening race, which starts at 3:15pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the two remaining races, with the top-10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Symmons Plains Raceway and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and free via 7plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I love Symmons Plains as a racetrack; it’s a little bullring! Traditionally in the past, it has been a happy hunting ground for HMO Customer Racing as a team. For me, I scored my first podium on my TCR debut in Tassie in 2021 and have always had good pace at Symmons Plains. But last year we were chasing a technical issue all weekend that set us back, and the year before I was on for the win but copped a penalty for a punishment that no longer exists. So, I’m looking to avenge those results this time around. I’m pretty keen to get one back.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“We didn’t have the greatest start to the season at Sandown, so there is only one way option for me and that is to go absolutely hell for leather and try to reclaim as many points as possible. I have absolutely nothing to lose, and that makes me a little more dangerous. Josh has proven the i30 N is competitive and there is no reason why I wouldn’t be up the front where he was at Sandown. Basically, I am going to Symmons to start my championship again.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	125
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	123
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	119
4.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	116
5.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	108
6.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	101
7.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	99
8.	John Martin	Honda Civic Type R	83
9.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	81
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	80
14.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	39

2024 TCR Australia Championship, Round 2: Symmons Plains Raceway

Track Facts
Location	Launceston, Tasmania
Length	2.411 km
TCR Pole Record	55.2931sec, Nathan Morcom (Hyundai i30 N) – 2022
TCR Lap Record	55.7811sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022

TCR Schedule – Round 2: Symmons Plains Raceway

Friday March 15	Saturday March 16	Sunday March 17
Practice 1: 10:55am	Qualifying: 12:05pm	Race 2: 12:15pm
Practice 2: 1:45pm	Race 1: 3:15pm	Race 3: 3:15pm

Hyundai driver Josh Buchan began his TCR title defence with his first podium appearance at Sandown Raceway, finishing second in the opening round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship.

Buchan was among the front runners all weekend, scoring pole position, finishing sixth in the reverse grid sprint and twice runner-up in the maximum points-scoring races. He is second in the championship standings, just two points behind the leader, Ben Bargwanna.

Buchan was immediately on the pace as he began his title defence, setting the fifth and fourth fastest times respectively in the opening practice sessions on Friday.

On the other side of the garage, it was a difficult start to the season for HMO Customer Racing’s new recruit, Tom Oliphant, who was hampered by technical issues on his Hyundai i30 N TCR.

Oliphant took a more conservative approach to practice while becoming familiar with the Hyundai i30 N TCR and finished eighth and 11^th in opening practice respectively.

Buchan turned up the heat in qualifying to score his third pole position since joining the TCR Championship while Oliphant nursed a technical issue that restricted his top speed and could only manage the 12^th fastest time.

In the opening race, Buchan made a strong start from the front row and led for most of the opening lap, only to lose first place to Ben Bargwanna in the last corner after he pinched the brakes and ran slightly wide. He maintained pressure on the new race leader for the next few laps, but Bargwanna had the advantage and eventually took the chequered flag 5.9 seconds in front of Buchan.

Oliphant had a fast getaway and claimed five positions on the opening lap, but a minor clash damaged the cooling of his car that caused a loss of power. The British expat desperately attempted to defend his position but dropped back to finish 11^th.

In the second race, which reversed the top 10 on the starting grid, Buchan made a clean start and improved three places to finish sixth while Oliphant incurred extensive damage to the front of his car when a spring became lodged in his front bumper following a first-lap incident between two other competitors. He soldiered on to cross the line in 12^th.

Starting from pole position in the final race, Buchan was overtaken by race one rival, Ben Bargwanna, off the start line. He harassed the Peugeot driver for the entire race, but a fuel pressure problem late in the race stymied his chances of challenging for the lead and he crossed the line in second once again.

Oliphant was another innocent victim in someone else’s accident when he was spun around in the middle of the race. The incident caused further damage to his car, forcing him into the pits for repairs. He returned to the race and took the chequered flag in 12^th position, but was later declared a non-finisher as he only completed 12 laps.

