Every race teaches you something, and our final race of the opening round of the 2026 South Australian Motor Racing Championship delivered an interesting lesson in patience. After two challenging but encouraging races at The Bend Motorsport Park, we were looking to finish the weekend with another strong result. Several of the faster competitors had experienced mechanical problems throughout the weekend, presenting an opportunity to capitalise and collect valuable championship points. However, the final race of a weekend always seems to bring an extra level of intensity. With drivers knowing they have several weeks to repair any damage before the next round, the racing often becomes particularly aggressive. For Quinn Racing, the objective was simple: stay out of trouble, maximise our result and finish the weekend on a high. What followed was one of the most entertaining strategic battles of our racing career so far.
We got away cleanly at the start, covering the inside line on the long run into Turn 1 and maintaining our position through the opening corners. However, it quickly became apparent that we were lacking some pace compared to the cars ahead. Despite significant improvements during the off-season, we were still learning how to extract the maximum performance from our new control suspension package. The Excel was particularly reluctant to turn into slower corners, costing us valuable time through Turn 6 and the technical section around Turns 14 and 15. Looking at onboard footage from other Excel Garage cars, it was clear that we needed to be more aggressive with our front suspension setup. Unfortunately, there wasn't much we could do about that during the race. With the leading group gradually pulling away, our attention shifted towards defending our position from the closely packed competitors behind. Riley Harrison eventually ran off the circuit while pushing hard, temporarily relieving some of the pressure, but the biggest challenge was still to come.
As we approached Turn 17, Cooper Harris launched an ambitious overtaking attempt, locking all four wheels under brakes. Having spotted the move developing in our mirrors, we elected to give him the corner rather than risk contact. With Cooper now ahead, we faced an important strategic decision. Both cars were running similar lap times, meaning we could fight immediately to reclaim the position, potentially slowing each other down and allowing the chasing pack to catch up. Alternatively, we could work together, use the aerodynamic slipstream to maintain our speed and build a gap over the cars behind. We chose the second option. By settling in behind Cooper and resisting the temptation to attack at every opportunity, we were able to maintain a strong pace without compromising each other's races. Meanwhile, the group behind became involved in their own battles, with contact and incidents eventually leaving us comfortably clear of the chasing pack. What had started as a defensive race was now a one-on-one battle with Cooper Harris, and the next challenge was deciding exactly when to make our move.
One of the biggest advantages in Circuit Excel racing is the aerodynamic slipstream, commonly referred to as the draft. By following closely behind another car, the trailing driver experiences less aerodynamic drag and can achieve a significant straight-line speed advantage. However, this creates an interesting strategic dilemma. Overtake too early, and the driver you've just passed can use that same advantage to immediately attack you. With our races running to a fixed time rather than a predetermined number of laps, calculating the ideal moment to make a move becomes surprisingly complicated. The race clock begins when the cars are released onto the circuit, meaning even the formation lap counts towards the allocated time. Once the clock expires, the race concludes after an additional lap. Lily was keeping us updated over the radio, but with the event running behind schedule, we weren't entirely sure when the chequered flag would actually fall. As the remaining time ticked away, we finally made our move on Cooper, hoping we'd timed it perfectly. Unfortunately, the chequered flag didn't appear when expected. The race had effectively been extended by another lap, leaving Cooper with one final opportunity to use the draft and fight back.
With the race entering its final lap, Cooper used the slipstream to attack into Turn 1. Rather than defending aggressively, we allowed him through and immediately tucked back in behind, positioning ourselves for a counterattack. We carried momentum through Turn 2 and drew alongside on the approach to Turn 3. Along the back straight, we carefully positioned our car to maximise the aerodynamic advantage before attempting to hang around the outside of Turn 6. This was a calculated move. By staying alongside through the hairpin, we'd be positioned on the inside for the following sequence of corners, making it much harder for Cooper to reclaim the position. The two cars made light contact, folding our mirror, but we managed to hold our line and emerge ahead. Once Cooper slotted back in behind, we knew we had the opportunity to control the remaining corners and defend our position to the finish. After an incredible race-long battle, we crossed the line just 0.15 seconds ahead of Cooper, securing 8th position overall! It was a fantastic result and a brilliant way to conclude the opening round of the championship.
Our final race at The Bend was a perfect example of how motorsport is about much more than simply driving as fast as possible. While raw speed is important, understanding race strategy, managing your competitors and knowing when to attack can be just as valuable.
Rather than fighting Cooper at every opportunity, working together allowed us to pull clear of the chasing pack and set up an exciting battle to the finish. The closing laps became a game of high-speed chess, with every move calculated around the aerodynamic advantages and the rapidly approaching chequered flag.
A massive thank you to Cooper Harris for such an enjoyable and hard-fought battle, and to Lily for her excellent work over the radio. Having someone keeping track of the race clock and helping make strategic decisions was invaluable.
We'd also like to thank Jacob Curry and the Excel Garage crew for their assistance with the car's setup throughout the weekend. Although there is still plenty of work ahead to find more pace, the improvements we've made are already delivering encouraging results.
Finishing P8 in the final race was a fantastic way to conclude our first round of the 2026 season. With three races completed, plenty of valuable lessons learned and more championship points on the board, we're looking forward to building on this momentum throughout the year.
