RACE RECAP – Taupō Super 440
Matt Stone Racing hit the ground running in the opening leg of the inaugural New Zealand Double Header, with Jack Le Brocq delivering under pressure in the No.4 Sherrin Rentals Camaro. Back-to-back strong finishes (P9 and P11) ensured he held firm inside the Championship Top 10.
Zach Bates continued his steady rise in the No.10 Bendix Racing Camaro, taking on another new circuit in his rookie Supercars season. Two clean races, both resulting in P17, highlighted his growing confidence and ability to go toe-to-toe with some of the category’s most experienced names.
The weekend, however, was brought to an early close on the North Island, with Sunday’s race cancelled ahead of Cyclone Maila making landfall. Safety remained the priority, and we commend Supercars for the call. With that, Team MSR wasted no time – packing up, regrouping, and turning full focus to the next stop: Christchurch Super 440.
RACE RECAP – Christchurch Super 440
Down to the South Island for the first time, and straight into the action at Euromarque Motorsport Park for Part Two of the New Zealand Double Header – the Christchurch Super 440. Big crowds, a stacked schedule with Friday racing added to the mix, and a hungry field tackling an unfamiliar circuit made for a high-pressure weekend from the outset. Carrying strong momentum from Taupō, our duo didn’t miss a beat, turning sharp qualifying pace into consistent, hard-fought race results.
Jack Le Brocq and the No.4 Sherrin Rentals Camaro built across every session, charging forward race-by-race – P15 to P11 to P9, before capping it off with a P7 finish in Race 13. A weekend of serious progression sees Jack emerge as one of just two Chevrolets inside the Championship Top 10, heading to Tasmania – a favoured track of his – sitting P10 overall.
On the other side of the garage, Zach Bates and the No.10 Bendix Racing Camaro made their own statement. A breakthrough P9 in Race 10 marked Zach’s first Top 10 finish just four rounds into his rookie campaign – a clear sign of what’s coming. He backed it up with a trio of solid finishes (P14, P14, P15), continuing to build confidence and stake his claim in the fiercely competitive Supercars field.
QUOTES
Matt Stone – Team Owner:
“Across both events, the team executed well and we came away with strong, consistent results. Jack delivered exactly what we needed to stay in the fight up front, while Zach continues to impress with his development and composure racing alongside guys with years of experience. There are plenty of positives to take away, and we’re in a good position heading into the next round.”
Jack Le Brocq – No.4 Sherrin Rentals Camaro:
“Both rounds in New Zealand were another solid step forward for us. We showed strong pace, kept building each session, and converted that into consistent results to stay inside the Top 10 – the Championship points we build up now, early in the season, are going to be crucial in those Finals knock-out rounds later in the year. There’s still definitely more to unlock, but it feels like the momentum is behind us as we head into Tasmania.”
Zach Bates – No.10 Bendix Racing Camaro:
“It was a massive learning weekend across both rounds, taking on two new tracks and continuing to build my confidence. The Top 10 in Christchurch was a real highlight and showed what we’re capable of, I’m incredibly thankful for the support and hard work of the team and it was great to be able to deliver this result for everyone. I’m getting more comfortable every time I’m in the car, and that’s starting to translate into results.”