HMO Customer Racing now heads to Symmons Plains in Tasmania for the second round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship on March 15-17.

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I’m extremely happy with the performance and our results from the weekend, especially considering the troubles we encountered in the lead-up to Sandown. The i30 N proved to be fast and reliable on our side of the garage, with pole position, two fastest laps and a podium finish with second overall on the championship points.

“Little Bargs (Ben Bargwanna) did a great job and I don’t think we had the car to get him in the last race when a little technical issue crept in with a few laps to run. Either way, it’s my best result at Sandown Raceway, which I’m very happy with, and I can’t wait to go to Tassie and hopefully get to stand one-step higher on the podium at Symmons Plains.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“It’s been a very mixed bag for the team this weekend. Congratulations to Josh and the guys on his side of the garage, but unfortunately it wasn’t the same for me. The team is fantastic, and the atmosphere is exactly what I want, but sadly we had issues with our car that go beyond anybody’s control. We had a severe case of bad luck this weekend, but the good news is we think we understand the problem and I’m confident we will have a fast car that will bring us back to the front in Tassie”

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Race Results: Round 1, Sandown Raceway, Victoria

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P5 (1:15.6598sec)	P8 (1:15.8122sec)
Practice 2	P4 (1:15.3996sec)	P11 (1:16.1922sec)
Qualifying	P1 (1:14.7689sec)	P12 (1:15.8946sec)
Race 1	P2 (1:15.6444sec) – FL	P11 (1:16.4844sec)
Race 2	P6 (1:16.5919sec)	P12 (1:17.2595sec)
Race 3	P2 (1:15.9554sec) – FL	DNF (1:17.0625sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	125
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	123
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	119
4.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	116
5.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	108
6.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	101
7.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	99
8.	John Martin	Honda Civic Type R	83
9.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	81
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	80
14.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	39

Hyundai’s Josh Buchan and HMO Customer Racing are set to begin defending their sensational double TCR Australia Championship victories in the opening round of the 2024 season at the historic Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne this weekend.

Buchan scored his maiden TCR Australia title in dramatic fashion during the final round of the 2023 season at Mount Panorama, at the same time helping HMO Customer Racing seal its third teams’ championship in four years.

The 29-year-old Sydneysider heads into the 2024 championship as a pre-season favourite with a new teammate in Tom Oliphant, who joins HMO Customer Racing with a wealth of international racing experience.

Oliphant, 33, won the Rookie of the Year award in his debut TCR Australia season last year after finishing eighth on championship standings which included a breakthrough race victory at Winton.

The British expat has previously competed in top-level European touring cars, including the British Porsche Carrera Cup and international Porsche Supercar series, and was a front-runner in the British Touring Car Championship.

Both drivers will commence the 2024 TCR Australia Championship behind the wheel of proven race-winning machinery with the i30 N TCR hatchback.

Buchan was scheduled to continue in his championship-winning i30 Sedan N TCR, but the team discovered a minor technical issue during pre-season testing.

A new addition to the TCR series in 2024 is the return of the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship in which HMO Customer Racing’s Hyundai drivers will score points for the brand against competitors in rival machinery.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Sandown International Raceway on Friday afternoon to fine tune the cars ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 10:30am and the opening race, which starts at 1:15pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the two remaining races (2:05pm & 3:20pm), with the top-10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Sandown International Raceway and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“It’s been a long time since winning the championship at Bathurst last year and I cannot wait to go racing again. It’s always exciting to start a new season. I am not treating this year any differently, and don’t consider the upcoming season as a defence of my title but rather an attack for another one. The points score is re-set back to zero at Sandown and the competition will be intense.

“I feel confident we have all the right ingredients to win again with the best team in pitlane and the best cars on the grid, but we have a long year ahead of us and I cannot take the number one for granted.

