HALL READY TO REALISE SUPERCARS DREAM ON HOME SOIL

MEDIA RELEASE/Team 18 – Supercheap Auto Racing – Photo: supplied

Gold Coast racer Bayley Hall will realise a lifelong dream on home soil this weekend when he makes his Repco Supercars Championship debut at the Century Batteries Ipswich Super440.

Hall will race the No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro at Queensland Raceway, launching the team’s 2026 wildcard campaign and marking the first time Team 18 has expanded to a three-car operation.

The Ipswich event will hold special significance for the 23-year-old. Queensland Raceway was where Hall first attended a Supercars event as a spectator and later drove a race car for the first time, before now becoming the venue for his Supercars debut.

Hall currently sits seventh in the Super2 standings as the highest-placed rookie, having also broadened his experience this season through appearances in the China GT Championship and the 24 Hours of Spa, as well as an LMP2 test at Silverstone.

Team 18 will field an experienced crew for the Wildcard entry, with Scott Campbell as Team Principal, Dennis Huijser as Team Manager and Richard ‘Krusty’ Hollway as Race Engineer, who has coached Hall through his rookie Super2 campaign this year.

Hall completed his first full day in the Gen3 Camaro during the wildcard’s recent test at The Bend Motorsport Park. While intermittent electrical issues limited the team’s planned running, Hall made strong progress throughout the day and produced an encouraging final run once the problem was resolved.

Three-time Supercars champion and seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Craig Lowndes worked closely with Hall and the wildcard crew throughout the test, providing coaching and feedback from outside the car.

Lowndes will support Hall during his solo debut in Ipswich before joining him behind the wheel for the endurance events at The Bend and Bathurst.

The Century Batteries Ipswich Super440 begins with two practice sessions on Friday, followed by two 120-kilometre sprint races on Saturday and a 200-kilometre finale on Sunday.

Bayley Hall, Driver – No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

“It’s certainly a baptism of fire being a rookie to Supercars this year with only one test day and one solo event to show what you’re capable of, but I’ve done enough work whilst driving other cars to learn the trait of adaptability.

“QR is the first track I ever watched a Supercars race, the first track I ever drove a car on, and now my first track to debut in Supercars. It’s a special home advantage that I’m looking forward to. I know there will be a sea of red and yellow supporters cheering me on, friends, family and everyone else.  

“I’m grateful to have such an experienced team around me and that’s a credit to Charlie [Schwerkolt] and his operation. Everyone has the same passion for competition and the work ethic to achieve great results. 

“The testing wasn’t as smooth as what we’d all hoped, but that’s motorsport. I’m glad I had a hard-working team who got stuck into it and fixed the car giving me a chance to connect with it. We head to QR confident there will be no more dramas.

“For me, it feels like a long time coming. Making my debut in Supercars is not just a childhood dream of mine but a vision I’ve had since day one. And that sense of achievement to work hard and earn my spot in the Supercheap Auto Racing wildcard is super rewarding!”

SCHEDULE
2026 Century Batteries Ipswich Super440
All Times AEST

Friday 21 August
2:40pm, Practice 1 (30 mins)
3:30pm, Practice 2 (30 mins)

Saturday 22 August
10:00am, Qualifying – Race 26 (28 mins)
10:50am, Qualifying – Race 27 (28 mins)
12:45pm, Race 26 (39 laps/120km)
4:15pm, Race 27 (39 laps/120km)

Sunday 23 August
10:55am, Qualifying – Race 28 (32 mins)
11:40am, Top Ten Shootout – Race 28 (35 mins)
3:20pm, Race 28 (62 laps/200km)

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