Busy Brown looking to wrap up series victory
MOTOR RACING: Toowoomba’s Will Brown is cranking up for a “scary” weekend of racing at Victoria’s Sandown Raceway which could see him lift his next Australian championship trophy.
Brown is in for a hectic two days behind the wheel as he looks to wrap up victory in the inaugural TCR Australia Series and make a mark in his debut S5000 Series drive.
Twenty-one-year-old Brown holds a commanding lead for his HMO Customer Racing team in the sevenround TCR series with two rounds remaining.
Brown sits on 538 series points with second-placed Dylan O’Keefe back on 422 points.
Brown’s fellow Toowoomba driver Alexandra Whitley is in 15th position on 164.
Despite having an iron grip on the TCR title, Brown expects to have difficulties closing out victory this weekend.
“With the BOP (Balance of Performance) in this category, your car is slowed down with things like additional weight if you keep winning,” Brown said yesterday from Sandown.
“It’s going to make our job a bit harder this weekend, especially on a track like Sandown with its long straights.
“That’s where added weight will pull us back a bit. I’m not saying we still can’t win, it will be just more difficult.
“It would be great to wrap up the series this weekend but that will depend on a few things now.”
He has one race today and two events tomorrow in his Hyundai i30 N to seal a series victory.
Brown has had one test drive in the seat of his S5000 machine which he described as “scary” but “a lot of fun”.
For the technically minded, Brown’s website explains the S5000 car’s chassis is based on a FIA-compliant Formula 3 bespoke chassis manufactured by French motorsport company Onroak-Ligier.
The car uses a 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated quad-cam Ford Coyote V8 that is modified by InnoV8, and has an output of 560 hp.
It is driven by a six-speed gearbox.
“I’ve had one test drive which was a little scary but at the same time a lot of fun,” Brown said.
“It has a massive V8 engine and is a bit of an animal.
“It looks like a beast and performs like a beast but it’s really thrilling to drive.”
Thirteen S5000 cars are set to meet in two races this weekend with drivers including Indy 500 competitor Matthew Brabham.
Brown’s packed driving weekend is a precursor to his next appearance at Mt Panorama in three week’s time.
Brown will again be a part of the Erebus Motorsport team contesting the Bathurst 500.
‘‘ IT WOULD BE GREAT TO WRAP UP THE SERIES THIS WEEKEND BUT THAT WILL DEPEND ON A FEW THINGS NOW. WILL BROWN