Australian motorsport legend Marcos Ambrose is hoping to inspire the next generation of racers with a rare chance to receive tuition from the two-time Supercars champion.
The ‘combine’ is a NASCAR-inspired initiative, getting young drivers behind the wheel of different cars over the course of a week.
The week will allow a handful of drivers to pilot machinery from the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Turtle Wax Trans Am Series, and S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.
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Two-time Supercars champion Marcos Ambrose (Getty)
By giving youngsters an opportunity to sample three different disciplines, it’s hoped they will be better equipped to make a call on which direction they take careers in.
An all-star line-up of drivers will be on hand to support the fresh faces, including Bathurst 1000 podium finisher James Moffat.
Supercars driver James Golding, experienced Porsche ace Dylan O’Keeffe, and Trans Am regular Nathan Hern will support the program too.
Next year’s combine will take place across January 15-20 at Ambrose’s home circuits Symmons Plains and Baskerville in Tasmania.
“The first Combine proved a ripping success for both GRM and the Combine participants,” said Ambrose.
“The goal of the first GRM Combine was to provide an opportunity for participants to drive three very different types of high performance cars run by GRM and see how they stood up speed and ability wise compared to our in-house professional drivers.
“It showed us at GRM who was out there interested in driving ARG-type cars and at what level they were.”
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Drivers at the combine will sample three different disciplines of motorsport (Supplied)
As proven by young Kody Garland, a strong showing in the combine can open doors for racing opportunities with the program operators, Garry Rogers Motorsport.
“Kody Garland is probably the highlight from the first combine, now racing for GRM in the TCR Australia series for Valvoline. We’re expecting big things from Kody once he gets through learning the TCR cars and tracks during 2022,” said Ambrose.
“Kody’s graduation to TCR demonstrates the power of the combine and I’m really happy that GRM has decided to do another one.
“The GRM Combine is an experience. It is not a driving school or a talent search, it is an event where drivers who are on the path to race in the upper levels of Australian motorsport can evaluate their own performance and abilities in a professional environment .
“The combine is designed to give the drivers a reference point to see where they are at in their own racing progression and showcase their skills to GRM and other industry leaders.
Kody Garland (left) with Marcos Ambrose (Supplied)
“S5000, TCR and Trans Am are very different machines which each require a unique set of skills each to drive. Combine participants get to evaluate themselves in different equipment and see what type of machine best suits their skill sets. An added bonus is to compare themselves against our professional factory drivers.
“That’s what the GRM Combine is meant to be, a place to see what level you are at as a driver and compare yourself against some of the best drivers in the country.”
Garry Rogers Motorsport competes in the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, Turtle Wax Trans Am Series, and S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship.
The TCR Australia Series headlines the forthcoming Speed Series event at Queensland Raceway on August 5-7.
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