HERITAGE AND HIGH HOPES: PETER PREVIEWS THE SANDOWN 500
It is always a special feeling heading back to Sandown Raceway, an iconic venue steeped in history and renowned for producing thrilling racing year after year.
The Victorian fans never disappoint, turning out in force to create an electric atmosphere that makes this event truly memorable, and of course, Sandown is especially significant for our team, as it is where we broke through for our very first Supercars podium – a milestone that remains a proud moment for everyone involved.
With that history front of mind, we are heading into this weekend determined to once again climb the Sandown podium, perhaps even going one or two steps further. With two races on the schedule instead of the one 500k enduro of 2024, we will have double the chances to make it happen.
The intensity is set to be high, with an action-packed three-day schedule for what is the penultimate round of the season. We’ll have just two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday to dial in the cars, before heading straight into qualifying and the Top Ten Shootout on Saturday, followed by the first 81-lap, 250km race for the event. The format will then repeat on Sunday, making for a double-header of high-stakes racing.
Getting the setup right and managing the tyres over the race distance will be key to unlocking a strong result at this tough circuit, which is renowned for being fast, bumpy, and technical. As always, our focus will be on executing cleanly, maximising qualifying, and taking advantage of any opportunities that come our way.
Since the Gold Coast, our team has been working tirelessly, determined to build on the gains we’ve made through the back half of the season. While we’re realistic about our position in the teams’ championship, our focus remains on finishing the year strongly and seizing every opportunity we can to continue our growth as a group.
As part of this focus, we are pleased to be bringing Jayden Ojeda into the #62 PremiAir Racing Camaro for both this weekend and the season finale. This will give ‘Juice’ the chance to log more than 1,000 kilometres of racing before he steps up to the full-time seat with us next season, providing a fantastic opportunity for him to settle in with the crew, gain valuable experience, and start building towards 2026. We know he will be doing all he can to bleed everything possible out of these opportunities ahead of next year, and we are greatly looking forward to working with him at Sandown and again at Adelaide.
If you’d like to get behind Jayden as he makes his debut with the team, you can send him a voice message of encouragement before he hits the track here 🎙️ https://memo.fm/premiair_racing/
In the #31 PremiAir Racing Camaro, we believe that Jimmy Golding, who celebrated third place with us at the 2024 Sandown 500, marking our first podium, will be one to watch. His racing of late has been something really exciting to see, and we know he will be swinging for the fences this weekend as he tries to once again spray the champagne at this iconic venue.
As we prepare for another huge weekend, I am incredibly proud of the continued effort from everyone on the team, from the workshop to the track, and deeply thankful to our partners and supporters for their ongoing support. Rest assured, we are ready to deliver a strong performance for all our fans at Sandown as we aim to conclude our season on a positive note across the final two events.
Don’t forget, you can keep up to date across the weekend on our social platforms and also on our special WhatsApp Channel, proudly sponsored by Air & Allied Sales, which will feature live race coverage and exclusive team and behind-the-scenes updates (join now at https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEGGiJ2kNFlJu5eeo1H).
Let’s go racing!
Peter Xiberras
PremiAir Racing Team Owner
For more information on PremiAir Racing, please visit www.premiairracing.com or follow the team on its social media platforms at www.facebook.com/PremiAirRacing/, www.instagram.com/premiair_racing/, www.linkedin.com/company/premiairracing/ and www.x.com/premiairracing