SpeedSeries Phillip Island Reveiw
Shannons SpeedSeries Launches with Action-Packed Weekend at Phillip Island
The 2024 Shannons SpeedSeries roared into life at Phillip Island, delivering a thrilling showcase of Australia’s top sports car categories in front of an enthusiastic crowd. With breathtaking backdrops, fierce racing, and a buzzing paddock atmosphere, the event marked an impressive start to a new era for the series.
Headlined by the GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, the weekend featured a stacked program that also included Monochrome GT4 Australia, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia, and First Focus Radical Cup Australia. Beyond the track, highlights like the Track to Town parade and GT grid walk added to the fan experience.
GT World Challenge Australia saw its most diverse manufacturer lineup since 2021, with six marques on show and Bentley set to join later in the season. Volante Rosso Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 charged from the back of the grid to second, while the Ferrari vs Audi battle intensified with EMA Motorsport’s Porsche joining the fray. Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte now lead the standings in the Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3.
The Am Class served up a feel-good moment as Black Wolf Motorsport bounced back from a 2023 crash to clinch victory with drivers Ben Schoots and Shane Woodman.
In Monochrome GT4 Australia, eight manufacturers were represented, with Audi and Toyota both celebrating breakthrough wins. The Nippy’s Audi R8 LMS GT4 driven by Blake Purdie and Daniel Price topped Silver Cup, while Toyota’s Supra GT4 Evo2 triumphed in Silver-Am Cup courtesy of Daniel Frougas and Tim Berryman. Porsche, McLaren, and Mustang also fought fiercely across all classes, setting the tone for a tightly contested season.
The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge produced some of the weekend’s closest racing. Jake Santalucia staged a brilliant comeback to win Race 3 after a tough opening race, but it was Willie Exton who emerged as the early series leader with two wins. Am Class competitor Ramu Farrell also turned heads by challenging the front runners throughout.
Antoine Gittany dominated the Ferrari Challenge, while the Radical Cup saw an epic duel between veterans Peter Paddon and Cooper Cutts, with Paddon narrowly edging ahead 2-1 in race wins. The SR3 XXR platform also gained momentum, and the Am Class battle is heating up between Peter Clare and Terry Knowles.
The action continues when the SpeedSeries heads to Sydney Motorsport Park on May 2–4.
