Hawkes Bay teenager Tom Bewley will race under lights for the first time this weekend when the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge moves to Sydney Motorsport Park for the series’ second round.
“I’ve never done night racing in a go-kart or a race car before, so that’s going to be a new experience that I’m really looking forward to,” said Bewley.
The double podium winner from the opening round is looking to add to his points tally but knows that gaining a top qualifying spot and tyre management will be critical for his championship ambitions.
Bewley says the tyre degradation at SMP is very high, with lap times dropping as much as eight-tenths of a second after just one lap.
“On a green [new] tyre, you get just one lap because the track surface rips up the tyre so much, and then when you go racing, you’re about two seconds a lap off the qualifying pace,” he said.
“You need to be really gentle on the tyre and save it until the end of the race to be in a good position come the chequered flag. If you try to push early in the race or late in the race, you’ll end up four or five seconds off the pace, so it’s all about tyre conservation.
“Qualifying will be most important this weekend and then staying at the front because the track offers few passing opportunities,” he added.
The 17-year-old from Havelock North, currently lying second in the championship, finds his debut season racing off-shore in the Porsche quite different from his former racing experiences in New Zealand.
“There’s a lot to get used to, like the rules, which are a lot different to what I’m used to in New Zealand, but every weekend, I’m learning more. I’m hoping to be racing there [Australia] for the next few years so it’s good to be learning now and getting used to this style of racing.”
Bewley is the youngest winner of the Porsche New Zealand scholarship, which is run in conjunction with Earl Bamber Motorsport.
“After a great opening round, Sydney Motorsport Park will present a new challenge for Tom,” said Ben Jenkins, Team Manager for EBM.
“We had productive days running there last week and are set to roll out of the truck in a strong position. The surface is unlike anything Tom has raced on before, with tyre management going to be the key focus, particularly over Sunday’s endurance race.
“It should also be an awesome experience for him to have the opportunity to qualify and race under lights on Friday and Saturday night.”
Qualifying will take place for 30 minutes on Friday night at 8.55 pm NZT, with the second of the three races on Saturday at 7.55 pm NZT. The first race will start on Saturday at 2.50 pm NZT, with the 45-minute endurance race flagged away on Sunday at 2.20 pm NZT.
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