Hunter Robb leads Sprint Challenge into South Australia

AN already strong field will only get stronger when the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series returns to action this weekend in South Australia.

A 23-strong grid will tackle Round 2 of the series at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend this weekend with two-time race winner James Lodge returning to the fray, having made an impact in his debut season last year.

Lodge will join forces with Jones Motorsport for a part-time Sprint Challenge campaign commencing this weekend, joining a field fired up and ready to go after a stunning opening round at Phillip Island in late March.

Claimed by Hunter Robb, who leads the championship, five different drivers featured in the top three across the opening round’s trio of races that set the tone for a massive year ahead.

Robb won the first two races at the Victorian circuit before fellow young-gun Kobi Williams blazed though to claim the Enduro in an absolute thriller.

However, the New Zealander’s consistency saw the Jones Motorsport driver claim the round ahead of Kamal Mrad (McElrea) and Xavier Avramides (Sonic), Lincoln Taylor (TekworkX) and Williams (TGR) completing the top five – all representing different teams.

Nine of the Professional class drivers have recently completed the Porsche Michelin Junior Camp, a three-day program of physical, mental and driver preparation held in Queensland.

The opening round of the championship was box office stuff with the Jim Richards Enduro race in particular featuring hugely competitive battling for the race lead, with the similar nature of The Bend’s fast and flowing 4.6km International circuit set to provide much the same this week.

After sweeping proceedings at Round 1, Anthony Gilbertson returns to lead the Pro-Am ranks into the second round of the championship, while Stephen Moylan’s Effect Building Projects entry sits second in class following a strong season opener.

The 23-strong Round 2 grid remains similar to the grid at Phillip Island, with Lodge’s addition adding to the Pro class ranks.

Returning following drama at Phillip Island will be Brandon Madden – who crashed at turn one late in the second practice session at the opening round.

The Tyler Greenbury Motorsport-run Harvey’s Towing Porsche has been repaired since it’s accident with the Queenslander looking for his first official Porsche race start this weekend.

Also back on the grid will be Dean Wanless, who was another to fall victim to Phillip Island’s high speed and close walls; the GWR crew ensuring the Sydneysider – who is making a return to racing after 20 year stint on the sidelines – returns this weekend.

The most recent trip to The Bend was the penultimate round of the 2025 season and saw Team Porsche New Zealand’s Tom Bewley claim pole position, with Pro-Am leader and eventual champion Ramu Farrell in second outright.

Farrell went on to claim the first race outright while Bewley claimed the Pro class honours in second.

Eventual outright champion Jake Santalucia would claim race two ahead of Farrell and James Lodge, before going on to claim the Enduro Cup race on Sunday to take the round overall.

Action commences on Friday with both practice sessions and qualifying to set the tone for the weekend.

Two sprint races highlight Saturday’s action while the 45-minute Jim Richards Enduro Trophy affair will see the series take centre stage at the Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival event on Sunday.

ENTRY LIST – Round 2
Shell V-Power Motorsport Park

No	Car #	SPONSOR	C/L	DRIVER	SURNAME	STATE
1	2	TFH Racing / TekworkX Motorsport	Pro	Diesel	Thomas	QLD
2	3	TFH Racing / TekworkX Motorsport	Pro	Josh	Thomas	QLD
3	7	Mrad Racing / McElrea Racing	Pro	Kamal	Mrad	NSW
4	11	TekworkX Motorsport / Aera Cloud	Pro-Am	Eric	Constantinidis	NSW
5	14	KDL Property Group / McElrea Racing	Pro-Am	Kent	Leicester	QLD
6	19	McElrea Racing	Pro-Am	Anthony	Gilbertson	QLD
7	22	Sonic Motor Racing Services / TBC	Pro	Ruairi	Avern	WA
8	24	FCL Transport / McElrea Racing	Pro	Daniel	Quimby	NSW
9	25	auticon / The Door Centre	Pro	Ben	Taylor	VIC
10	29	TekworkX Motorsport	Pro	Lincoln	Evans	QLD
11	35	Willani Investments	Pro-Am	Indiran	Padayachee	NSW
12	39	Jones Motorsport	Pro	James	Lodge	VIC
13	47	Effect Building Projects	Pro-Am	Stephen	Moylan	NSW
14	51	Farrell Transport / McElrea Racing	Pro-Am	Tim	Farrell	QLD
15	55	Sonic Motor Racing Services / Ozone Organics / VPG	Pro	Xavier	Avramides	QLD
16	56	GWR Australia	Pro-Am	John	McInnes	NSW
17	57	Harvey’s Towing Services / Major Training	Pro	Brandon	Madden	QLD
18	69	VOMO Island Fiji / Jones Motorsport	Pro	Hunter	Robb	NZ
19	75	Wanless	Pro-Am	Dean	Wanless	NSW
20	78	TekworkX Motorsport	Pro	Lincoln	Taylor	QLD
21	81	Sonic Motor Racing Services / JMR	Pro	Hayden	Haikal	MAS
22	94	Brisbane Industrial Supplies / Edge Designer Homes	Pro	Kobi	Williams	VIC
23	96	Entertainment Park	Pro-Am	John	Papantoniou	NSW