News

Valvoline GRM Combine – Driven by Marcos Ambrose returns for second edition

July 15, 2022

Following a successful initiative at the start of this year, the Valvoline GRM Combine – Driven by Marcos Ambrose will again be held on Tasmania’s two racing circuits during the week of January 15-20, 2023.

Spearheaded by Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Competition Director Marcos Ambrose, who was inspired by similar programs witnessed during his career in NASCAR, the GRM Combine is focused on providing a select few young drivers the opportunity to sample top level racing machinery.

GRM are excited to also announce that Valvoline will be more involved in the GRM Combine in 2023 and onwards, providing product support and a soon-to-be-announced opportunity for mechanic apprentices, thus providing a fully rounded program.

Each participant will have the opportunity to test GRM’s TCR, Trans Am and S5000 entries at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains and Baskerville circuits.

In providing this, the Valvoline GRM Combine – Driven by Marcos Ambrose ensures a young driver can experience all varieties of racing variants to make an informed decision on what direction to take their career, the best path to take, budgets required and discover or re-affirm their ambitions.

Mentoring the successful applicants will be GRM drivers James Moffat, James Golding, Dylan O’Keeffe and Nathan Herne alongside two-time Supercars champion Ambrose, while Garry and Barry Rogers will be on hand to oversee the second GRM Combine – Driven by Marcos Ambrose.

Current Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series driver Kody Garland is a product of the Valvoline GRM Combine – Driven by Marcos Ambrose having participated in the program last year and moving into the Valvoline Team GRM Renault Megane R.S. TCR.

Renowned for its nurturing of young racing talent, GRM is excited to offer this opportunity again to a lucky few.

The package includes on-track sessions, detailed tuition from professional drivers, a dedicated driver coach and engineer, accommodation, team meals and dinners, transfers to and from the circuit each day and one-week work experience at GRM at its Dandenong facility.

Inquiries can be sent via email to combine@grmotorsport.com.au

QUOTES

Marcos Ambrose
Garry Rogers Motorsport, Competition Director

“The first Combine proved a ripping success for both GRM and the Combine participants. In our first GRM Combine drivers tested the GRM prepared S5000, TCR and Trans Am cars in a focused and condensed four day format.” 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 inhouse professional drivers. It showed us at GRM who was out there interested in driving ARG type cars and at what level they were.

“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.

“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.

“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.”