2024 Shannons Speed Series – The Bend – Sticks and Stones Photography

Shell V-Power Motorsport Park (The Bend) , just south of Tailem Bend, South Australia hosted the Speed Series on the weekend of 1-2 June 2024. The headline category would be the 17 Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS cars comprising Audi R8s LMS EVO2s, Mercedes AMG GT3s, Ferrari 296 GT3s and a single Lamborghini Huracan and a single Aston Martin Vantage. There were support categories, including about 30 cars competing in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series.

In the Fanatec GTs, the Friday’s Practice sessions and first race qualifying were in wet conditions, with the two Ferrari’s able to master the tricky conditions the best. These were followed by the Realta/Tigani Motorsport Mercedes AMG, and Will Brown (of V8 Touring Cars) and Declan Fraser, both in Audi R8s. Renee Gracie put her (and Paul Stokell’s) Audi in 13th but they would end up having to start rear of field in Race 1 due to some gearbox issues and inability to take part in 2nd Qualifying session. In the second Qualifying session it would be Brad Schumacher in the Shaw and Partners Audi on pole position followed by RAM Motorsport Mercedes of Garth Walden and the Arise Racing GT Ferrari of Liam Talbot.

In the dry conditions of Race 1 for the Fanatec GTs the Triple Eight Racing Engineering Mercedes AMG GT3 of D.Fraser/P.Hackett outlasted the two Ferraris for the top spot on the podium. W.Brown/B.Schumacher in the Shaw and Partners sponsored Audi grabbed 4th place while Dayle ITM sponsored Audi of B.Leitch/T.Miles ended in 5th place. Storming through the field R.Gracie/P.Stokell end in a remarkable 6th place from the rear of field!

Triple Eight Racing Engineering Fendt/Juicy Fest Porsche

In the Porsche category in Race 1 shown here, the Fendt /Juicy Fest car of Clay Osborne took 1st place followed by the Grove Racing /EBM car of Oscar Targett and rounded out the all Queensland drivers on the podium was the Team Porsche NZ /EBM of Brock Gilchrist. Oscar Targett would go one better and score the top spot on the podium in Race 2.

Race 2 of the Fanatec GTs on Sunday saw a collision at the first corner that affected a few cars. W.Brown/B.Schumacher in the Shaw and Partners sponsored Audi eventually took the top spot over the two Ferraris of C.Mostert/L.Talbot and J.Evans/E.Schutte. The Dayle ITM sponsored Audi of B.Leitch/T.Miles moved up one spot for 4th place and Team BRM Audi of A.Peroni/M.Rosser claimed 5th place shutting out any Mercedes in the top 4 spots. Three cars were unclassified in the results including the Audi of R.Gracie/P.Stokell.

Below are only some of the photos available. Contact me via the website if you are in interested in any photos.

When clicking on a photo, a small thumbnail will appear first, click on it and the larger image will then appear.