A STAR IS BORN - BAILEY'S BREAKOUT BATHURST WEEKEND SEES MORE SILVERWARE

HMO Customer Racing TCR Australia driver Bailey Sweeny has broken through with a stunning weekend, walking away with a win and following that up with a second place - and a lap record - during Round 3 of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia championship at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.

19 year old Sweeny obliterated the field in Race 2 to take the victory by 11 seconds and his first race win in the TCR Australia championship.

On Sunday the Bateman’s Bay local continued his strong weekend at Australia’s toughest track and against household name drivers with a second place - a lap record - and more silverware for his HMO Customer Racing Hyundai team.

Bailey Sweeny wins at Bathurst

Bailey Sweeny wins at Bathurst


RACE 3 of 3 WRAP story via TCR Australia

Valvoline Team GRM’s Aaron Cameron has capped off a successful weekend for Peugeot by winning the final race of Round 3 for the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series at Bathurst.

Cameron led from start-to-finish in a dominating display, winning from HMO Customer Racing’s Bailey Sweeny and Schaeffler GRM’s Dylan O’Keeffe.

Cameron won the start from polesitter LMCT+ Racing GRM driver James Moffat in his Renault Megane R.S. TCR as Ben Bargwanna in the Burson Auto Parts Peugeot and Dylan O’Keeffe went side-by-side through Hell Corner, continuing up Mountain Straight until the Schaeffler GRM 308 TCR took the ascendency at Griffin’s Bend.

At the end of the opening lap Cameron held a 4s advantage as Moffat held back O’Keeffe, who completed a pass at Murray’s Corner, however the LMCT+ Racing GRM Renault Megane R.S. TCR re-took the position at Hell Corner.

Moffat was holding back a freight train of entries as yesterday’s race winner Bailey Sweeny attempted to overtake Bargwanna at The Chase, but hit the kerb, which sent him sideways momentarily.

LIQUI MOLY Team MPC driver Will Brown was also an early mover, demoting Honda Wall Racing’s Tony D’Alberto, the Autoglym Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR of Michael Caruso and HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan, however a 5s time penalty was imposed due to an incident.

Sweeny was also progressing as he passed Bargwanna on the exit of The Chase and followed this up by passing O’Keeffe to challenge Moffat, which success again at the same point of the circuit.

This led to Moffat and O’Keeffe resuming their battle, but this led to contact between the pair at Griffin’s Bend where the LMCT+ Racing GRM Renault lost out, sliding wide to drop to seventh.

Brown continued his charge by passing Bargwanna into sixth before the Burson Auto Parts Peugeot ran wide at Murray’s Corner dropping position to Buchan, then at Hell Corner letting Moffat back through and giving Royal Purple Racing’s Brad Shiels a chance.

Meanwhile at the front, Cameron held a comfortable 7s lead ahead of Sweeny, who in turn had gapped O’Keeffe as Brown and Buchan continued to battle, although the LIQUI MOLY Team MPC driver had a 5s penalty.

As for Swyftx GRM Peugeot driver Jordan Cox? Well, he didn’t find it as easy as yesterday to move through the field, but did make his way to 10th by the race’s conclusion.

But after setting a stunning pole position, it was Cameron in dominating fashion taking victory from Sweeny in a breakthrough weekend and O’Keeffe, who closes in on series leader D’Alberto.

Due to his penalty, Brown dropped to seventh elevating Buchan, Moffat and Bargwanna.

Completing the 10 were Shiels, D’Alberto and Cox.

D’Alberto still holds the series lead by 28-points from O’Keeffe and Brown is a further nine in arrears.

Supercheap Auto TCR Australia continues at Sydney Motorsport Park as part of a bumper Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships round on May 27-29.

NOTE: Schaeffler GRM Peugeot driver Dylan O’Keeffe was given a 10s post-race penalty, dropping him to ninth.