Gartner and Ambrose to take on Winton 300
TA2 Muscle Car Series winner Brad Gartner and second-generation racer Tabitha Ambrose will lead a team of TAFE students to the Winton 300.
Gartner currently sits third in the 2024 TA2 Muscle Car Series standings having finished eighth last year.
He will be joined by the daughter of two-time Supercars champion and NASCAR Cup Series winner Marcos Ambrose, who is forging her own motorsport career.
Tabitha Ambrose has been racing mainly Hyundai Excels for just over a year since February 2023.
But now she will step up from an Excel to a Hyundai Veloster for the Winton 300.
The pair will be driving a Motorsport Training Australia entry consisting of Wodonga TAFE students, who also did the event last year.
Gartner drove the car in 2023 and finished 10th outright and fifth in Division 3 and is looking forward to the challenge once again.
“Awesome opportunity to be back with the Wodonga TAFE, they’re a great bunch and all the organisation is great, little opportunities like this to always stay in a racing car are good,” Gartner said.
“I haven’t met Tabitha, but we’ve been talking via email. I chat to Marcos Ambrose quite a bit, we’ve been chatting on and off for over 12 months since they purchased my old Hyundai Excel, which is how the relationship started.
“I’ve not done a test day or anything, so I can’t wait to jump back in on Friday.
“Hopefully get some laps under Tabitha’s belt and come Sunday, I’m sure we’ll be ready to go.”
Ambrose has prepared for the drive with a small test at Wodonga TAFE.
She will also be on double duties, also contesting the Hyundai Excel Trophy Series on the same weekend.
Ambrose said finishing on the lead lap is the main target.
“I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Wodonga TAFE, they’ve got an awesome little track out there, and they were kind enough to give me some laps,” she said.
“It went great, they let me have as much seat time as I wanted which was awesome. Seeing all the guys working on the car too, and just meeting everyone before the weekend.
“They seem very well prepared, I reckon they’re going to do a great job. They definitely know what they were talking about and understood what I was wanting out of the car.
“The expectation for all is to finish all the laps, and their target is just to get the best result from the weekend, making the best setup changes, having a great driver changes and being able to have a flawless weekend without any faults,” she said.
“I’ve got a pretty awesome teammate in Brad, who I’m really excited to get to drive to drive with.
“I’m on double duty this weekend, so I will be racing the Excel as well.
“The Excel has just been such a great way to learn and improve the foundations of my skills.
“Without getting into something too fast too soon.”
The Winton 300 will be held this weekend and begins with practice on Friday.
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