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RE-FOCUS FOR AUSTRALIAN GT

Re-Focus for Australian GT - Photo: InSyde Media

By Bruce Williams

Re-Focus for Australian GT - Photo: InSyde Media

Re-Focus for Australian GT – Photo: InSyde Media

Australian GT category rights holder Jim Manolios spoke to Auto Action after the title’s opening round as part of the Australian Grand Prix where speculation about the categories future direction was rife among key stakeholders after the resignation of long-time category manager Ken Collier.

By BRUCE WILLIAMS

Over the Grand Prix weekend, Auto Action spoke to many category stakeholders, who had concerns about the future of the category amid the news of Collier’s departure.

After recently taking over the ownership of Australian GT from Tony Quinn mid-last year, Trofeo Motorsport and Pirelli Tyres distributor Jim Manolios explained that the process to find Collier’s replacement was already well advanced.

“As far as Ken resignation is concerned, he put it in, and I accepted it. It’s all very amicable and people get to a point where they don’t want to do a certain job and he obviously didn’t want to do it,” explained Manolios.

“We are in the process of finding a replacement, whether that is one person or we restructure and it’s two or more people to look after the category we’re considering right now.

“Hopefully we’ll have a new structure and some new people probably at the latest by next week.”

When asked by Auto Action what his plans for the future of category were, Manolios explained that he is yet to implement anything as of yet due to the relatively late signing of the deal he brokered with Quinn to buy the category rights.

“Originally the deal was that we were going to take over the category in February last year,” Manolios continued. “Between Tony Quinn and I, it took us until August or September to put ink on paper, which has been a bit of a disadvantage. Including the development of the 2019 series calendar.

“We have been working against the clock ever since that happened and I think that has also put a lot of pressure on Ken [Collier].

Jim Manolios

Jim Manolios

The drawn-out process of getting the deal over the line has had a flow on effect on how the category is currently being run as Manolios is still learning about how the category is run and where it needs to improve, instead of implementing changes to benefit competitors.

“These things don’t change overnight and from my point of view I’ve had to really sit back to have a look at exactly what was happening, how it worked before we made the changes,” Manolios explained.

“I have to say Ken did a fantastic job late last year under extreme pressure to come up with the calendar that we have got for 2019, now we need to work out really how we are selling that calendar and what we are doing with the category going forward.”

Some of these changes that Manolios wants to implement include the prospect of enticing Asian competitors to the championship and create partnerships with other overseas categories. These two plans come as Manolios confirmed that planning next year’s calendar is currently well underway and ahead of schedule.

The next round of Australian GT will be held at Barbagallo alongside the Supercars Championship and Manolios was quick to allay any fears that the event won’t be strongly supported.

“I think that Barbagallo will be very well attended I think peoples focus at the beginning of the year is on the 12 Hour, then Adelaide and the Grand Prix,” Manolios responded.

“Now that it is out, competitors who haven’t signed for the season will be looking at what comes next so Barbagallo is going to be sensational, we’ve got a pair of night races immediately after the Supercars.

“We are offering a $2,500 transport rebate, to ease the cost of the cars going over there, we are working with some of the competitors, who don’t have transport organised.

“We are trying to give an opportunity for the cars the cars that are based in Perth, there is going to be one right on those competitor’s doorstep, at a track that they know and part of a significant motorsport event with Supercars and under lights with live TV.

“I just think it is going to be terrific.”

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