“It’s unfortunate not to be starting the series in my championship-winning i30 Sedan N TCR, but the hatch is a proven race winner and will be well-suited to the unique demands of Sandown with its long straights.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“I’m really excited to get started with my new team at HMO Customer Racing and looking forward to racing at Sandown in the Hyundai i30 N TCR, which was the fastest car on that track last year. My aim is to get three very solid finishes, with a podium or if not better, and put some strong points on the table to establish my position in the championship.

“The team has been very welcoming and I feel very comfortable with everyone and the car after our pre-season testing. The car feels fantastic, but you’re never really sure until you get on the track against all the other competitors. But I am optimistic we will have the pace to be up the front.

“I like Sandown: it’s a track that rewards horsepower along the straights and you have to be aggressive over the kerbs through the corners, which is good fun. It’s got a great flow to it, and I think it’s a great track to start the championship at with the Hyundai i30 N.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship, Round 1: Sandown Raceway

Track Facts
Location	Melbourne, Victoria
Length	3.10 km
TCR Pole Record	1:12.229, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022

TCR Schedule – Round 1: Sandown Raceway

Friday February 9	Saturday February 10	Sunday February 11
Practice 1: 11:40am	Qualifying: 10:30am	Race 2: 2:05pm
Practice 2: 2:00pm	Race 1: 1:15pm	Race 3: 3:20pm

HMO Customer Racing has welcomed Tom Oliphant to partner reigning champion, Josh Buchan, in a revised line-up for the 2024 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship.

Oliphant, 33, brings a wealth of high-level international experience to HMO Customer Racing having raced in some of the most competitive touring car series around the world, including Formula Renault, the British Touring Car Championship, GTs and Porsche Supercup

He made his TCR Australia debut last year after relocating to Australia from his birthplace in the United Kingdom and scored a sensational maiden victory in the fourth round at Winton Motor Raceway on his way to finishing eighth on the championship standings.

Tom will start his 2024 title campaign in proven championship-winning machinery behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30 N TCR, which scored five race victories in 2023 in the hands of Bailey Sweeny.

He is excited to join the championship-winning team and confident he will be a front-running title contender in the 2024 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship which starts at Sandown Raceway in Victoria on Feb 9-11.

Tom Oliphant – Driver, Hyundai i30 N TCR car #15

“I’m very excited to be back in the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series for 2024 and joining the reigning champions in HMO Customer Racing. They are a team that knows how to win and the Hyundai i30 N has proven its pace over the last few years. I gained lots of experience and made big steps forward in my debut season and I feel HMO will provide a great environment for me to progress further. I’ve already tested the car and I feel right at home, so I’m confident we can push for some strong results from the opening round.”

HMO Customer Racing team owner, Barry Morcom.

“As the defending teams’ champions in the TCR Australia Championship, it is critical that HMO Customer Racing has race-winning drivers in race-winning cars, and we believe we have all the right ingredients to defend our title in 2024. Tom had a stellar debut last year with some outstanding results and I am confident that with Josh Buchan and Tom in our cars this year we have one of the most exciting and talented driver line-ups on the grid.”

HMO Customer Racing chief engineer, Rob Benson

“HMO Customer Racing is excited to welcome Tom Oliphant to the team for the 2024 TCR Australia Championship alongside our defending champion, Josh Buchan. Tom brings a wealth of knowledge to us from his previous experience racing in some of the most competitive touring car championships in the world. His race victory at Winton during his rookie season in the TCR Australia Championship was a standout performance, and we are confident that HMO Customer Racing and Hyundai will provide him with more opportunities to visit the winner’s podium this year.”

