Australian GT: Johnson and Crick complete JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra line-up

By Johan Laubscher

JAMEC-PEM Racing's full four-man driving line-up for the Australian GT Championship was revealed on Monday.

The JAMEC-PEM team, owned by Steve McLaughlan and run by Melbourne Performance Centre, had previously announced the addition of a second Audi R8 LMS ultra in January, including the names of the first two drivers.

McLaughlan was revealed as the driver of the first JAMEC-PEM Audi R8 LMS ultra (#75) along with the signing of young German Audi factory driver, Christopher Mies, in the new #74 Audi R8 LMS ultra.

The second driver of each car includes Steven Johnson and Greg Crick. Johnson will be joining McLaughlan in the #75 Audi R8 LMS ultra and Crick will be sharing the controls of the #74 Audi with Mies.

Three of these four drivers competed with Audi race cars at the recent Bathurst 12 Hour. Both McLaughlan and Crick drove for JAMEC-PEM Racing and Mies took part with the Mark Eddy and Marc Cini owned MPC-run Audi R8 LMS ultra. Johnson will be making his debut in the Audi GT3 machine this year.

Both of JAMEC-PEM Racing's cars that were fielded in the Bathurst 12 Hour performed well and secured fourth and fifth in class. Now the preparations are in full swing for the opening round of the Australian GT Championship, which will be held at Adelaide from 26 February to 1 March.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Greg Crick completes JAMEC-PEM Bathurst 12-Hour squad‏

JAMEC-PEM Racing Press Release

JAMEC-PEM Racing - 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
19 January, 2015

Experienced Tasmanian driver Greg Crick will complete the six-man JAMEC-PEM Racing squad for the 2015 Bathurst 12-Hour, team boss Steve McLaughlan confirming that the Bathurst veteran and 2014 12-Hour podium place-getter would form an integral part of their assault on the once-around-the-clock endurance event.

“Cricky and I have been mates for years,” the former Australian GT Trophy Class champion admitted. “In fact the car I won my AGT title in, was Greg’s former Dodge Viper. I’ve been at him for 12-months to come and join us, and when we put this second team together, he was always going to be an integral part of the program.”

Crick will jump behind the wheel of the newest JAMEC-PEM Audi R8 ultra alongside experienced Bathurst campaigner Warren Luff, and young international recruit Alessandro Latif.

“I’ve been working with Steve behind the scenes on his GT program over the last 18-months or so,” Crick admitted. “And I was hoping to have been a part of his team last year, but unfortunately I became ill after the 12-Hour last year, and that put paid to many of my racing plans.”

Whilst not one to dwell on the illness that kept him out of a race seat for much of 2014, Crick did want to alert people that he was still around and ready to go after another podium. “I’ve been fourth in the 12-Hour and third last year, so I want a crack at the top two, and that’s why I’m going,” he admitted.

“Fact is, I suffered from issues as a result of absorbing too much carbon-monoxide last year and a prolonged increase in core body temperature, and that did have an affect, but I’m 100% fit now and looking forward to Bathurst. Steve has put together a strong team, and I think we will be in for a good run. Luffy is a fantastic driver, and I expect I’ll learn a lot from him, and I’ve read a little bit about Alex [Latif] and with the miles he’s been doing lately in an R8, he should be quick.

“I drove Steve’s car last year and was seriously impressed with how comfortable the Audi was to drive, so I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel.”

Whilst Crick, Luff and Latif will share driving duties in the #74 JAMEC-PEM Audi, team-owner McLaughlan will share his #75 entry with 2014 Australian GT rivals James Winslow and Dean Koutsoumidis.

“It’s going to be a big undertaking, but the team at Melbourne Performance Centre are more than up to the task,” McLaughlan explained. “We know the cars, we have the crew, and for the most part the drivers have done plenty of laps around Bathurst, so I think we’re certainly in the mix.

“I’d like to think we could get both cars into the top ten, and from there, who knows..!”

