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Growing Kumho Series field heads to Melbourne’s V8 home
A CIRCUIT with decades of heritage generated from classic Touring Car racing will welcome an expanded Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars Series field this weekend.
Round 4 of the Kumho Series will see an 10-car field take the starter for three races, the best field since the categories’ stand-alone return earlier this year.
That gradual improvement will see a competitive field roll into the suburban Melbourne venue fresh from a compelling trip to Queensland, one that delivered a first-time round winner in Jamie Tilley, and a first-time race winner in Ray Hislop.
Former Kumho Series champion Tony Evangelou returns to the grid this weekend in his ANT Racing, ex-Ford Performance Racing BA Falcon.
Victorian driver Andrew Cook makes his series debut driving a similar period VZ Commodore built originally by Team Dynamik while Privateer Derek Hocking is also slated to make his first V8TC start of the year.
Sandown’s fourth round of the series marks a return to the circuit for the Kumho Series, last staging a stand-alone round there in 2019 when competing under the Super3 banner.
While Josh Fife won the weekend for Brad Jones Racing, It was there that Broc Feeney claimed his championship win – marking him as a star of the future and ensuring his progression into Super 2 and, ultimately, the Supercars Championship.
2023 represents the 13th visit to Sandown by the series, the famous circuit having been a staple on the calendar for all bar three seasons it has existed.
Sandown’s inaugural round in 2008 was won by Smerdon in an AU Falcon with several notables having success there since.
Steve Owen won in 2009, Image Racing’s Terry Wyhoon in 2010 while 2015 saw Jack Perkins take the round in a one-off cameo with Eggleston Motorsport.
Zac Best currently holds the Sandown lap record for the class, his 1m09.7833s best set in 2019.
Jude Bargwanna leads Jamie Tilley in the series by 47 points, with Pollicina in third and the super consistent Tony Auddino in fourth.
Following his spectacular race win in Queensland, Ray Hislop is fifth in the series heading to Sandown.
The Kumho V8 Touring Cars Series field will tackle three races this weekend alongside a bumper Shannons SpeedSeries program.
All three races will be broadcast live, ad-break free and on-demand on Stan Sport with Saturday’s opener also shown live on the Nine Network.
Tickets are on sale at motorsporttickets.com.au now and represent some of the best value, all-access tickets in motorsport this year.
| Car # | CLASS | SPONSOR | DRIVER | STATE | VEHICLE | COLOUR | ||
| 4 | Kumho Cup | Rightway Industrial | Tony | Auddino | VIC | Ford Falcon | BF | White/Blue |
| 6 | Kumho Cup | ANT Racing | Tony | Evangelou | VIC | Ford Falcon | BA | Silver/Black |
| 7 | Kumho Cup | MoComm Motorsports Communications | Jim | Pollicina | NSW | Commodore | VE | Red/White |
| 17 | Kumho Cup | TF Maintenance | Jason | Foley | ACT | Ford Falcon | BF | White |
| 23 | Kumho Cup | RHM / Nulon | Ray | Hislop | VIC | Ford Falcon | FG | White |
| 44 | Kumho Cup | AJC Printing/Signage | Andrew | Cook | VIC | Commodore | 0 | Black/Silver |
| 50 | Championship | Burson Auto Parts | Antonio | Molluso | VIC | Ford Falcon | FG | White |
| 57 | Championship | Notlaw Racing | Jamie | Tilley | NSW | Ford Falcon | FG | Black/Orange |
| 62 | Kumho Cup | Team62 | Derek | Hocking | NSW | Commodore | VE | White |
| 79 | Championship | Anderson Motorsport | Jude | Bargwanna | NSW | Ford Falcon | FG | Red/White |