Tom Oliphant Bio

Born: 21/8/1990, Tarporley, United Kingdom

Lives: Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Racing Career

2002-2011: British go-karting championships

2012: British Formula Renault Championship, 16th

2013: British Formula Renault Championship, 13^th and British Ginetta GT Supercup, 21^st

2014: British Ginetta GT4 Supercup, 5^th and British GT Championship (GT4), 4^th

2015: British Ginetta GT4 Supercup, 1st and British GT Championship, 24^th

2016: Porsche Carrera Cup GB, 4^th and Porsche Supercup, NC

2017: Porsche GT3 Middle East, 4^th, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, 4^th and Porsche Supercup, NC

2018: Porsche GT3 Middle East, NC and British Touring Car Championship, 22^nd

2019: British Touring Car Championship, 11^th

2020: British Touring Car Championship, 6^th

2021: British Touring Car Championship, 16^th

2022: British Touring Car Championship, 30^th2023: TCR Australia Championship, 8^th and TCR World Tour, 23rd

HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan clinched the 2023 TCR Australia Championship in a dramatic final round at Mount Panorama on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Sydneysider battled against the best touring car drivers in the world as Bathurst played host to the second Australian TCR World Tour round, overtaking his teammate Bailey Sweeny who was hampered by mechanical gremlins all weekend.

Buchan finished the season with 807 points with team mate Bailey Sweeny in third, helping HMO Customer Racing score its third TCR Australia Teams’ Championship.

The HMO Customer Racing teammates were evenly matched during practice, with Buchan and Sweeny finishing fourth and fifth in the opening session. The duo reversed the order in the second hit-out, with Sweeny crossing the line with the 10^th fastest time while Buchan was less than 0.1sec slower in 11^th.

The drama began to unfold in qualifying as Sweeny’s Hyundai i30 N TCR was hobbled by a turbo charger problem that significantly affected his top speed on the critical long straights of Mount Panorama. Although he set the fastest sector across the twists and turns across the top of the mountain, he missed out on promotion to the top 10 shootout for the first time this season, finishing in 16^th position.

Buchan, meanwhile, progressed into the final session of qualifying as one of only two TCR Australia competitors to match the TCR World Tour rivals, setting the eighth fastest time in his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR.

He maintained that position in a relatively trouble-free first 11-lap race, which handed him a second row start for the reverse-grid second race and closed the championship gap to Sweeny, who recovered a few positions to cross the line in 12^th.

Buchan lost ground during the opening laps of the second race after he was boxed out by the aggressive international competitors and lacked pace on used tyres, falling back to 11^th – but third among the TCR Australia drivers – at the chequered flag.

Sweeny, meanwhile, further succumbed to turbocharger issues, and made numerous unscheduled visits to the pitlane to rectify the issue. While he crossed the finished line in 21^st position, he wasn’t officially classified.

With a point to prove in the final race, Sweeny bolted from 17^th on the grid to charge through to eighth place – and second of the TCR Australia competitors – only to be disqualified after the race for a technical infringement owing to the turbo charger issues, relegating him to third in the championship standings.

Buchan, meanwhile, nursed his advantage and stayed out of trouble to finish 12^th (fourth in TCR Australia) in the final race to seal his first Australian motor racing championship.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“What a crazy weekend, and a tough way to wrap up the championship. We started off with good pace in practice, made it into the Top 10 shootout for qualifying and then had a good result in the first race that really set us up for the rest of the weekend.

I didn’t have much in the last two races and really was just holding on. I was on the radio for the whole time during the last race just asking where I was and what I needed to do to bring it home. Thankfully, it was enough… and here we are, champions for 2023!

“It’s a massive relief. I haven’t won a national championship before, and I’m lost for words at the moment. But super relieved it’s done.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“It’s been a bittersweet weekend at Bathurst, and a weekend of what could have been. We started off strong in practice on Friday and should have had a top five car, which would have been enough to clinch the title. But we were on the back foot from Race 1 with mechanical issues that we kept chasing.

“It was good to show the pace we should have had in the final race, as we were one of the fastest cars on track and it was great fun racing from 17^th through to eighth.

“To come so close is hard to take and to say I’m disappointed is a bit of understatement. But congratulations to Josh and the team, and I’m proud of the results we’ve had this year on my side of the garage with race wins, pole positions and leading the championship for almost the entire year.”

