Guns Lining Up For Bathurst 6 Hour
Fresh from victory in the season-opening race of the Super 2 Series at Sydney Motorsport Park, Jay Robotham is the latest driver to add his name to the 2022 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour entry list, set to line up in a Toyota 86.
Joining Robotham behind the wheel of the BPRO entry at Mount Panorama will be experienced racers Brett Parrish and Mitch Wooller.
The young gun joins a growing number of either main game, Super2, and other leading lights who have already announced their intentions to compete in the halfway around the clock Easter classic from April 15-17.
Discussed at length this week on the On the Grid Podcast is the Garry Rogers Motorsport prepared Mustang entry of Marcos Ambrose and George Miedecke.
Shane Van Gisbergen will be back to defend his crown, who will be joined on the Mountain by names like Will Davison, John Bowe, the Bargwanna family, David Russell and Nash Morris.
Steve Ellery returns to the Mountain with his sons in a BMW, ditto Wayne Russell with Drew and Aaren, also in a BMW.
And whispers down the grapevine suggest that more significant announcements are just around the corner.
Robotham is no stranger to Toyota 86 driving, having been a front runner across two seasons in the Australian Toyota 86 Racing Series, while he placed second in the 2019-‘20 New Zealand Toyota 86 Championship, with five wins and 11 podiums from 12 races.
Since then, Robotham has gone on to be a race winner in both Super2 and Super3 competition, as well as the TA2 Asia Racing Series.
“Any time you get to race at Bathurst is great, I can’t wait to get to the 6 Hour and line up alongside Brett and Mitch,” Robotham said.
“Obviously coming away from Sydney Motorsport Park with a great result in Super2, I just want to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible.
“It’s been a little while since I’ve raced a Toyota 86, but they are great fun to drive, especially around Bathurst.
“Brett and his crew always run a strong team, we’ve had some great results in the past, so bring on Easter!”
Parrish, meanwhile, is no stranger to Mount Panorama, having been near the head of the field in recent visits by the Hyundai Excel series to the venue, a category that the Queenslander has been a fixture in since he participated in the very first race for the class at Lakeside Raceway in 2010.
Since then, Parrish has claimed four championships in the Queensland-based Track Attack Series, picking up 40 race wins in the process.
Parrish and Robotham have regularly teamed up at Excel endurance races in the past, tasting success in events such as the 2019 175km race at Queensland Raceway.
“I’m really proud of how this has all come together; the group assembled on the team, the drivers and the car are all shaping up nicely,” said Parrish.
“Racing at Bathurst is always a highlight for anyone in Australian motorsport, but to compete in an event like the 6 Hour is just something else.
“The prospect of sharing the track with so many awesome drivers is really exciting.
“From our side, Jay’s win in Super2 at Sydney was great to see, he has always been quick in anything he has raced, so it was no real surprise, and his knowledge with the car and the Bathurst track will be invaluable.
“Mitch, too, will be quick, he has been super impressive in all of our testing to date.
“We’re all feeling very comfortable in the Toyota 86, it’s clearly the car to have in Class D, although I suspect there will be some really strong competition when we get to The Mountain.”
Wooller meanwhile also has Mount Panorama experience in an Excel, with his driving credits including extensive racing in a BMW M3, which he used to take multiple wins in the Queensland Touring Car Championship A2 Class.
The team heads to the Bathurst 6 Hour with backing from Cars4us.com.au, Racer Industries, Unit, Club Evolution Service, The 86 Shop, Beaurepaires Beenleigh and JDD.