WIN AT ONE RACEWAY: JAKE HEXTALL TAKES POLE AT NSW PRODUCTION TOURING R6

NSW Production Touring Championship – Race Rundown

What a weekend! The RaceAway Track Time Mazda SP25 was back in action at the NSW Production Touring Championship with Jake Hextall and boss Phil Alexander sharing driving duties. Conditions were picture-perfect both days, setting the scene for a fast and competitive weekend of racing.

RaceAway Mazda SP25 at the final round of NSW Production Touring - One Raceway. Pole Position class (e)

We made a few setup changes to dial out some understeer — a move that worked really well. The car felt sharper through the brake-and-turn corners, held its line nicely, and looked after the tyres much better across the stints.

Backing the team this weekend was coach Harry Inwood, working closely with Jake on consistency and racecraft. The key focus was staying clear of the chaos among the faster Class D cars — a strategy that paid off big time, especially in the closing laps of the Sunday enduro, where four cars went door-to-door across the finish line.

Saturday Sprint Races

Qualifying:
Jake set an impressive 1:12.6510, while Phil followed closely with a 1:13.1040

Race 1 (Jake):
Jake showed composure and pace, clocking a best lap of 1:12.7590 and finishing 13th outright.

Race 2 (Phil):
Starting from the back of the grid, Phil put on a storming drive — climbing to 8th place after battling through a field of Class D cars. His fastest lap, a 1:12.1970, was one of the car’s quickest of the weekend.

Sunday – 1 Hour Enduro

Phil took the start from 16th on the grid and made a lightning launch, slicing through the pack in the opening laps and even dicing with some of the quicker Toyota 86s. Around lap seven, the team pulled a clever move — an early pit stop to undercut the opposition. The strategy worked perfectly, putting the Mazda in clean air.

Jake jumped in for the majority of the race and delivered a consistent, mature drive. Lap after lap, he was circulating within a second of qualifying pace, setting his fastest on lap 38 with a 1:12.5870.

Despite the car mixing it with more powerful machinery, the SP25 held its own — punching well above its weight and running cleanly all race long. The team brought it home 1st in class and 13th outright out of 18 cars.

Phil summed it up perfectly:

“Jake is at the start of his motorsport career and the team was exceptionally happy with his performance and mechanical sympathy of the car.”

📊 Weekend Summary
• Qualifying – Jake Hextall: 1:12.6510
• Qualifying – Phil Alexander: 1:13.1040
• Race 1 – Jake Hextall: 1:12.7590 (13th)
• Race 2 – Phil Alexander: 1:12.1970 (8th)
• Enduro (1 Hour) – Jake Hextall: 1:12.5870 🥇 1st in Class / 13th Outright

RX8 Cup R5 Rundown - Driver Debut @ Sydney Motorsport Park

Jake Hextall’s RX8 Cup Debut at Sydney Motorsport Park

The RX8 Cup was back in action at Sydney Motorsport Park as part of the Motorsport Australia NSW State Championship, and it was a special weekend for RaceAway Track Time as we welcomed Jake Hextall for his first competitive outing in the series. From qualifying at the back of the field to charging into the top 10, Jake’s debut was the perfect example of what makes the RX8 Cup such an exciting one-make championship.

Jake qualified 17th with a time of 1:53.4308, settling in quickly as he got to grips with the RX8. His first race didn’t go to plan, with an aborted start and inexperience with formation lap/starting procedure catching him out. He dropped to the back of the 21-car grid but fought hard to claw his way back to 17th, setting a new personal best along the way.

Armed with feedback from our coaches, Jake launched into Race 2 with a much stronger start. In a clean and confident drive, he battled through the pack, trading spots with Toby Donohue driving with Maisie Place Motorsport before crossing the line in 13th place, with another PB lap time of 1:52.500.

Sunday’s action showed just how fast the field was running, but Jake rose to the challenge. He strung together three consecutive PBs in Race 3, dipping into the 1:51s for the first time and finishing 14th in a competitive fight. By Race 4, his confidence was clear. Starting 13th, he stayed out of the chaos in a drama-filled race, pushing forward to finish an incredible 10th overall – seven spots higher than where he had started the weekend.