#75 JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra

Steve McLaughlan (VIC)

• 2014 Island Magic GT Champion (Audi)
• 2013 Island Magic GT Champion (Audi)
• 2013 Australian GT Champion (Trophy Class - Dodge Viper)

James Winslow (UK)

• 2014 Australian GT Champion (2nd - Trophy Class - Audi)
• 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours (LMP2 - Greaves Motorsport)
• 2013 - Asian Le Mans Series (KCMG - LMP2)
• 2012 - Australian Formula 3 Champion
• 2011 - Indy Lights (Andretti Autosport)
• 2010 - Firestone Indy Lights (Sam Schmidt Motorsports)
• 2009 Formula Atlantic (USA)
• 2008 Australian Formula 3 Champion
• 2007 Formula V6 Asia Champion
• 2006 Asian Formula 3 Champion
• 2004 British Formula 3 Champion (National Class)

Dean Koutsoumidis (VIC)

• 2014 Australian GT Champion (2nd - Trophy Class - Audi)
• 2012 Australian GT Champion (Trophy Class - Lamborghini)

#74 JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra

Warren Luff (NSW)

• pole - Rnd#2 2014 Australian GT Championship (Phillip Island - Audi)
• 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup - 2nd
• 2013 V8 Supercars Endurance Cup - 1st (Red Bull Racing)
• 2011 Bathurst 12-Hour - 2nd (Pheonix Racing Audi)
• 2003 V8 Ute Series Champion
• 2002 V8 Ute Series Champion

Greg Crick (TAS)

• 2014 Bathurst 12-Hour - 3rd (Erebus Motorsport)
• 2012 Australian GT Championship - 4th (Dodge Viper)
• 2011 Australian GT Championship - 3rd (Dodge Viper)
• 2006 Australian GT Championship - winner Rnd#2, Mt Panorama
• 2x Targa Tasmania Champion (1992-1993)
• 1991 Australian Sports Sedan Champion

Alessandro Latif (UK)

• 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series (1st Pro-Am Pheonix Racing Audi)
• 2014 Daytona 24-Hours - 5th (GTD - Flying Lizards Audi)
• 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours (LMP2 - Greaves Motorsport)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW (6-8 February)

Schedule: [AEDST - GMT +11]

Friday, 6 February 
8:15am - Practice #1 (60-minutes)
11:25am - Practice #2 (60-minutes)
1:35pm - Practice #3 (60-minutes)
4:15pm - Practice #4 (60-minutes)

Saturday, 7 February
7:45am - Practice #5 (60-minutes)
12:55pm - Qualifying #1 (60-minutes)
2:05pm - Qualifying #2 (20-minutes)

Sunday, 8 February

5:50am - Bathurst 12-Hour - Race (12-hours)

JAMEC-PEM Racing is proudly supported by Companion Brands, ROMAN, APC Logistics, Melbourne Performance Centre, and Castrol.

For more information on the JAMEC-PEM Racing team, please contact Steven McLaughlan via steven@jamecpemracing.com.au
www.facebook.com/Jamec Pem Racing
www.melbourneperformance.com

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Greg Crick completes JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra line-up

By Johan Laubscher

JAMEC-PEM Racing's full driver line-up for the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour was revealed on Friday, with the addition of Greg Crick joining their second Audi R8 LMS ultra entry and completing their six-man two-car team.

Crick will be sharing the driving duties of the second Melbourne Performance Centre run JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra with the duo of Alessandro Latif and Warren Luff, which was announced on Wednesday.

The team's first Audi R8 LMS ultra will be driven by Steve McLaughlan, James Winslow and Dean Koutsoumidis.

It will be Greg Crick's debut with an Audi R8 LMS ultra following his switch from the Erebus Motorsport Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 which he drove to third place at the event last year, alongside Will Davison and Jack Le Brocq.

The Bathurst grid will see a total of eight Audi race cars lining up for the start in a few weeks time, seven Audi R8 LMS ultra cars and one Audi TT RS.

The 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour will be taking place from 6-8 February.

Photo credit: Jamec Pem Racing

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Audi international driver signs on with JAMEC-PEM for Bathurst 12-Hour‏

JAMEC-PEM Racing Press Release

JAMEC-PEM Racing - 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
15 January, 2015

After recently revealing that factory Audi driver Christopher Mies would join them for the 2015 Australian GT Championship, Melbourne-based JAMEC-PEM Racing have confirmed that they have signed another Audi factory driver for the forthcoming Bathurst 12-Hour to join Warren Luff in their second entry.

