TCR ADJUSTS WEIGHTS FOR PHILLIP ISLAND

TCR Adjusts weights for Phillip Island – Photo: InSyde Media

Kelly Racing’s troubled TCR Australia debut has a silver lining which could help translate to a stronger performance in the second round at Phillip Island next week.

By BRUCE NEWTON

KR’s pairs of Subaru WRX STi and Holden/Opel Astra TCR racers have been awarded a 30 kg ‘compensation weight’ reduction for the second Australian outing of the front-drive two-litre turbo touring cars.

Compensation weight is awarded purely on the basis of the performance of TCR models in the Australian series.

All 17 cars that raced in the opener at Sydney Motorsport Park carried 60 kg of compensation weight on top of the category minimum 1265 kg weight for car and driver. The compensation weight change is based on the fastest lap times of the two fastest drivers from each car model.

While Andre Heimgartner was among the quickest drivers at SMP, Subaru team-mate Molly Taylor was one of the slowest, with neither helped by down change issues. Meanwhile, the Astras of Alex Rullo and Chelsea Angelo were hit with engine misfires.

Compensation weight is different to ballast added and subtracted under the TCR global Balance of Performance structure. Think of BoP as a way of equalising cars globally, while compensation weight is intended to equalise drivers in a series.

“We’ve had a pretty rough start, with our cars arriving right before the first race,” Kelly Racing co-owner Todd Kelly said. “We fixed Andre’s car for the Sunday in Sydney and he got going, and we have wiring looms and all sorts coming out for the Astras.

“Once we get on top of that, we will certainly be a lot more competitive, but quite where that puts us in the field at Phillip Island, I’m not quite sure.”

At this stage, it’s unknown if BoP weights will change for Phillip Island. The same goes for the ride height and engine performance of the cars that can also be changed via BoP.

Garry Rogers Motorsport Renault Meganes will also receive 30kgs compensation – Photo: InSyde Media

Also joining the Kelly Racing entries on 30 kg compensation will be the Garry Rogers Motorsport Renault Meganes of James Moffat and Chris Pither, and the single Melbourne Performance Centre Audi RS3 LMS.

That delivers them a 30 kilo ballast advantage over the four top-weight Hyundai i30 Ns expected to front for the event. The Hyundai is the only car in the field to stay at 60 kg.

Super2 star Will Brown won two of the three races at the TCR Australia opener at SMP in mid-May in an HMO Customer Racing Hyundai. The other race was won by Jason Bright in his Taskforce Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The Wall Racing Honda Civic Type Rs will drop to 50 kg, as will the two Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloces and the three Golfs in the field.

The second outing for TCR Australia headlines the Shannon Nationals at Phillip Island from June 6-9.

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