Australian Drivers Championship
Golden Rocket: Justin Yuen Makes Waves at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park
Fast Young Gun going for Gold in the Hyper Racer!
17 year-old Young Gun, Justin Yuen shined on track last weekend with his stunning golden-wrapped Justin Yuen Motorsports Hyper Racer at the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park for Round 3 of the Australian Drivers’ Championship.
Justin tackled the 4.95km circuit against 20 other Hyper Racers across four 25 minute races.
Coming into Round 3, Justin sat in eighth position in the championship standings after a solid start to his rookie campaign, finishing a standout ninth position during both Winton and One Raceway rounds.
Despite struggling to find extra speed across the weekend, Yuen still managed to achieve multiple top ten finishes and improve on his lap times as he continued to get more familiar with the circuit.
Unlike the previous circuits the Australian Drivers’ Championship has travelled to this season, this was the first time, Justin got to experience these cars at their full potential with the Bend providing many opportunities to push the cars to their limits.
“I feel like I got to know the limits of the car a lot better across the weekend,” explained Justin.
“This is the kind of track where the Hyper Racer, with its ground effect and downforce, is really able to stretch its legs unlike Winton and One Raceway which are a bit tighter, more technical.”
“This track has allowed me to be more comfortable with pushing the car closer to the limit.”
In just a few weeks time, Justin will travel to Sydney Motorsport Park for Round 4 where he will be able to once again push the car to the limit and could well and truly be one to watch!
ADC – ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Qualifying: P12
Race 1: P10
Race 2: P11
Race 3: P14
Race 4: P10
Australian Drivers Championship
Ivan Vantagiato Shines at His Home Round in the Australian Drivers’ Championship
Vantagiato “pleased” with home Australian Drivers’ Championship round.
Ivan Vantagiato returned to the Australian Drivers’ Championship last weekend, proudly carrying the number 59 for Slipstream Autosport at his home round.
The team’s efforts were led by chief engineer Jake Kuchel, whose expertise was vital across all three days. Kuchel oversaw the preparation and performance of the Hyper Racer, ensuring Vantagiato could make the most of every opportunity on track.
Practice Troubles and Late-Night Repairs
Practice sessions were hampered by multiple red flags, limiting Vantagiato to just seven clean laps to dial in the setup. To make matters worse, mechanical gremlins emerged late on Friday, forcing the team into an intense overnight effort. The culprit—a faulty fuel pump—was replaced just in time for Saturday morning’s qualifying. From that point forward, the car ran flawlessly.
Qualifying – Charging to P6
In the 25-minute qualifying session, Vantagiato initially sat in 9th with a 1:54.8 lap. A short red flag reset the session, leaving drivers with just seven minutes to improve. Rising to the occasion, Vantagiato delivered two flying laps and clocked a 1:52.8 to secure a strong P6 starting position for Race 1.
Race 1 – Hard-Fought Comeback
Starting on the outside heading into Turn 1, Vantagiato was squeezed wide and dropped a few positions early. Undeterred, he fought his way back through the pack, engaging in a race-long battle with Nikko French for 6th. He ultimately finished 7th in a solid opening race.
Race 2 – Late Brilliance
Race 2 saw a difficult start, with Vantagiato falling back to P10. However, a timely safety car reshuffled the field. On the restart, he climbed to P9 on the first lap and pulled off a remarkable double overtake down the main straight with two laps to go—swooping around the outside of two rivals to reclaim 7th place.
Race 3 – Battling for the Top 5
Race 3 featured another thrilling duel with Nikko French, this time for P5. The two swapped places multiple times in a clean, hard-fought contest. In the end, French’s pace was just enough to edge ahead, with Vantagiato bringing the car home in P6—his best result of the weekend so far.
Race 4 – Heartbreak and What Could Have Been
A strong start to Race 4 was cut short when Vantagiato’s chain snapped just two laps in, forcing him into his first DNF of the weekend. A top-five finish was within reach, but the retirement meant he dropped to 8th overall for the round.
Final Thoughts
Despite the setback in the final race, it was an impressive showing from Ivan Vantagiato, who demonstrated great pace, racecraft, and determination throughout his home round. Slipstream Autosport’s Jake Kuchel delivered a faultless effort behind the scenes, keeping the car running and competitive through adversity.
The big question now: Will we see Vantagiato return for Round 4 at Sydney Motorsport Park in three weeks’ time?
Australian Drivers Championship
Record 20 car field set for Hyper Racer Season Opener
The Australian Drivers Championship joins the electric line up of categories this weekend at Winton for the Hi Tec Oils Super Series.
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