British-based Italian Alessandro Latif will join Luff and a yet-to-be-named third driver in the second JAMEC-PEM entry, the teenager no stranger to Australian race fans, having driven alongside the team’s other ‘international’ driver James Winslow in an LMP2 car in the 2014 Le Mans 24-Hour race.

Winslow and 2014 Australian GT team-mate Dean Koutsoumidis will drive alongside team-owner Steve McLaughlan in the team’s current #75 Audi, whilst Luff and Latif will campaign a new car which is on its way to the team’s Melbourne Performance Centre [MPC] headquarters for the 12-Hour and the 2015 Australian GT season.

Latif is no stranger to the Audi either, having campaigned a Pheonix Motorsport R8 in the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series (alongside 2011 12-Hour winner Marc Baasseng) and a Flying Lizards Motorsport R8 in both the Daytona 24 Hour (5th GTD) and Sebring 12 Hour (8th GTD) events.

“I’m excited to be able to come to this iconic event and be a part of the JAMEC-PEM Racing team,” Latif admitted from his UK base.

“I have watched with interest the Audi teams compete at Bathurst in past years, and obviously spoken to guys like my Pheonix team-mate Markus Winkelhock and Marc Basseng about the circuit, and they told me just how incredible it is.

“Obviously I have good experience with the car, and know from working with James [Winslow] at Le Mans, just how great he is working with the team and the data to extract the maximum out of the car, so I am looking forward to running with the JAMEC-PEM Racing team. I know too that Warren Luff is one of the quickest drivers in the world around Mount Panorama, so we have a great package, but I also know that with 55 cars on the track, on a circuit that is notorious for its changing conditions, that it will be no easy task, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

With just three weeks to go until opening practice for the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour, the JAMEC-PEM Racing team have to finalise preparations and shakedown their two cars ready for an all-out assault on the once-around-the-clock event.

“Audi has won the event twice before, and MPC have shown how quick the car can be around Bathurst,” McLaughlan admitted. “There’s no reason why we can’t be in the mix with the leaders again this year, and who knows how it could play out after 12-Hours.. Whatever happens it will certainly be a memorable start to the season!”

2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW (6-8 February)

Schedule: [AEDST - GMT +11]

Friday, 6 February 

8:15am - Practice #1 (60-minutes)
11:25am - Practice #2 (60-minutes)
1:35pm - Practice #3 (60-minutes)
4:15pm - Practice #4 (60-minutes)

Saturday, 7 February

7:45am - Practice #5 (60-minutes)
12:55pm - Qualifying #1 (60-minutes)
2:05pm - Qualifying #2 (20-minutes)

Sunday, 8 February

5:50am - Bathurst 12-Hour - Race (12-hours)

JAMEC-PEM Racing is proudly supported by Companion Brands, ROMAN, APC Logistics, Melbourne Performance Centre, and Castrol.

For more information on the JAMEC-PEM Racing team, please contact Steven McLaughlan via steven@jamecpemracing.com.au
www.facebook.com/Jamec-Pem-Racing
www.melbourneperformance.com

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Luff and Latif join second JAMPEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra

By Johan Laubscher

JAMEC-PEM Racing will be fielding two Melbourne Performance Centre run Audi R8 LMS ultra cars at the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour. The team’s second entry was announced on Thursday along with two of its three drivers.

The team’s first entry will be driven by the recently revealed driver line-up of Steve McLaughlan, James Winslow and Dean Koutsoumidis. They will now be joined by the second JAMEC-PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra with Warren Luff and Alessandro Latif, neither of whom are strangers to Audi GT3 machinery. The third driver will be announced soon.

A second Steve McLaughlan Audi R8 LMS ultra listing appeared on the Bathurst 12 Hour entry list last week and now it has officially been confirmed. The Luff and Latif Audi replaces the HTP Motorsport Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 which was withdrawn from the race.

This now raises the Audi-count up to eight cars on the Bathurst grid, with seven Audi R8 LMS ultra cars and one Audi TT RS.