Race Results: Round 7, Mount Panorama, NSW

	Josh Buchan	Bailey Sweeny
Practice 1	P4 (2:17.0646sec)	P5 (2:17.1395sec)
Practice 2	P11 (2:16.0020sec)	P10 (2:15.9286sec)
Qualifying	P8 (2:15.1008sec)	P16 (2:15.9187sec)
Race 1	P8 (2:16.6804sec)	P12 (2:16.7331sec)
Race 2	P11 (2:17.3900sec)	DNF (2:26:9432sec)
Race 3	P12 (2:18.1057sec)	DSQ (2:16.2725sec)

2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	807
2.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	759
3.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	748
4	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	743
5.	Lachlan Minneef	Audi RS3 LMS	659
6.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	656
7.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	602
8.	Tom Oliphant	Lynk&Co 3 TCR	564
9.	Michael Clemente	Cupra Leon TCR	504
10.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	477

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Hyundai drivers Josh Buchan and Bailey Sweeny matched the world’s best touring car drivers in a challenging, weather-effected first Australian round of the TCR World Tour at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The HMO Customer Racing teammates scored a double podium – finishing second and third on points among the local drivers – in the sixth and penultimate round of the TCR Australia Championship.

The duo now heads into the championship-deciding final round of the 2023 TCR Australia series – and another round of the TCR World Tour – at Mount Panorama next weekend at the top of the driver’s standings, with Sweeny holding a 29-point advantage over Buchan.

The condensed two-day schedule at Sydney Motorsport Park started on a positive note for HMO Customer Racing with Buchan setting the fastest time in a 15-minute warm-up session.

Both drivers fine-tuned their machines on used tyres during the opening practice session to finish with the 12^th and 13^th fastest times respectively and backed-up their pace with Buchan slotting into the top 10, in ninth, in second practice, followed by Sweeny in 11^th.

A light rain shower hit the track moments before qualifying, throwing a spanner in the works. Both drivers made it through the first section but chose an alternate tyre strategy for the top 10 shootout: Sweeny opting to run on four slick tyres while Buchan continued with an off-set slick front/wet rear set-up. With the track drying, Sweeny’s inspired gamble paid dividends as he set the fourth fastest time while Buchan could only manage seventh.

The first 17-lap race, held under lights, was a frantic affair. Buchan and Sweeny were among the fastest cars in the opening segment and closing in on the leaders when a sudden downpour created havoc and the majority of runners – including both Buchan and Sweeny – skidded off the track at Turn Two, leading to a red flag stoppage.

When the race re-started, both drivers struggled on wet tyres and fell back through the field with Sweeny crossing the finish line in 14^th and Buchan in 16^th.

Fired-up for the second race, held in dry conditions, Buchan showed the true pace of his HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR by charging into the top five and challenging factory Hyundai driver and TCR World Tour Championship leader, Hungarian Norbert Michelisz, with Sweeny tailing him home in sixth.

Buchan repeated his form with another fifth-place finish in the final 17-lapper under lights, while Sweeny consolidated his TCR Championship lead by staying out of trouble in 11^th.

The seventh and final round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship will be held at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, on November 10-12 as part of the TCR World Tour.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“Wow, what an up-and-down weekend that was. It started off pretty well being the quickest in the warm-up, and then we just fine-tuned the car through the practice sessions. We proved to be the quickest in every race and were flying in race one before the downpour.

“We definitely had a car to fight at the front this weekend, but we lost track position on the wet tyres in the second half of the opening race and had to fight back from there. Picking off 15 spots in the last two races was pretty crazy and shows what could have been.

“Now, it’s just eyes forward looking at Bathurst. I’ve reduced the gap to Sweeny out in front and increased the gap to third behind me, so all-in-all it’s not too bad. Sweeny is pretty quick up at the mountain, but we’ve always picked up a trophy at Bathurst and if there is a move to be made then we’ll take it.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“Our goal this weekend was to protect the championship lead heading into Bathurst, and we managed to do just that. But it wasn’t easy. We looked good after qualifying on the second row, but then really struggled for pace in the wet in the second half of race one – that was crazy!

