PROCAR notes at Oran Park special Touring Car event

Hemmes takes GTP Subaru to Oran Park win.

Sydney driver Justin Hemmes, who will join this season's Australian GT Performance Championship as teammate to Wayne Boatwright, took his ProTecnica Racing Subaru WRX to a convincing victory in the Combined Touring Car class at Oran Park's 40th Anniversary race meeting last Saturday.

Starting positions were determined by a pre-race draw rather than a convention qualifying session, but Hemmes launched his STi into the lead from seventh on the grid and took a convincing 14-second win in the 10-lap trophy race over Nathan Pilkington in a Nissan 350Z and Troy Stoker in a Nissan 200SX.

"It was Justin's first race meeting with the ProTecnica team and obviously a win is a great way to start," said ProTecnica Racing team manager Scott Anderson.

Hemmes said: "I'm obviously happy to come away with a victory at my first race with the team and I'm looking forward to the start of the GTP championship in Adelaide."

Hemmes will now compete in the combined Nations Cup / GTP races at the 2003 Australian Formula One Grand Prix before heading to Adelaide for Round 1 of the Australian GT Performance Championship on 20-23 March.

The ProTechnica team will field two Subarus for Hemmes and Boatwright, a regular GTP front-runner, with continued support from Australian Bilstein suspension importer Sydney Shock Absorbers.

"We are delighted to be able continue and extend our involvement with the ProTecnica team," said Sydney Shock Absorbers' Allan Heasman.

"We have developed an excellent relationship with the team and look forward to be able to test some exciting new products this season. From the team's point of view it is all about improving the performance of the car and for us it represents great R and marketing opportunities."

Bilstein suspension engineers Paul Joyner and Travers Wood will travel with the team to each round of the 2003 Australian GT Performance Championship. Their state-of-the-art mobile workshop includes a computerised shock dyno and everything needed to revalve and rebuild shocks for the two ProTecnica Subarus.

"Its been a great partnership so far and we are very excited about some of the things Bilstein have on the drawing board for us this season," Scott Anderson said.

-procar.au-