Slideways Goes Trans-Am Racing in 2017
Former V8 Utes racer Cam Wilson is taking on three different motorsport categories in 2017, including the Touring Car Masters (TCM), the Australian Trans-Am Series, and the Keema Cars Excel Cup.
For the TCM and Trans-Am campaign, Wilson will be teaming up with Queensland motorsport identity Ian Woodward, with Slideways set to adorn the sides of the Fataz Competition Engines Chev Camaro recently driven by Charlie O’Brien to much success.
The current plans for the team include the TCM events at Queensland Raceway, Bathurst and Newcastle, an exciting new event to round out the season.
The Australian Trans-Am series meanwhile features a six-round schedule, with events split between Lakeside Park and Queensland Raceway at key events on the state motorsport calendar.
The prospect of driving an iconic car on some great tracks excites Wilson, who has experience outside V8 Utes in categories such as Queensland Geminis, Saloon Cars, HQ Holdens, Mazda MX5s and Production Cars.
“To drive a car like that around places like Lakeside, Bathurst and the new Newcastle track will be just fantastic,” said Wilson.
“They seem like a great bunch of competitors in both categories (TCM and Trans Am), and just awesome cars, I just love my old-school cars, I’m a Camaro fan from way back.
“I’ve known Ian for a long time through my early days in Geminis in the late 1990s, and this year will be the first time we have managed to join forces and go racing.
“Ian is very enthusiastic and passionate about all things Trans Am Racing, and now TCM racing, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to jump into his Camaro.”
After winning the Hyundai X3 Nationals at Morgan Park last year, Wilson will team up with sparring partner Brett Parrish for the full Queensland Raceway and Lakeside based Keema Cars Excel Cup, in a four-car effort from BPRO.
“The Hyundai’s are really cool, the racing in the Keema Cars Excel Cup is fantastic, they regularly get fields of over 30 cars at a round,” said Wilson, who won six races in the series in 2016.
“When it was announced last year that the car I was going to drive was being sold, it was fantastic for Brett to come along and offer me a drive in one of his cars; I was very impressed with that.
“He was one of my main rivals last year, a good pedaller, I think I gave him probably the most hell out of anyone on the track.”
At multiple events this season, Wilson is scheduled to do double duty, a task which presents some unique challenges.
“I will wind up driving the fastest car and slowest car all in the one day at a few of the race meetings,” said Wilson.
“Going from left hand drive to right hand drive will be exciting… The Queensland scene is very strong at the moment, and dovetailing that with some of the bigger rounds in the TCM should be great fun.”
Away from circuit racing, Slideways is looking to have a busy schedule of events in its own right, with a ten Enduro round series scheduled alongside six Sprint Series events at the company’s outdoor race track, Slideways – Go Karting World at Pimpama on the Gold Coast.
For the first time, Slideways will also be hosting a Junior Racing Series for drivers aged 7 to 15, while the Slideways – Junior Karting Academy will commence shortly, offering young drivers incredible insight into how to improve their kart racing skills.
More info on Slideways – Go Karting Centres can be found at www.slideways.com.au.
