ANCHORED to the bottom end of the Supercars pitlane, PremiAir Racing is making no secret of its teams’ championship focus in 2023.
After a learning rookie season, PremiAir has shown plenty of good signs across the opening four rounds of the season – even if a mix of unreliability, incidents and mishaps have made for an inconsistent run of results.
Right now, it seems to be game on for any team not named Erebus Motorsport or Triple Eight Race Engineering. And PremiAir knows it.
“We’d be lying if we said we’re not looking at the teams’ championship like I’m sure everyone is,” PremiAir team principal Matt Cook told V8 Sleuth.
“But we’re very realistic about it as well and know that we’re only four races into this championship and there’s such a long way to go, so much can go wrong and so much can go on.
“We’re just keeping our head down and having a cheeky look at the teams’ but it’s not our focus at the moment, we just want to try to perform as best we can and keep two cars in the top 10.”
PremiAir currently holds eighth but is just 119 points off third-placed Tickford Racing.
Tim Slade is responsible for five of the team’s seven top 10 results this year, although a mere 11 points separates him and teammate James Golding.
This weekend’s Darwin Triple Crown marks a return to the scene of an infamous fallout for PremiAir; it sacked Garry Jacobson just days after the 2022 event at Hidden Valley.
It’s also the latest opportunity for PremiAir’s Supercars and drag racing programs to converge.
Team owner Peter Xiberras enters the 2022/2023 Australian Top Fuel Championship finale chasing points leader Damien Harris.
“There’s a special thrill in chasing 60 points and a third championship title. And sharing that journey with my Nulon Racing family in Darwin for the second time? Absolutely priceless,” Xiberras said.
Cook added of Xiberras: “His passion, grit, and determination are a beacon of inspiration for all of us at Nulon Racing.
“In every gear shift and every corner, we embody his never-give-up attitude that racing demands, and we are looking forward to writing another chapter in our legacy at the Darwin track.”