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Burgess key to Team 18 backing

Burgees and Charlie Schwerkolt at Sydney

By Thomas Miles

The presence of the experienced Adrian Burgess was a key behind General Motors’ decision to appoint Team 18 as the homologation team.

Team 18 team principal Burgess is one of the most experienced figures in the Supercars lane, having also worked in Formula 1.

In Supercars alone the Brit has worked for the likes of Triple Eight, Dick Johnson Racing and Holden Racing Team before becoming the category’s head of motorsport.

He was one of the chief architects behind Gen3 before joining Team 18 at the start of 2024.

Chevrolet was on the hunt for a new homologation team in 2026 after the shock news of Triple Eight returning to Ford.

All current Camaro teams were considered with PremiAir the early front runner as recently as the Grand Prix, but in the following month Team 18 emerged as the outstanding candidate, albeit in a different, more collaborative model between the Camaro teams than what has been seen before.

Burgess also has a previous relationship with Jeromy Moore, who will leave Triple Eight and join Chevrolet in a technical role and engine supplier Ken MacNamara.

“It was an important factor having previously worked with both Jeremy Moore and Ken on the engine side of the homologation,” said Dr. Eric Warren, GM’s Executive Director of Global Motorsports Competition.

“We were involved in the process last time as well with Windshear (wind tunnel testing) so there was some familiarity there.

“We want to do this together, even the homologation activities so already having that relationship is important.

“Having already spoken with Supercars on those homologation activities is good.

“Anytime there is that relationship is good because there is always an understanding that you need if the process changes in the future, so he was certainly a factor.”

Team 18 boss Charlie Schwerkolt confirmed Burgess will be the spearhead.

“It is an honour to be announced as the homologation team for General Motors,” he said.

“We have come on a huge journey from a single car operation to this and we are going to do some great things.

“It is a totally different model to what we have had in the past being very collaborative with all Chevrolet teams.

“Adrian will be leading our charge. He is very capable and has done it before.

“he will be a huge asset to help get Chevy to the front of the pack.”

Taupo Super440

Practice 1 – 1: A. Heimgartner 1:26.8830 2: Anton De Pasquale +0.0258 3: Matt Payne +0.0830

Practice 2 – 1: Ryan Wood 1:25.9778; 2: Brodie Kostecki +0.0435; 3: Thomas Randle +0.0838

Sat 8.25-8.55: Supercars Race 8 Qualifying

Sat 9.05-9.35: Supercars Race 9 Qualifying

Sat 10.50: Supercars Race 8 (37 laps)

Sat 14.05: Supercars Race 9 (37 laps)

Sun 8.35-9.05: Supercars Race 10 Qualifying

Sun 10.50-11.35: Supercars Race 10 Top 10 Shootout

Sun 13.05: Supercars Race 10 (61 laps)

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