A RECORD 40-car field will contest the sixth annual Ryan Pannowitch Memorial Trophy event this weekend; the highlight of the South Australian Circuit Excel Championship calendar.

The record grid eclipses the previous best of 39 cars established in 2020 – though both milestones are notable in being achieved despite border closures removing any practical chance for interstate competitors to attend.

It’s set to be a major of Mallala Motorsport Park’s 60^th anniversary celebrations this weekend.

The RPMT was established in 2016 to remember the legacy of Ryan Pannowitch, a member of the South Australian Excel Racing community who tragically lost his life in a road accident, aged 33, in 2015.

The event has evolved to become one of the largest Excel events in the country and comfortably the largest on the South Australian state racing calendar.

Supported by major sponsor Flowrite installations and a host of other major backers, the event includes prizemoney for the feature and heat race winners, plus a host of other contingency awards.

The field is as deep as it is strong as the field seeks to unseat four-time and defending RPMT winner, Asher Johnston.

Johnston’s Hofbrau Original Racing Team Excel currently leads the state championship however points will be far from his mind as he seeks a fifth RPMT crown this weekend.

“The RPMT is our Bathurst 1000, it’s become a really special event and it’s the highlight of the calendar,” Johnston said.

“For us it’s probably more important than the overall championship. We put a lot of work into making sure our package is good for this event to give us the best chance to race at the front and put on the best show possible.

“However, the best thing is the way the race has been embraced by the Excel competitors and broader racing community here. Ryan was such a big part of what we did and the Pannowitch family still is to this day. It’s great to share a garage with Sean at every round and race hard just as Ryan did.

“It’s a special event for everyone and win or lose, if we put on a great show and race in the spirit that we all go in with, it will be a good result.”

Likely challenges will likely come from teenager Jayden Wanzek, The Barossa Valley’s Bradley Vaughn and S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship racer, Brayden Willmington.

Wanzek is a rising star of the local scene and has been a regular challenger to Johnston’s dominance lately, while Vaughn is equally speedy and has gained experience in the national Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series this year.

Willmington, the son of long-time Touring Car privateer Garry, races Australia’s fastest racing cars in his regular season and finished 10^th in the Gold Star standings this year.

Shaun Pannowitch, Ryan’s brother, will look for his second RPMT podium – after finishing runner-up to Johnston in the inaugural race.

Lisa Totani, familiar to the SA state scene for her behind-the-scenes work as an official, will make her Circuit Excel debut while Leon Bondarenko will make a long-awaited return following a lengthy rebuild on his car following a crash at Bathurst some time ago.

The unique RPMT format, modeled on speedway racing, will see the grid split into two groups in qualifying.

The combined times then determine four separate groups – A, B, C and D – of cars that go head-to-head across a series of six heat races, with each group racing twice and against a different group in each heat.

That ensures a variety of competitors get the chance to race at the front, and spreads the fastest qualifiers out across the field before finally going head-to-head in the final.   

The match race format sees six heats contested across Saturday and Sunday, with the top 20 point scorers progressing directly to the RPMT final.

Point scorers in 21^st position and down then race to make the final in the last chance qualifier heat, with the finishing positions from that race determining the back half of the RPMT final grid.

Following unofficial practice this Friday, qualifying and the first series of heat races will be held on Saturday at Mallala, prior to more heats, the last-chance qualifier and RPMT final on Sunday afternoon.

The Ryan Pannowitch Memorial Trophy is supported by Flowrite Installations, Complete Doors & Windows, Ryan Ardill Air Conditioning, City Discount Tyres Pt. Adelaide, Next Generation Roofing & Services, Yardstick Landscapes, Misch’s Mechanical, TheRaceTorque.com, Burson Auto Parts Kilkenny, Vapeboss.co.nz, Stihl Shop Mount Barker, Mowers Plus and Mid North Mazda.

ENTRY LIST – 6th ANNUAL RYAN PANNOWITCH MEMORIAL TROPHY EVENT