Rookie takes out 2013 Shannons Supercar Showdown
Seventeen-year-old Todd Hazelwood is the victor in popular 7mate TV series – by one tenth of a secondThe annual Supercar Showdown sponsored by car insurance specialist Shannons always brings a bit of excitement and this year was no exception as the winner scraped home by the closest of margins to take out the series.
Less than a tenth of a second separated eventual winner Todd Hazelwood and veteran Tim Macrow after the final showdown at Melbourne’s Calder Park circuit.
Seventeen-year-old Hazelwood and rival Macrow raced for the big prize in a hot-lap shootout in which both charged through five-lap sessions over the full length of the Calder circuit in the Shannons V8 Supercar prepared by 2013 Bathurst winners Ford Performance Racing.
For his efforts, Hazelwood will score a testing contract with FPR, as well as a drive in the Dunlop Series in a Shannons-sponsored V8 Supercar.
The young South Australian was ecstatic about the outcome: “This is absolutely phenomenal, can’t believe I’ve won the show with the smallest of margins, and to top it off be connected with leading V8 Supercar team Ford Performance Racing,” he said at the close of the event.
Even though Hazelwood got off to a nervous start in the final clash, in which the more experienced Macrow seemed to have an edge, a composed and skilful drive in the last stint took him across the line, impressing the judges and doing wonders for his self-confidence.
The Supercar Showdown TV series is co-produced by The Media Mix and WTFN and, according to the organisers, the format has established itself as a “legitimate proving ground for discovering new driver talent,” providing opportunities that have not previously existed in Australian motorsport.
According to The Media Mix managing director Rohan Robertson, “The TV Series has now provided 28 drivers with the opportunity to showcase their skills across Australian television with mentoring and guidance from some of the biggest names in Australian motorsport and has travelled as far as the USA, UK, NZ and right across Australia to hand pick the young driver talent, who we feel is ready to take on the challenge of Australian professional motorsport.”
More than two million viewers have tuned in to watch the 7mate series since it started in 2011.
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