Prodsports NSW: Audi R8 LMS ultra victorious in Victorian Tourist Trophy at Phillip Island

By Johan Laubscher

The Island Magic was hosted at Phillip Island in Australia this weekend. This annual motorsport event hosts a number of categories at the end of the Australian motorsport season, including the final round of the NSW Production Sports Car Championship.

Melbourne Performance Centre entered three Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars in the Sports Car races, which included the one-hour CUE Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars.

The weekend's NSW Production Sports Car competition consisted of three races for the Sports Cars division. Two individual sprint races for the two drivers of each car on Saturday, followed by the one-hour CUE Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars on Sunday.

The Melbourne Performance Centre squad consisted of three Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars. Peter Fitzgerald was driving his #2 EVA Racing/Fitzgerald Racing Services Audi R8 LMS ultra (2012 specification). The second Audi R8 LMS ultra was the #75 JAMEC PEM Racing entry shared by the driving duo of Steven McLaughlan and James Winslow.

Peter Conroy was behind the wheel of the blue #5 Skwirk Audi R8 LMS, the same car with which Rod Salmon won the 2014 Australian GT Trophy class title. Rod Salmon leased this car from Peter Conroy during 2014, following Jason Bright's accident during the Bathurst 12 Hour qualifying session in February, which resulted in Salmon's Audi R8 LMS ultra heading to Germany for repairs.

Saturday saw both of the five-lap sprint races, highlighted by a pole position and race victory for James Winslow, along with podium finishes for his teammates.

The one-hour Victorian Tourist Trophy was held on Sunday. It was an exciting race with a large field of cars racing at Phillip Island. By the end of the hour-long race it was the #75 JAMEC PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra which was piloted to victory by James Winslow and Steven McLaughlan. For McLaughlan it was a successful title defence of his Victorian Tourist Trophy win from 2013.

It was a double Audi podium with victory for Winslow and McLaughlan, followed by a very strong third place for Peter Fitzgerald in the #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra. Peter Conroy rounded out a terrific weekend for the MPC Audi squad by finishing eighth overall, taking fourth place in the GT class and ensuring that all three of the Audis finished within the overall top ten.

This victory has made it three out of three for the Audi R8 LMS / ultra in the Victorian Tourist Trophy. Mark Eddy won the event in 2010 and Steven McLaughlan won in 2013, the only two previous editions where an Audi R8 LMS was entered.

This event may have ended off Melbourne Performance Centre’s 2014 Audi R8 LMS participation, but it is now full steam ahead for the team and their 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour preparations. The team will be running four Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the race which will be held from 6-8 February.

Photo credit:

Australian GT Championship
Highlands Motorsport Park
Peter Conroy Motorsport

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Prodsports NSW: Victory and podiums for MPC Audi squad in Island Magic sprint races

By Johan Laubscher

The Island Magic was hosted at Phillip Island in Australia this weekend. This annual motorsport event hosts a number of categories at the end of the Australian motorsport season, including the final round of the NSW Production Sports Car Championship.

Melbourne Performance Centre entered three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the Sports Car races, which included the one-hour CUE Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars.

The weekends NSW Production Sports Car competition consisted of three races for the Sports Cars division. Two individual sprint races for the two drivers of each car on Saturday, followed by the one-hour CUE Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars on Sunday.

The Melbourne Performance Centre squad consisted of three Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars. Peter Fitzgerald was driving his #2 EVA Racing/Fitzgerald Racing Services Audi R8 LMS ultra (2012 specification). The second Audi R8 LMS ultra (2013 specification) was the #75 JAMEC PEM Racing entry shared by the driving duo of Steven McLaughlan and James Winslow.

Peter Conroy was behind the wheel of the blue #5 Skwirk Audi R8 LMS, the same car with which Rod Salmon won the 2014 Australian GT Trophy class title. Rod Salmon leased this car from Peter Conroy during 2014, following Jason Bright's accident during the Bathurst 12 Hour qualifying session in February, which resulted in Salmon's Audi R8 LMS ultra heading to Germany for repairs.

Qualifying for the two sprint races was highlighted by an Audi 1-2 for the second race. James Winslow set a dominant pole position with the #75 Audi for the second race, ahead of the #2 Audi of Peter Fitzgerald. The qualifying results for the first race saw Peter Fitzgerald in third and Steven McLaughlan in fourth.

Peter Conroy qualified fifteenth and thirteenth for the two races respectively.

The two sprint races were held over five laps each on Saturday. Race one concluded with a double Audi podium. Peter Fitzgerald piloted his #2 Audi to second position, finishing ahead of Steven McLaughlan in the #75 Audi in third.

The second sprint race saw a 1-2 Audi victory. James Winslow in the #75 JAMEC PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra took victory ahead of Peter Fitzgerald.

Sunday's track action will feature the Victorian Tourist Trophy. The Audi squad will be aiming to make it three out of three for Audi in this one-hour event. Mark Eddy won the event in 2010 and Steven McLaughlan won in 2013, the only two previous editions where an Audi R8 LMS was entered.

We wish the best of luck to the MPC Audi squad and drivers at Phillip Island.

Photo credit: Australian GT

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Prodsports NSW: Melbourne Performance Centre entering three Audi R8 LMS ultra for Island Magic

By Johan Laubscher

Phillip Island in Australia will be hosting the annual Island Magic this upcoming weekend. This event features a number of categories towards the end of the motorsport season, including the final round of the NSW Production Sports Car Championship.

The weekend will feature three races for the Sports Car division. Two individual sprint races for the two drivers of each car, followed by the one-hour CUE Victorian Tourist Trophy for Sports Cars.

Melbourne Performance Centre will be out in force with three cars for their customers in the GT class of the Sports Car races. The first two Audi R8 LMS ultra entries will both be entered with only one driver.

Rod Salmon will be driving solo in his #5 Skwirk/Beechwood Audi R8 LMS ultra (2013 specification) with which he finished second at the Highlands 101 endurance race in New Zealand a few weeks ago.

Peter Fitzgerald will be driving his 2012 specification #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra for EVA Racing/Fitzgerald Racing Services, which he debuted at the Australian GT Championship finale in New Zealand.

The #75 JAMEC PEM Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra (2013 specification) will be driven by the duo of James Winslow and defending race winner, Steven McLaughlan.

Audi R8 LMS cars have twice before taken part in the Victorian Tourist Trophy, both times with race victory. Mark Eddy won the event in 2010 and Steven McLaughlan won in 2013, ahead of his 2014 Australian GT campaign.

The entry list can be seen HERE.

This event may be ending off Melbourne Performance Centre’s 2014 Audi R8 LMS participation, but it will then be full steam ahead for the team and their 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour preparations. The team will be running four Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the race which will be held from 6-8 February.

Photo credit:

Australian GT Championship

Melbourne Performance Centre

Peter Fitzgerald

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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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