PENRITE RACING CONFIRM ENDURANCE CO-DRIVER PAIRINGS
Penrite Racing are pleased to confirm their co-driver pairings for the 2023 endurance campaign.
Five-time Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander will join David Reynolds in the #26 Penrite Racing Ford Mustang to take on the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 as well as The Great Race in October, which will be Garth’s 25th start in the Bathurst 1000.
Car #19 will see international Porsche ace Kévin Estre join forces with Matthew Payne.
Tander is familiar with Penrite Racing’s stable of engineering talent with both Technical Director Grant McPherson and Car #26 Race Engineer Alistair McVean engineering him to victory at Mount Panorama.
Estre has won some of the most prestigious GT races in the world including the Spa 24 Hour, LeMans 24 Hour, Nürburgring 24 Hour as well as the 2018-19 FIA WEC GTE Driver’s Championship, bringing with him a wealth of endurance racing experience.
The Porsche factory driver will see the Sandown circuit for the first time when he rolls out for practice, however, is no stranger to Mount Panorama having previously competed in multiple Bathurst 12 Hour races with Porsche.
QUOTES
Penrite Racing Team Principal David Cauchi said:
“I don’t think you could ask for a better endurance line-up. The experience that both Garth and Kévin possess is world class and we can’t wait to kick off our endurance campaign with them alongside Matt and Dave.
“Garth has been working with us from the start of the year; his feedback has been fantastic as we learned more about the Gen3 cars. Kévin brings with him phenomenal racing experience and impeccable driving skill which has brought him a great deal of success. So, we are excited to have him driving our Mustang with Matt.”
David Reynolds said:
“I am thrilled to drive with Garth this year. We have known each other for a long time and he’s as good as they come. He is really respected, his knowledge of the sport and his craft is fantastic, and if there is one person you want to be paired with for enduros, it’s him.”
Matt Payne said:
“It’s really exciting to paired with Kévin Estre. He is a bit of a global superstar with a mega amount of experience under his belt. He’s someone I am looking forward to working with and learning from as we head into the enduro rounds.”
“I have done some endurance racing overseas myself last year and always saw his name at the top of the time sheets so it will be great to combine our experience and see what we can do in the back half of the year.”
Garth Tander said:
“I’m excited to pair up with Dave for Sandown and Bathurst. With Dave being a former Bathurst winner himself, I’m looking forward to learning more about how Dave goes about the business of driving fast at those two events.
Dave and I have been in the same team together in the past, but never shared the same car, so should be a bit of fun given how much of a character Dave is, but when it’s time to go to work, it will be full focus on the job at hand.
I’m also looking forward to working with Matt as he continues his journey as a rookie driver this year, I think he’ll learn an immense amount from Kévin Estre over the two endurance events, given how much of a pro Kévin is.”
Kévin Estre said:
“Really pleased to share the car with Matt. He’s a talented young driver and has showed his speed many times in his career already.
“He’s a rookie in Supercars but I’m sure that he’s going to help me a lot to be on pace as soon as possible! I can’t wait to be racing with the whole team!”
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 will take place from the 15th to the 17th of September 2023 with the Repco Bathurst 1000 set to start on the 5th and go to the 8th of October 2023.
CONTACT:
Alison Powell | PR, Media, Marketing Coordinator | Penrite Racing alisonp@grovegroup.com.au +61 04542 518 061