It is the second big announcement for Steve McLaughlan’s JAMEC-PEM Racing this week. On Wednesday it was announced that German Audi star, Christopher Mies, will be behind the wheel of McLaughlan’s second Audi R8 LMS ultra during the 2015 Australian GT Championship. Mies will however not be joining JAMEC-PEM Racing for the Bathurst 12 Hour, he will again be partnering Mark Eddy and Marc Cini in their Audi R8 LMS ultra entry, as was the case in 2014.

The 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour will take place from 6-8 February.

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre

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Australian GT: German star to spearhead Audi assault on Australian GT

JAMEC-PEM Racing Press Release

JAMEC-PEM Racing/Melbourne Performance Centre
2015 Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli
13 January, 2015

Factory Audi star Christopher Mies will spearhead an Audi assault on the 2015 Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli, the dual Bathurst 12-Hour and Blancpain Series Champion joining JAMEC-PEM Racing for the full six round series.

Mies is no stranger to Australia, having campaigned the 2013 (fifth) and 2014 (tenth) Bathurst 12-Hour events with the Audi Sport Customer Racing team in Australia alongside Mark Eddy and Marc Cini, the German lining up alongside the two GT stalwarts again for the 2015 event, although he won’t be with that particular team for Australian GT.

“We’re looking for the outright Australian GT title again in 2015, and we feel that Chris is a big part of that program,” former Trophy Class champion and Audi convert Steve McLaughlan confirmed.

Mies will join an expanded JAMEC-PEM Racing squad for 2015, driving alongside McLaughlan in a two-car team, with a yet to be named co-driver. The JAMEC-PEM team are an integral part of the MPC squad who are looking to reclaim the AGT crown after taking Mark Eddy to the title on Audi’s debut in Australia back in 2011.

“We’ve worked with Chris over a number of years, and are pleased that Steve and the JAMEC-PEM team were able to put this deal together so that Chris can join us for the 2015 season and go after the AGT title,” MPC’s Troy Russell admitted.

MPC were a big part of the local support team that assisted Audi with back-to-back wins in the Bathurst 12-Hour in 2011 and 2012, with Mies behind the wheel on both occasions, that result cementing MPC’s role with Audi as one of few international teams acting in an official Customers Sports role for the German manufacturer.

From Mies perspective, the 25-year old German is relishing the chance to drive full-time in Australian GT, combining his role with his ongoing commitments in Europe.

“I'm really looking forward to doing Australian GT together with JAMEC-PEM Racing and MPC,” Mies confirmed. “I'm a big fan of Australia. The target is definitely to win the championship this year, that's what I'm there for!

“I watched some of the races from 2014 and it looked like it is already a tough competition with some tight racing - I like that. From what I hear, my guess is that 2015 will be even more competitive, especially with the rumour that there will be a number of former V8 Supercar drivers and some other young guys looking to establish themselves in GT also coming in.

“The Australian market is very important for a brand like Audi, and I'm very proud to be the first official Audi driver who's doing a complete championship there. No question it will not be easy against all the other good drivers, especially as I don't know many of the tracks, but I'll enjoy it as much as possible.”

Whilst the opening round of the 2015 Australian GT Championship is not until the end of February, Mies - like MPC - will be on deck for the season opening Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour at Mount Panorama in three weeks time, joining Eddy and Cini with whom he also drove the Sepang 12-Hour in 2014 as part of the MPC team.

“I love driving with the boys, they’re both great characters and they always make Bathurst a special experience,” Mies added. “The field in 2015 is going to be tough, but we ran strongly last year and could well have been in that battle for the lead if not for a couple of issues mid race which dropped us down a number of laps.

“We’ll be in the mix again this year I’m sure, and it will also give me a good chance to see what the competition will be like for Adelaide. I can’t wait!”

2015 Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli
Rnd#1 - 26 February-1 March, Clipsal 500, Adelaide, SA**
Rnd#2 - 22-24 May, Phillip Island, Victoria*
Rnd#3 - 10-12 July, Townsville, Queensland**
Rnd#4 - 21-23 August, Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW**
Rnd#5 - 11-13 September, Sandown 500, Melbourne, Victoria**
Rnd#6 - 13-15 November, Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell, NZ (TBC)
(* with the Shannons Nationals, ** with V8 Supercars)

JAMEC-PEM Racing is proudly supported by Companion Brands, ROMAN, APC Logistics, Melbourne Performance Centre, and Wrap my Ride.

