Ashley Seward Motorsport will expand to run a three-car team in the 2020 TCR Australia series, expanding from the single Giulietta Veloce which it ran for Dylan O’Keeffe in 2019.
The team has run a sole car with support from Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) in 2019, with O’Keeffe winning four races and ultimately providing the stiffest competition to eventual title winner Will Brown.
The team has now ordered two more Alfa Romeos, which will arrive in Melbourne as early as next week. It is also possible that one of the cars could take part in the TCR Australia season finale at The Bend Motorsport Park in November.
TCR Australia regulations mean that no more than five cars from any single manufacturer can be represented on the grid at any time. The order from Ashley Seward Motorsport takes the number of Giuliettas in Australia up to four, with GRM having run a car for Jimmy Vernon and Jordan Cox in 2019.
“There’s a lot of interest in TCR, and we decided to pounce on the new cars as soon as they became available,” said Ashley Seward, Team Owner.
“The hype around the category has been really strong, especially from junior category drivers looking to make their first step into touring car racing.
“It’s a very affordable class and really well priced in the current landscape. For our team, it was a no-brainer.
“Dylan O’Keeffe has really been our biggest selling point. Before the start of this season, we wanted to be a part of TCR, but it was a big risk too.
“Without a doubt, our punt has definitely paid off and it’s a credit to the team behind TCR Australia.
“The Alfas are a great car. They are well engineered and really easy to work on and, for sure, we feel that we can be in a position to win more races and win a championship.
“The new cars land next week and if the right deals fall in place, we might enter one extra car at The Bend. We need to wait and see on that.”
Matt Braid, Director of TCR Australia promoter Australian Racing Group, added that the series having secured a support race slot for Formula 1 next year had boosted interest in the new tin-top series for 2020.
“It’s fantastic to see more TCR cars confirmed for the 2020 season,” said Braid. “Events like the Australian Grand Prix have really ramped up the genuine interest in the class and there are some more great announcements in the pipeline.
“It is no surprise to see more Alfa Romeos secured. They are a really well-built car and have proven to be extremely competitive.
“Dylan O’Keeffe and the ASM team have done an outstanding job this year, and we are pleased that they have expanded their TCR program.”