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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Highlands 101: Rod Salmon Audi R8 LMS ultra repaired and new livery

By Johan Laubscher

Rod Salmon will have a new look at the Highlands 101 in New Zealand. His Melbourne Performance Centre run Audi R8 LMS ultra has been repaired and has also received a new-look livery.

His Audi R8 LMS ultra was heavily damaged in February, when Jason Bright suffered a heavy crash during qualifying for the Bathurst 12 Hour. The car was sent back to Germany for repairs and Salmon then leased the Peter Conroy Motorsport Audi R8 LMS for the rest of the Australian GT Championship season, in which he and his teammates performed very well. Salmon is currently leading the Trophy class points standings.

His Audi R8 LMS ultra subsequently arrived back in Australia and Melbourne Performance Centre completed the rebuild and also added a stunning new livery. The car has also been upgraded to the 2013 R8 LMS ultra specification and will be seen at the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour and in the Australian GT Championship next year.

The Highlands 101 will be taking place from 7-9 November. The weekend consists of the Australian GT season finale and the special 101 lap endurance event. The #5 Audi R8 LMS ultra will only be taking part in the Highlands 101 endurance event, whilst Salmon will again be seen in the #6 R8 LMS for the Australian GT races.

Rod Salmon will be joined by Nathan Antunes for both the Australian GT races and the Highlands 101 endurance race.

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre

 

 

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Australian GT: Melbourne Performance Centre testing Fitzgerald Racing Services Audi R8 LMS ultra at Phillip Island

By Johan Laubscher

Melbourne Performance Centre was out testing at Phillip Island on Tuesday. The Audi R8 LMS ultra of Fitzgerald Racing Services, run by MPC, was among the cars testing.

On Monday it was announced that Peter Fitzgerald and Michael Almond will be debuting the Audi R8 LMS ultra at the finale of the Australian GT Championship, which will be taking place at Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand from 8-9 November. They will then be heading to the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour and will also contest the 2015 Australian GT Championship.

This Audi R8 LMS ultra arrived in Australia a few months ago and was used as an Audi driving experience vehicle and raced at one round of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships before its acquisition to contest the Australian GT Championship. It is the same car that was used by äpr racing in the Japanese Super GT during 2012 and half of 2013.

The Fitzgerald Racing Services Audi R8 LMS ultra was seen testing still in its white Audi driving experience livery. The car will soon be receiving its new blue and white livery designed by ssMEDIA. Both Peter Fitzgerald and Michael Almond were behind the wheel of the Audi during the testing at Phillip Island.

Photo credit: Melbourne Performance Centre, Luke Wright and ssMEDIA

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Australian GT: Fitzgerald Racing Services debuting Audi R8 LMS ultra

By Johan Laubscher

The Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars have been very successful in Australia in recent years and another new entrant was announced on Monday.

Fitzgerald Racing Services has acquired an Audi R8 LMS ultra and will be competing in the Australian GT Championship.

This Audi R8 LMS ultra arrived in Australia a few months ago and was used as an Audi driving experience vehicle and raced at one round of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships before its acquisition to contest the Australian GT Championship. It is the same car that was used by äpr racing in the Japanese Super GT during 2012 and half of 2013.

The team will be debuting the car with Peter Fitzgerald and Michael Almond at the finale of the 2014 Australian GT Championship, which will be taking place at Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand from 8-9 November.

2015 will see Fitzgerald Racing Services kicking off the season at the Bathurst 12 Hour, followed by contesting the Australian GT  Championship. Peter Fitzgerald and Michael Almond will be piloting the blue liveried Audi R8 LMS ultra at Bathurst, along with a third yet to be confirmed driver, who could possibly be an Audi factory driver.

Photo credit: Peter Fitzgerald / ssMEDIA

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Australian GT: Pole position and strong performances for Audi teams at Philip Island

By Tarek Ramchani

Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit played host to the second round of the Australian GT Championship

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VSCRC: Melbourne Performance Centre testing Fourie Audi R8 LMS at Phillip Island

By Johan Laubscher

Melbourne Performance Centre was out testing at Phillip Island on Monday. 

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NSW Sports Cars: Double victory for Rod Salmon MPC Audi R8 LMS at Bathurst

By Johan Laubscher

The NSW Production Sports Cars Championship held its second round at the Bathurst Motor Festival this weekend. Melbourne Performance Centre entered two Audi R8 LMS cars for their customers. 

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PHOTOS: Audi teams in Australian GT round 1 at Sandown

Photos featuring the Audi teams in Australian GT round 1 at Sandown

Photo credit: Australian GT

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Australian GT: Overall 1-2-3 MPC Audi R8 LMS results at Sandown

By Johan Laubscher

Sandown Raceway hosted the opening round of the 2014 Australian GT Championship. Three Audi R8 LMS cars were entered in the GT Trophy class and scored very good results this weekend.

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Australian GT: Audi R8 LMS class podium results in the first race at Sandown

By Johan Laubscher

The 2014 Australian GT Championship is hosting its opening round at Sandown Raceway this weekend. The first race concluded with podium results for the Audi entrants.

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Australian GT: Trio of Audi R8 LMS cars heading to the season opener at Sandown

By Johan Laubscher

The Australian GT Championship will be getting underway at Sandown next weekend. Currently three Audi R8 LMS entries have been included on the entry list. 

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Australian GT: Rod Salmon Audi R8 LMS entry will be at Sandown

By Johan Laubscher

Rod Salmon will be taking part in the Australian GT Championship season opener at Sandown next weekend.

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Bathurst can be so cruel...‏

Melbourne Performance Centre Press Release

Bathurst can be so cruel…

Skwirk.com.au/MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra
2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst (7-9 February)

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Solid top ten results for the Audi teams

By Johan Laubscher

The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour proved to be another very exciting race and concluded with three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars within the overall top ten.

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Watch the Bathurst 12 Hour LIVE

The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour race is about to start. The Audi Sport customer racing squad is very well represented with five Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars taking part in the event.

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Equity-One secures P2 Class B start for Bathurst 12-Hour‏

Equity-One Motorsport Press Release

Equity-One secures P2 Class B start for Bathurst 12-Hour
2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW (February 7-9)

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Class B 1-2 pole position and top ten places in Class A for the Audi teams

By Johan Laubscher

The Bathurst 12 Hour weekend is well underway. Four practice sessions kicked off proceedings yesterday and three qualifying sessions today determined the grid for tomorrow’s twelve hour endurance race at Mount Panorama.

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Audis placed well during practice on day one

By Johan Laubscher

The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour track action got underway with four practice sessions on Thursday. Six Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars, fielded by four different teams, will be tackling Mount Panorama this weekend.

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Audi teams arrived at Mount Panorama

By Tarek Ramchani

It's the Bathurst 12 Hour race week at Mount Panorama. The Audi teams are already on site preparing for the demanding Australian enduro event.

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Bathurst 12 Hour: Salmon believes sub-two minute lap of Bathurst possible‏

Melbourne Performance Centre Press Release

Salmon believes sub-two minute lap of Bathurst possible

Skwirk.com.au/MPC Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra
2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst (7-9 February)

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