For more information on the JAMEC-PEM Racing team, please contact Sean Henshelwood at Signature Series Group [SSG] via sean@signatureseries.com.au

www.facebook.com/MelbournePerformance
www.melbourneperformance.com

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Dean Koutsoumidis joins James Winslow at Jamec Pem Racing

By Johan Laubscher

Steve McLaughlan's new driver line-up for the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour was announced on Friday. In November it was revealed that McLaughlan would be sharing his Melbourne Performance Centre run Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra with Warren Luff and James Winslow, but a change has been made to the line-up.

Their three-man driver line-up has been completed with the addition of Dean Koutsoumidis joining James Winslow and Steve McLaughlan. Koutsoumidis drove together with James Winslow during the 2014 Australian GT Championship. They finished runner-up in the GT Trophy class championship with the #71 Equity-One Motorsport Audi R8 LMS.

Dean Koutsoumidis took part in the 2013 and 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour races, both times behind the wheel of his Equity-One Motorsport Audi R8 LMS.

No word yet as to the plans for Warren Luff who was originally planned to drive the Jamec Pem Racing Audi. There could potentially be some exciting news regarding the team coming up in the weeks leading up to the Bathurst 12 Hour, as mentioned by Dean Koutsoumidis (@koutsoumidis) on twitter: "There may however be a 2nd car.....stay tuned"

A total of seven Audi race cars have been announced that will be taking part at Bathurst, six Audi R8 LMS ultra entries and one Audi TT RS. There are however seven Audi R8 LMS ultra cars listed on the entry list, with the addition of a second Steve McLaughlan entered Audi R8 LMS ultra - no news yet regarding this listing on the entry list.

The 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour will be taking place from 6-8 February.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Australian GT: Jamec Pem Racing returning with an Audi R8 LMS ultra

By Johan Laubscher

Jamec Pem Racing will be returning to the 2015 Australian GT Championship with an Audi R8 LMS ultra. Steve McLaughlan will again be entering his Melbourne Performance Centre run Audi this season, aiming to win the GT class title.

The team will be taking part in the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour in February. McLaughlan's 2015 Australian GT Championship participation was confirmed in the announcement of their driver line-up for the Bathurst 12 hour.

Steve McLaughlan debuted his Audi R8 LMS at the end of 2013 and upgraded it to the 2013 aerodynamic specification during 2014.

The full driver line-up for the #75 Audi R8 LMS ultra in the Australian GT Championship is yet to be announced. Steve McLaughlan has the option to compete by himself or with a pro co-driver.

The season will get underway at Adelaide with the Clipsal 500 on 28 February.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Warren Luff and James Winslow join Steve McLaughlan and Jamec Pem Racing

By Johan Laubscher

The 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour driver line-up for Jamec Pem Racing's Audi R8 LMS ultra entry has been revealed.

The Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra, owned and driven by Steve McLaughlan, will be headlined by the addition of Warren Luff and and James Winslow.

All three of the drivers are very familiar with Audi GT3 machinery. Steve McLaughlan acquired his Melbourne Performance Centre run Audi R8 LMS at the end of 2013 and has been seen competing in the Australian GT Championship, the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships and in NSW Production Sports Racing. His silver Audi R8 LMS was upgraded to the 2013 Audi R8 LMS ultra specification during the 2014 season and the car will compete in this form at the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour.

It will be Steve McLaughlan’s debut at the Bathurst 12 Hour next year, but he has competed at the circuit before. His first event was with his Audi R8 LMS during the NSW Production Sports Racing round held at Bathurst in April 2014.

Warren Luff has been a regular Audi driver at the Mount Panorama endurance race every year since the Audi R8 LMS debuted in the event with victory in 2011. James Winslow has been driving the #71 Equity-One Motorsport Audi R8 LMS during the 2014 Australian GT Championship and also took part in the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour with the Peter Conroy Motorsport Audi R8 LMS.

The trio of drivers are aiming high for the race in February and the experience brought to the team by Luff and Winslow will prove vital.

The 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour will be held from 6-8 February 2015.

Photo credit: Australian GT Championship

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