“That put us on the back foot for the rest of the weekend, but we had great speed in the dry and we showed our pace coming through from 14^th to sixth in race two. The last race, I just got boxed around a bit at the beginning, so I let them go to stay out of trouble.

“Bathurst is one of my strongest tracks: we had two rounds there last year and I won both of them. So I’m confident we can repeat that next weekend and take home the championship.”

Race Results: Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW

	Josh Buchan	Bailey Sweeny
Practice 1	P13 (1:36.4157sec)	P12 (1:36.2981sec)
Practice 2	P9 (1:35.8777sec)	P11 (1:35.9231sec)
Qualifying	P7 (1:43.1993sec)	P4 (1:39.3579sec)
Race 1	P16 (1:37.0801sec)	P14 (1:37.7386sec)
Race 2	P5 (1:36.0981sec – FL)	P6 (1:36.4159sec)
Race 3	P5 (1:36.4657sec)	P11 (1:36.8123sec)

2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	708
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	679
3	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	659
4.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	612
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	598
6.	Lachlan Minneef	Audi RS3 LMS	571
7.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	526
8.	Tom Oliphant	Lynk&Co 3 TCR	470
9.	Michael Clemente	Cupra Leon TCR	434
10.	Will Brown	Audi RS3 LMS	404

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HMO Customer Racing’s Bailey Sweeny and Josh Buchan are looking to match it with the world’s best touring car drivers at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend in the first of two back-to-back rounds of the TCR World Tour in Australia.

The Hyundai teammates head into the penultimate round of the TCR Australia Championship at the top of the driver’s standings having dominated the early stages of the season with seven race victories from the previous 15 starts.

However, the team will face a host of additional challenges at Sydney Motorsport Park with 10 international drivers joining the field, including reigning champion Mikel Azcona and current TCR World Tour championship leader, Norbert Michelisz, both driving the latest-generation Hyundai Elantra N TCRs for the title-winning BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse.

The 25-car field – the largest grid ever for a TCR Australia Championship event – will compete over a condensed two-day program that culminates with two of the three races run under lights.

Sydney Motorsport Park has been a happy hunting ground for HMO Customer Racing, particularly for Buchan who scored his first TCR victory at the 3.93km circuit in 2021 and dominated the most recent round held there last year with pole position and two race wins.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Sydney Motorsport Park on Friday afternoon to fine tune the cars ahead of qualifying in the evening and the opening race, which starts at 8:40pm. The team will return on Saturday afternoon for the two remaining 17-lap sprints, with the top-10 finishers from Friday’s race reversed for the second race.

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

What the drivers said:

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“There’s been a lot of excitement building up to the TCR World Tour rounds in Australia, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how competitive we are against the best touring car drivers in the world. But, really, it’s just another race weekend for us with a whole bunch of new drivers that we don’t know their names.

“I just want to put on a good performance for myself, and the guys on the team – they’re the ones I’m racing for – and hopefully jag some great results against the internationals. Sydney Motorsport Park has been a happy hunting ground for me in the past, and I’m confident we’ll be fast again this weekend. But I’m not going to be driving any faster just because they are here, and I’m certainly not going to drive any slower. We’ve got a better idea of the car the more rounds we do, and if it’s fast enough at Sydney then we will be right up there.

“It would be amazing to perform well against those guys: win or lose. The Australian standard is ridiculously high, and I think we can race hard against them.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we compare to the international competition this weekend. I don’t think we’ll have as much advantage at Sydney Motorsport Park as we will the following weekend at Bathurst, as the track is very similar to European circuits in its character. Plus, they’ve got an extra practice session to get up to speed. It will be gloves off that’s for sure.

“Racing under lights will introduce a pretty cool dynamic, and an extra challenge for us all to chase the car to suit the changing conditions. It will be the same for everyone.

