Fresh from his career best Supercheap Auto TCR Australia result at Symmons Plains Raceway, Kody Garland is looking to go even better at round two of the championship at Phillip Island.
The Garry Rogers Motorsport driver switched to the Peugeot 308 for the 2023 season, his second year in TCR, and immediately impressed with a personal best qualifying that saw Garland line up fifth on the grid. Race one then saw Garland fight his way up to the podium before battling off the cars behind to come home third, his first podium in TCR competition.
In the gap between rounds, Garland has kept himself race fit with two competitive outings in the Aussie Racing Car championship. The visits to Newcastle and Queensland Raceway have netted the Motor Traders’ Association of New South Wales and Valvoline supported driver two more podium finishes for the year.
This weekend sees TCR Australia visit Phillip Island, a circuit in stark contrast to the short and sharp nature of Symmons Plains Raceway.
“Phillip Island will be an exciting round, the characteristics of the track are a polar opposite to what we experienced at round one,” said Garland.
“We’re in a different ballpark this year with the Peugeot, it’s a bit more forgiving to drive and operates in a bigger setup window as well, which is helping us to get up front where we belong. I’ve only driven it at Symmons Plains so far however, so I’ll need to get on top of its high speed handling pretty quickly on the weekend.
“Being able to go racing in the Aussie Racing Car between rounds has certainly been beneficial. While it’s pretty far from the driving style requires in TCR, it has helped to keep me race fit and keep those reflexes sharp. Any seat time is always valuable.
“I can’t wait to get out on track and tackle the high speeds of Phillip Island, it’ll be all about finding the limit and just trusting the grip that’s available,” concluded Garland.
Round two of Supercheap Auto TCR Australia takes place from May 12-14, with all three races live on Stan Sport, plus race one live and free on the Nine Network.
Weekend Schedule:
Friday:
12:10pm – Practice 1
3:25pm – Practice 2
Saturday
11:35am – Qualifying
4:15pm – Race 1
Sunday
11:30am – Race 2
4:15pm – Race 3