03 Jul NEW MORRALL MUSTANG TO MAKE APC DEBUT NEXT WEEKEND
The extended Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night will provide the perfect Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars debut for Hadrian Morrall’s new Mustang.
The new #9 Parramatta Vehicle Services Ford Mustang will be piloted by the reigning Meguiar’s APC Class A1 Champions Morrall and co-driver Tyler Mecklem, at the July 12-13 event at Queensland Raceway.
The red machine made its official competitive debut at the Bathurst 6 Hour earlier this year, where a heavy crash has seen it undergo extensive repairs ahead of this weekend’s Queensland Raceway outing.
“The car started life as a grey road registered 2021 Mach 1 Mustang,” Morrall explains.
“It was driven to Ryan McLeod Racing Cars where it was completely stripped and rebuilt into the red car that appeared at the Bathurst 6 hour.
“There it delivered an encouraging performance in qualifying, but unfortunately crashed heavily in the second hour of the race while leading its class and being second outright.
“This saw the car head back to Ryan McLeod Racing Cars for extensive repairs, as part of which it is now sporting several new components, ready for its APC debut next weekend.”
Morrall has high expectations for the Mustang in Meguiar’s APC.
“Next weekend’s QR round will be the car’s APC debut and we expect it to be a front running car in the A2 class, and also an outright contender under the right conditions,” he said.
“Perhaps not right away at QR as far as outright goes, as we will be sorting and trying out various set-ups due to the low amount of mileage we have done so far, but there is no reason to believe it won’t be competitive in its class.
“The car produces good power and has good brakes, which should hold it in good stead at QR.”
With three-hours of night racing on the docket, Morrall is excited about the Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night.
“I am certainly looking forward to the extended three-hour race and in particular, the night aspect, strategy and pit stops which all add to the excitement,” he said.
“With the compulsory pit stop and the regulations not allowing refueling during the CPS, we could see this unfold as a three-stop race with plenty of strategy involved.
“Both Tyler and I enjoy racing at QR – it is a very technical circuit, and we have competed in the last two Fight in the Night races in a Mitsubishi Evo, so we imagine racing the Mustang there will be quite different.
“We are hoping we have no teething problems as it is still a new car, and will certainly be giving it our all! Our goal is to finish, and if we can do this, we expect to be at the pointy end of the field.”
A busy upcoming race schedule is also locked in for the new Mustang.
“As well as racing at QR next weekend, we will also be heading to the remaining Meguiar’s APC rounds at Phillip Island, Sydney Motorsport Park and Bathurst – we can’t wait to see what we can achieve across the rest of the season,” he said.
“In the meantime, I want to say that I am very grateful for the assistance from Ryan McLeod Racing Cars in building and then repairing the car to get us back on track.
“I would also like to recognise our sponsors Parramatta Vehicle Services and Racefix and their teams of people who have been instrumental in us winning the A1 Class championship last year.
“We are certainly hoping for more success in 2024 in our new A2 class car.”
To learn more about Meguiar’s APC, visit www.ausprodcars.com.au or email admin@ausprodcars.com.au
2024 SHERRINS FIGHT IN THE NIGHT EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday 12 July
- Driver briefing – 8.30am
- Open practice for all cars – 9.30am – 1.00pm
- Excels only practice – 1.00pm – 1.45pm
- Excels Masters only practice – 1.45pm – 2.30pm
- Excels Qualifying – 2.25pm – 3.10pm
- Excel Top 10 Shootout – 3.15pm – 3.45pm
- Excel Masters Qualifying – 3.50pm – 4.15pm
- Excel Masters Top 10 Shootout – 4.20pm – 4.50pm
- Dinner break – 5.00pm – 5.45pm
- Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night only practice – 6.00pm – 8.30pm
Saturday 13 July
- Excels Race One – 9.00am – 9.30am
- Excels Masters Race One – 9.35am – 10.05am
- Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night practice – 10.10am – 10.40am
- Excels Race Two – 10.45am – 11.15am
- Excels Masters Race Two – 11.20am – 11.50am
- Lunch break – 12.00pm – 12.45pm
- Excels Race Three – 12.55pm – 1.25pm
- Excels Masters Race Three – 1.30pm – 2.00pm
- Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night Qualifying – 2.05pm – 2.30pm
- Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night Top Ten Shootout – 2.30pm – 3.00pm
- Excels Race Four – 3.05pm – 3.35pm
- Excels Masters Race Four – 3.45pm – 4.15pm
- Monochrome GT Exotic Happy Laps – 4.30pm – 6.00pm
- Sherrin Rentals Fight in the Night – 6.30pm – 9.30pm
2024 MEGUIAR’S AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION CARS CHAMPIONSHIP DATES:
- Round 1 – Sandown Raceway – February 9-11, 2024 – Four 30-minute races
- Round 2 – The Bend – May 31-June 2 – Four 1 hour races
- Round 3 – Queensland Raceway – July 12-13 – Three hour Fight in the Night enduro
- Round 4 – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – August 23-25 – four 1 hour races
- Round 5 – Sydney Motorsport Park – 18-20 October – Four 1 hour races
- Round 6 – Bathurst International – 8-10 November – Four 30-minute races
PHOTO THANKS TO SPEED SHOTS PHOTOGRAPHY