“From my perspective, the priority is to protect our lead in the championship heading into the final round at Bathurst where I’m confident we will have a strong result. So, it’s important to have a clean weekend at Sydney and not get tangled up in any incidents and score good points in every race.”

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2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings – after Rd 5, Sandown Raceway.

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	589
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	559
3	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	551
4.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	506
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	496
6.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	486
7.	Lachlan Minneef	Audi RS3 LMS	465
8.	Michael Clemente	Cupra Leon TCR	434
9.	Kody Garland	Peugeot 308 TCR	389
10.	Tom Oliphant	Lynk&Co 3 TCR	356

HMO Customer Racing has reclaimed its front-running form with two race victories – and the overall victory – for Bailey Sweeny in the fifth round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship at Sandown International Raceway.

It is the third outright victory for Sweeny this year, and the fourth for HMO Customer Racing which has now won seven of the 12 races held so far this season.

Sweeny also scored his maiden pole position in the TCR Australia Championship at Sandown and returned to the top of the championship standings. The 20-year-old holds a 30-point advantage over teammate Josh Buchan as the series heads into the final two rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama where they will face an international challenge with 12 of the world’s best TCR drivers arriving in Australia as part of the new-for-2023 TCR World Tour.

In typical Melbourne fashion, the Sandown round began in wet and cold conditions for the opening practice session on Friday which both drivers treated conservatively with Sweeny setting the eighth fastest laptime while Buchan was 13^th.

The conditions improved in the afternoon, allowing the team to focus on fine tuning the Hyundai i30 N and Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR machines. Both drivers improved their positions, with Sweeny in fifth and Buchan in seventh.

In qualifying, Sweeny literally saved his best for the very last lap to snatch his first pole position in TCR Australia while Buchan mustered the sixth fastest time in the i30 Sedan N TCR.

Unfortunately, Sweeny didn’t hold the top spot for too long when the lights went green for the opening race as he was swamped off the start line and then boxed out in a mixed-field melee on the opening lap. He crossed the finish line in fifth place but was later relegated to ninth following a post-race five-second penalty, which in turn elevated Buchan to seventh.

Coincidentally, this gave Sweeny another front-row start in the second race where the top 10 grid positions are reversed. He didn’t waste the opportunity this time around and quickly stormed into the lead to win by a comfortable 2.5 second margin and score HMO Customer Racing’s first victory at Sandown Raceway. Buchan battled with the mid-field runners to greet the chequered flag in fifth place.

Starting from pole position again in the third race, Sweeny once again lost ground off the start line but charged his way to the front after just three laps and managed the rest of the race to cross the finish line first, with Buchan in seventh.

The sixth round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship will be held under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park on November 3-4 as part of the TCR World Tour.

What the Drivers said

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“We knew coming into Sandown that the track wouldn’t play to the strengths of the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, and we weren’t wrong – it was a pretty tough weekend on our side of the garage. We lack straight line speed, and Sandown’s long straights really highlighted that. We had good lap speed, but we couldn’t race when there were cars around us, and it made me a bit of a sitting duck.

“We worked hard all weekend and still scored good points in each of the three races. We’re still second in the championship and we’ve got two tracks to finish off the year that I’m really looking forward to and think will suit our car a lot better.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“I couldn’t be happier with two race wins, my first pole position and reclaiming the championship lead that I’ve held all year except for after the last round in Queensland. It’s great to have a bit of a buffer on the championship ladder heading into the final two rounds with the TCR World Tour, because I reckon there could be a bit of chaos with those guys on the grid at Sydney Motorsport Park and Bathurst. But I can’t wait to get stuck into it against them.”

