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Second-generation Tasman ace looking for title
A SINGULAR focus on claiming the S5000 Tasman Series is at the core of Tim Macrow’s plans for the upcoming return of the iconic Tasman Cup trophy.
Macrow, a two-time Australian Drivers’ Champion, will return to the track with a pre-season Winton test day today (Thursday) ahead of testing at Sydney Motorsport Park next week, in a bid to add the Tasman Cup trophy to his impressive open-wheel collection.
In the process he’ll create some history as the first ever second-generation Tasman Series racer, after his Father Peter raced during the peak days of the original championship back in the 1960s.
Though plans remain firm for Macrow to expand his own Tim Macrow Racing squad to a pair of entries for next years’ Gold Star championship, their Tasman campaign will remain fixed at just the sole #23 UCS / Hollinger entry.
“We’re running the one car and focussing on what I’m doing,” Macrow explained.
“We had options to run a teammate and in the end that is the end goal, we want two cars on the grid.
“The border issues have put paid for that for the Tasman Series so while we will have two cars next year, this Summer is all about getting the most out of myself and what we already have.”
With a season interrupted by COVID-19 lockdowns, Macrow hasn’t sat in a racing car since the final round of the Gold Star championship back in April.
He says the Winton test will be an important re-acclimatisation process ahead of landing at Sydney Motorsport Park next week.
“It should be good.. after so long out of the car I think it will be a bit eye opening,” he said.
“The test day will be huge for us. I’ve not sat in a car since the final round of the championship which feels like an age ago, so this day will be important to get my eye in again before we get to Sydney for the pre-event test, and Round 1.”
Macrow finished third in the 2021 S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, edging out James Golding for the final spot on the podium despite a challenging final round at the Sydney venue.
“We’re still looking for a bit of qualifying pace. Our race pace is pretty good, but I don’t think I got my stuff together in qualifying and the night session probably caught us out a bit,” Macrow said of his last S5000 event.
“We ran well in the races and had decent pace, though the last race was a write-off after losing half the front wing.
“I think the car is good. There’s a bit more to find in me, especially in qualifying, so that’s our focus.”
As well as attempting to claim the Tasman Cup for himself, Macrow’s own family has Tasman Series history with the Victorian driver the only one set to race this year who had a relative on the grid during the peak era of the famous championship in the 1960s.
Tim’s father, Peter Macrow, started the Sandown Tasman Series event in 1967, racing his Mk3 Cheetah against the likes of Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham.
“Dad raced in the Tasman Series so it’s special to be the first second-generation driver to do that,” Tim Macrow said.
“He’s got great stories from that era. He won the preliminary (Sports Car) race to the Tasman Series event at Longford in 1968 and beat Chris Amon in the process.
“His name is listed in the Longford pub for his efforts, so it’s cool to be part of that history and to be able to race in the same series.”
S5000 cars hit the track for a pre-event test session under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park next Thursday, before practice on Friday.