Ahead of Round 3 of the Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series in Sydney this weekend, we sat down with our two lead rookies for 2024, Jayden Wanzek and Ryan How. Each have topped a round in the rookie standings, with Melbournian How finishing in 5th at Bathurst in February and Wanzek from South Australia finishing 4th in Darwin last month, and sit just eight points apart on the overall championship standings with four rounds to go.
So two rounds in, how are our rookies adjusting to racing a V8 SuperUte and competing against their rivals in a new championship? We stat down with them ahead of the Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Firstly, how are you both settling into the Tyrepower V8 SuperUtes paddock in your debut year?
JW: So far so good! I’m really enjoying being part of Sieders Racing team, they are a really good bunch of people and I’m enjoying being teammates with [champion] Aaron Borg; he’s been really generous mentoring me and sharing his knowledge and experience. The paddock has been really welcoming and Luke [Sieders] is right, it feels like a big family.
RH: I agree. I’m loving how much racing action there is door-to-door with the other drivers. I knew it would be a big change from racing an open-wheeler last year and there’s definitely a lot more to learn about the V8 SuperUte and the race craft of the series. But I’m really enjoying being part of the paddock, everyone is fantastic to go away racing with.
Let’s go back to Bathurst, your debut… how were the nerves, how did you get to grips so quickly and how would you summarise your debut especially at a place like Mount Panorama!
RH: “Wow” would be how I’d sum it up! It was probably a perfect first weekend in a new category, new race car and a new race track as well for me. Once I got the nerves out of the way in practice I just focussed on being consistent and ending up 5th overall was a decent result. I was feeling pretty happy with myself after that result especially considering how scary Bathurst is and how these cars handle!
JW: I was definitely nervous going into Bathurst especially with only one test day two weeks before my first ever round in a V8 SuperUte. I studied a lot of footage beforehand to get an idea where to brake and position the car, and having some experience in Excels and the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series at Bathurst really helped as well. My debut overall was solid, Race 2 the reverse grid was definitely a highlight getting to the lead of the race and holding it for a few laps! The biggest issue I had in the car was I kept missing third gear which I found frustrating. After Bathurst, I visited the Sieders workshop so we could get the ergonomics in the car better by moving the shifter closer to me. We tested it at Sydney Motorsport Park and it worked. I felt much more comfortable in the car and better prepared for Darwin.
Now that you have two rounds under your belt, what are your overall thoughts on racing these cars compared to what you’ve raced before?
JW: I like them, they are a challenge to drive having a lot of horsepower and not a lot of grip which is similar to a Supercar. The biggest difference I found coming from T86s to V8 SuperUtes is being very patient with ALL your inputs, not just the throttle. The T86s you can slide and hustle the car around and it will reward you to some degree but it’s the opposite with the V8 SuperUtes; being the smoothest and patient seems to be the best way to drive these cars. When you slide the car the tyres quickly overheat the surface of the tyre, meaning it will lose grip and won’t recover from that point onwards so it can really affect you in a race.
RH: The car is self is definitely challenging, the race craft is quite aggressive, but it’s just a new category of racing to learn. I raced GTs a few years ago and have been racing F3 the last two years. The open-wheeler is a high downforce car so you’re able to take a lot more speed into the corners, brake a lot later and due to the lack of power get on the throttle a lot faster. Comparing to the V8 SuperUte, these weigh a LOT more, has very little downforce and has more power, so you have to do everything a lot slower and with more patience.
You’ve both come away with a round win each in the rookie class, Ryan you topped the rookie standings at Bathurst and then Jayden you took out the Darwin round. How do you think you’re performing overall?
RH: As scary as it was at Bathurst, I seemed to get grips of the track really well, consistently finishing top 7, even qualified 7th. And I just learned more each race and was one of the fastest drivers towards the end of the weekend. Then with a three-month break and no test days I was on the back foot a bit in Darwin compared to most of the other drivers including Jayden. I had never been to Darwin before either so struggled with car set up and second-guessing weather it was the car or me. Still, 7th overall for the round was not horrible.
JW: At Bathurst, my goal was to just finish every race and stay out of trouble which I did for the most part. Before the last two races I was 4th on points which I was very happy with but then I had a terrible Race 3 and 4, finishing outside the top 10 due to some contact and being out positioned, so I ended up 8th for the round. Darwin was also my first time racing at Hidden Valley Raceway. Qualified P5 and finished P3 for Race 1 which is crazy! I was hoping for a podium that round, but the reverse grid race was a tough race for me. Starting P8 and not finding a way through the field ending up P9 wasn’t the result I was after. I ended up 4th for the round and I’m 5th in the series outright which is still a decent place to be with four rounds to go.
What do you feel you still need to work on to maximise your performance in the V8 SuperUte overall?
JW: The biggest thing I want to work on is getting my elbows out more and making more bold moves on the competition… even channel my inner SVG! It’s not that I have poor race craft, it’s just getting used to the slight difference in rules compared to the T86s. It’s definitely tougher and you have to be always on the offence otherwise you’ll get swamped.
RH: I think for me I need to work on my starts, get more consistent with them as well as my first two laps. Just be more confident and hold my place. Apart from that, everything else will start to impvoe as I get more seat time!
What are your thoughts ahead of Round 3 at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend?
RH: SMP is a track I’ve raced at a few times before, between racing in the GT3 series and I scored a podium last year in Australian Formula Open in the F3 Dallara. I’ve tested the V8 SuperUte there so at least I know what to expect performance wise around that circuit, so it’s not completely new. The weather in Sydney also suits me a lot better than the heat from Darwin. There’s no reason I can’t get another top-five finish for the round and even push for a race podium if the cards fall my way, consistency from now on is key to finishing the year strong.
JW: I’m feeling confident, I’ve done two test days at SMP so at least I won’t have to learn a new track again either. The series is very competitive having some big names, and most competitors have a lot of experience so it makes it tough but I’m all for it! Now that I’ve had a taste of a race podium result, I’m going for a race win. I’m doing everything I can to sharpen myself up to make that happen.
After two rounds, Sieders Racing Team’s Jayden Wanzek sits 5th outright on 364 points, while Gtechniq Racing’s Ryan How is 7th outright on 356.
Round 3 of the Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series will run from July 19-21 at Sydney Motorsport Park, as part of the Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight. Track action starts with practice on Friday, followed by qualifying and Race 1 on the same day, with Races 2 and 3 on Saturday and Race 4 on Sunday. Qualifying and all four races will br broadcast live on Kayo and FoxSports 506.
FRIDAY 19 JULY
11.15am-11.35am – Practice
1.50pm-2.10pm – Qualifying
4.25pm-4.45pm – Race 1
SATURDAY 20 JULY
12.00pm-12.25pm – Race 2 (Reverse Grid)
1.30pm – Drivers Autograph Session
3.20pm-3.40pm – Race 3
SUNDAY 21 JULY
11.30am – Drivers Autograph Session
1.05pm-1.25pm – Race 4 + Podium