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Race Results: Round 5, Sandown Raceway, Victoria

	Josh Buchan	Bailey Sweeny
Practice 1	P13 (1:24.1734sec)	P8 (1:23.2276sec)
Practice 2	P7 (1:16.2149sec)	P5 (1:15.9433sec)
Qualifying	P6 (1:14.6466sec)	P1 (1:14.1457sec)
Race 1	P7 (1:15.6938sec)	P9 (1:15.1425sec
Race 2	P5 (1:5.5556sec)	P1 (1:14.89065sec)
Race 3	P7 (1:15.5163sec)	P1 (1:14.9583sec – FL)

2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings (provisional)

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	589
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	559
3	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	551
4.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	506
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	496
6.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	486
7.	Lachlan Minneef	Audi RS3 LMS	465
8.	Michael Clemente	Cupra Leon TCR	434
9.	Kody Garland	Peugeot 308 TCR	389
10.	Tom Oliphant	Lynk&Co 3 TCR	356

Hyundai drivers Josh Buchan and Bailey Sweeny are doing a rain dance to help extend their title lead ahead of this weekend’s fifth round of the 2023 TCR Australia Championship at Melbourne’s Sandown Raceway.

Buchan overtook Sweeny at the top of the championship ladder in the previous round at Queensland Raceway, and heads into a potentially soggy Sandown showdown just one point clear of his teammate.

Both drivers are hoping the predicted cold and wet weather is accurate as it will potentially negate the success penalties they carry from dominating the opening part of the championship, in which HMO Customer Racing has won five of the 12 races run so far this season.

The historic 3.1km Sandown Raceway is located in the south-west suburbs of Melbourne and is dictated by its two long straights, which rewards a car with excellent traction out of slow corners and good straight-line speed. These attributes are compromised in dry conditions when carrying additional weight.

So, Buchan and Sweeny are hoping to use their wet weather driving talent at Sandown to storm to the front in their respective i30 Sedan N TCR and i30 N TCR machinery and maintain their championship momentum.

Sandown will host the last event of the Shannons Speed Series before the teams face an armada of international competitors in the Australian leg of the TCR World Tour with the final two rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama.

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

Fans can catch all the action from Sandown Raceway 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

“I’m hoping for a repeat of last year, with lots of rain and lots of chaos. It’s what we want, as – like Queensland Raceway – it’s not the kind of track that will play to our strengths in normal conditions. Having said that, the two sections of corners in between the drag strips are some of my favourite stretches of bitumen in Australia.

“I don’t know how realistic it will be to hold on to the championship lead – even after qualifying – this weekend, but I’ll do my best. There are still two big events to come after this with the TCR World Tour at Sydney Motorsport Park and the Bathurst International, and while it’s nice to lead it doesn’t mean much at this point. I’ve got my eyes forward on the rest of the year and making sure I’m there at the end, and not just right now.”

Car 130: i30 N TCR – Bailey Sweeny

“It looks like we’re in for another potential wet weekend at Sandown. We had some pretty horrendous weather there last year, so I’m not scared about that as we had good pace in both the wet and dry conditions.

“It would actually be good for us if it is raining as it will help lessen the impact we have carrying the maximum success penalty from qualifying at Queensland Raceway, even though we had a shocker of a weekend after that.

“My focus is regaining the championship lead again after holding it for the entire year, except for one race, and set us up with good momentum heading into the two TCR World Tour rounds to finish the year.”

2023 TCR Australia Championship Standings – after Rd 4, Queensland Raceway.

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	457
2.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	456
3.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	425
4.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	400
5.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	387
6.	Lachlan Minneef	Audi RS3 LMS	384
7.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 TCR	382
8.	Michael Clemente	Cupra Leon TCR	372
9.	Kody Garland	Peugeot 308 TCR	313
10.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	273

Round 5: Sandown Raceway

Track Facts
Location	Melbourne, Victoria
Length	3.104 km
TCR Pole Record	1:12.2299 sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022
TCR Lap Record	1:14.6863 sec, Will Brown (Hyundai i30 TCR) – 2019

TCR Schedule – Round 5: Queensland Raceway

Friday September 8	Saturday September 9	Sunday September 10
Practice 1: 11:35am	Qualifying: 11:40am	Race 2: 12:40pm
Practice 2: 2:45pm	Race 1: 3:35pm	Race 3: 4:15pm