The mixture of emotions for HMO Customer Racing

As the 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia championship went down to the wire, there was a massive mixture of emotions within the HMO Customer Racing garage.

On one side there was the ecstasy of Josh Buchan winning his first national crown, while there was agony as Bailey Sweeny slumped from being championship favourite to losing first and second on a Sunday to forget.

Sweeny entered the final day as the man in charge having been arguably the form driver all year, collecting a season-best five wins across the 2023 season.

But a loose intercooler hose in race two and disqualification for a technical breach in race three meant the #130 suffered a point-less afternoon at the worst possible moment.

It allowed both Buchan, Tony D’Alberto and momentarily Aaron Cameron to surge ahead in the competitive fight for the trophy.

At the end of the dramatic day Buchan emerged victorious and was the one celebrating on top of his TCR.

Bailey Sweeny started the day as TCR Australia championship leader but was forced to finish third. Image RACE PROJECT

The #30 Hyundai driver had been a consistent figure all season in a campaign highlighted by two wins both at Phillip Island.

But more impressively he recorded top 10 finishes in 24 of the 25 races and this relentless consistency allowed him to be champion by 50 points.

It all came to the fore in Bathurst when he kept his cool to finish second, third and fourth in TCR Australia honours to clinch the crown.

“What a crazy weekend and tough way to wrap up the championship,” Buchan reflected.

“We started off with good pace in practice, made it into the top 10 shootout and then had a good result in the first race which really set us up.

Josh Buchan charging through Griffins Bend. Image: RACE PROJECT

“I did not have much in the last two races and was really just holding on. I was on the radio the whole time just asking where I was and what I needed to do.

“Thankfully it was enough and here we are. It is a massive relief.

“I have not won a national championship before and I am lost for words.”

For Sweeny it was a “bittersweet” weekend of what might have been.

“It was a bittersweet weekend at Bathurst, a weekend of what could have been,” he said.

“We started off strong in practice and should have had a top five car which would have been enough to clinch the title, but we were on the back foot from race one with mechanical issues that we kept chasing.

“It was good to show the pace we should have in the final race , as we were one of the fastest cars on track and it was great fun racing from 17th through to eighth.

Bailey Sweeny is consoled by a HMO Customer Racing team member after losing the championship. Image: RACE PROJECT

“To come so close is hard to take and to say I’m disappointed is a bit of understatement.

“But congratulations to Josh and the team, and I’m proud of the results we’ve had this year on my side of the garage with race wins, pole positions and leading the championship for almost the entire year.”

Throughout the year the two HMO Customer Racing Hyundai Elantras were the pacesetters on the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia grid.

The team and Korean brand won seven races all up, two more than next best Audi and Melbourne Performance Centre.

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Andrea Cisotti was proud of the team’s “unbeatable” form throughout the year.

Bailey Sweeny leads HMO Customer Racing teammate Josh Buchan at Sandown.

“The HMO Customer Racing team have appeared unbeatable at times this season and it shows in their two drivers finishing first and third in the final standings,” he said.

“The races at Bathurst were more dramatic than what we might have liked with the late change of championship leader.

“But Josh’s performance over the course of the year makes him more than a worthy champion. He has shown great pace, especially in the final two rounds against the World Tour drivers.

“It was a difficult end to the year for Bailey Sweeny to finish third after leading for almost the entire year.

“His results have been very impressive with the most wins of anyone in the championship and shows the car is still a strong package in a very competitive championship.”

Image RACE PROJCT

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