IRC Opens the Door to older spec GT3 machines
As part of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, Innovation Race Cars (IRC) will allow older model GT3 cars to compete in the series.
All GT3 cars built prior to, and including 2019 are eligible to compete, including, Lamborghini Gallardos, Audi R8 LMS’, Porsche GT3 machines, Ferrari 458s and 488s, McLaren 650s’, Mercedes AMG GT3s, the list goes on.
“We’re inviting ‘Trophy’ cars, GT3 cars 2019 and older,” announced Innovation Race Cars (IRC) founder Danny Stutterd.
“I believe drivers and owners of older GT3 cars have been forgotten, left standing with nowhere to race.
“We at IRC would be very keen to have them run with us, we love the cars, and they lap at a very similar pace, with similar driving standards.
“There's an opportunity to have those cars come and join our field. So, why wouldn't we open the series up to old GT3 cars? They’re beautiful machines which now have a place to run in.”
Although the GT3 cars will be very close in performance to the Aussie built IRC machines, they will be competing in a separate class, fighting for the GT3 championship.
“You'd have a GT3 championship, and you'd have an IRC championship, and I’d expect around 25 cars on the grid,” he said.
“The IRC competitors will be happy, we’ve really worked on making sure the GT3 times will be very similar to ours, like really similar!”
Stutterd is confident of similar times because the GT3 cars will be running a ‘Sporting Handicap,’ in order to not only keep the two classes similar in pace, but more importantly those within the GT3 competition.
GT3 cars will run a Sporting Handicap restrictor as intended for the year of manufacturer.
There will be no gun professional drivers either, only Bronze or uncategorised drivers are eligible to compete.
“I’ve gone through the sporting handicap thoroughly,” he said. “We propose to run a sporting handicap a restrictor and weight.
“So, if the car in its day ran with a 51 restrictor, and 100 kilos at a certain track, that's what you're running. The intention is to have these guys race under the handicap, as it was intended.
“This means the IRC cars are not going to get blasted away, they’ll be very competitive, if not a bit faster, dependent on drivers.
“This is why we are capping it to cars built to 2019 spec and older. If I go beyond that, the GT3 cars will not be equal in performance with the IRC class, the IRC cars would have to be developed, and that would just add costs to the series.”
While the Innovation Race Cars organisers will run and police the technical regulations of the GT3 machines, the GT3 class will have its own category manager, representing their class.
IRC is a new category joining the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series in 2025. IRC and MARC cars will complete a six-round championship, including sprint and long-distance races. The format will alternate each round.
Every race, whether a sprint or an enduro, will commence with a rolling start to avoid the potential of stalled cars on the grid.
Currently, the category is on the hunt for tyre supplier, all cars will be required to run this tyre compound.
Find out more here: www.hi-tecoilssuperseries.au/news/innovation-race-cars-join-the-hi-tec-oils-super-series
2025 IRC Calendar
Round 1 – Winton Raceway, 28th Feb – 2nd March
Round 2 – Sydney Motorsport Park, 30th May – 1st June
Round 3 – Queensland Raceway, 27th – 29th June
Round 4 – Queensland Raceway, 15th – 17th August
Round 5 – Mallala Motorsport Park, 26th – 28th September
Round 6 – Winton Raceway, 31st October – 2nd November
Read more about Innovation Race Cars: https://innovationracecars.com.au