Kiwi champion adds to Sydney Radical grid

NEW ZEALAND racing champion Tim Edgell will add further international flair to the grid in Round 2 of First Focus Radical Cup Australia this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Edgell, who hails from Auckland, joins a 20-strong field ready for the second round of a championship highlighted in the season opener by a titanic weekend-long scrap between defending winner Peter Paddon and challenger to the throne, Cooper Cutts.

A two-time NZ V8 Champion and a longstanding frontrunner in the NZ Touring Cars and NZ Super Tourers, 44-year-old Edgell recently switched to Sports Car racing and – driving a Radical SR10 – has previously claimed the national title.

He remains in contention for the 2024/25 championship with one round remaining – to be contested at Hampton Downs next week.

Edgell will drive a Radical SR3 prepared by Garth Walden Racing and is expected to throw a spanner in the works in this year’s ultra-competitive Radical title fight.

“We’ve been dealing with Garth (Walden) a fair bit, and this was a great chance to come and have a run in Australia and see what it’s all about,” Edgell said.

“I’ve been running an SR10 in New Zealand, so I’ll need to get my head around the SR3 and also learn the track, but I’d like to think we’ll be in the top half of the field.

“I’ve been watching the races on YouTube and Peter Paddon and Cooper Cutts at the front look pretty impressive, it will be really good to race them and everyone else.

“Sydney looks like a challenging track, certainly not the easiest to roll in to, but it also looks great for Radicals – fast and flowing so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be great to be in such a good, competitive grid.”

Edgell’s car will be supported by long-term backer, Albany ITM, who have backed his local racing for some time.

He’ll join fellow international racer, the UAE-based Ibby Hadeed, who returns to the grid for his second Radical effort following his Phillip Island debut.

Edgell adds to an already packed GWR Australia squad which includes current championship leader Peter Paddon amidst a six-strong attack in Sydney – their home circuit.

Paddon leads Cutts by just six points following their Phillip Island duels, while Chris Reindler and Bryce Moore sit third overall.

Terry Knowles leads the Radical Masters fight over Brad Russell, while GWR narrowly leads Arise Racing in the teams battle.

The strong Sydney field includes the return of Colin Ivory, who will share the Volante Rosso entry usually driven by Greg Kenny and Melinda Price with Josh Hunt this weekend.

Mark Brame also makes a return as does Zig Fuhrmeister, a proven front runner in the series.

Shaun Hannah, local ace Nick Kelly and Bill Medland also appear on the roster for the first time this season.

Stephen Champion will miss the Sydney round to be at his daughter’s wedding; the Sydney event just the second ever Radical Cup Australia round he has missed since the series commenced in its current form in 2022.

The First Focus Radical Cup field returns to the same four-race sprint format employed the last time the championship competed at Sydney Motorsport Park, in October last year.

There, Peter Clare and Josh Hunt claimed pole position with the four races shared by three drivers; Peter Paddon and Cooper Cutts claiming one each, while Barton Mawer won two. Paddon ultimately claimed the Sydney round ahead of Cutts and Justin Tigani.

This weekend marks the fifth time the Radical field will have raced at Sydney Motorsport Park since 2022.

Teenager Alex Gardner has the most race wins at the venue – three – while GWR Australia’s four race wins at the venue narrowly makes the home-town team the most successful at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Radical field will practice three times on Friday in Sydney this week ahead of Qualifying on Saturday morning.

The first pair of 25-minute sprint races will be contested Saturday afternoon before a further pair complete the round on Sunday.

All four races will be broadcast live on 7plus this weekend, while international audiences will be able to watch via the Radical Motorsport YouTube Channel.