Head coach Phil Alexander summed it up perfectly:

“Jake did a remarkable job for his SMSP RX8 Cup debut. The closer you get to the front in a one-make series like this, the harder it is to gain places. To finish inside the top 10 without a scratch on the car is impressive.”

Jake himself reflected on just how tough and rewarding the category is:

“The one-make series was definitely an eye-opening experience. It really amplifies driver skill. Whenever I thought I had a hold of it, one of the fast guys would pass me like I was standing still. But I learnt a lot and made progress every session.”

It was a brilliant debut made possible by the support of our RaceAway crew and coaches, who kept the car fast and Jake focused all weekend. Thanks also to @armstrongrider for capturing the moments behind the wheel.

For anyone inspired by Jake’s drive, there’s no better way to get started than our RX8 Cup Come ’n’ Try package. Spend a day behind the wheel of a professionally prepared RX8 Cup car with Bathurst 1000 top-10 driver Phil Alexander coaching you through every step. You’ll enjoy five on-track sessions, all the gear you need to race, and the chance to experience the intensity of a true one-make series. It’s the ultimate first step into RX8 Cup racing. ENQUIRE NOW

Jake Hextall – RX8 Cup SMSP Debut Results

• Qualifying:

  • Position: 17th

  • Best Time: 1:53.4308

• Race 1:

  • Start: 17th → Finish: 17th

  • Best Time: 1:53.2518

• Race 2:

  • Start: 17th → Finish: 13th

  • Best Time: 1:52.500

• Race 3:

  • Start: 17th → Finish: 13th

  • Best Time: 1:51.9861

• Race 4:

  • Start: 13th → Finish: 10th

  • Best Time: 1:51.4308

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RX8 Cup R4 Enduro Rundown @ Sydney Motorsport Park

The RX8 Cup Enduro weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park brought good, clean racing and plenty of positives for our team. Behind the wheel were two drivers returning to racing – Mark Wilks (A) and Cassie Dellit (B) – both settling back into the groove of RX8 Cup racing.

The cars were heavily scrutineered through the weekend by Motorsport Australia and we were happy to pass with flying colours. Overall the tone of the weekend was good clean competitive racing.

Practice focused on re-familiarising with the cars and running an enduro mindset: keep it under 9000 rpm, using a longer brake pedal sequence, and avoid over-using the tyres. The goal was to maintain competitiveness of the car right through to the end of the enduros where the cars tend to drop off. This played out nicely during the two 50 minute enduros with the car maintaining excellent brake pedal and tyre grip.

Qualifying

• Mark – 1:52.3232

• Cassie – 1:58.0899

Enduro 1

• Best Lap: 1:53.2651 (Lap 4)

Enduro 2

• Best Lap: 1:53.0119 (Lap 11)

Mark began to find his competitiveness again after some years away from regular racing, moving up around five spots in the second enduro. Cassie built confidence with every session, sharpening her racecraft and improving lap times across the meet.

We finished the weekend in 15th overall, completing 26 laps with a race time of 53:02.2780.

Thanks to Ric, the RX8 Cup crew and Motorsport Australia for organising another fantastic event. Racing in this category always feels like home, especially with Phil’s long connection to rotary racing at the heart of it all.

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3 Pro Coaching Tips to Improve Your Lap Times @ One Raceway – Wakefield 300 Prep

With the Wakefield 300 coming up this weekend at One Raceway, it’s the perfect time to fine-tune your driving. We’ve spent a lot of time here lately with professional race coach Phil Alexander, and we’ve picked out three sections of the track where a smarter approach can drop your lap times and make your tyres last the distance — especially important if you’re running a front wheel drive car in an endurance race.

Click to download One Raceway Track Map

1. Turn 1 – Forget the Traditional Apex

Most drivers naturally aim for the inside apex at Turn 1, but Phil’s advice is to break that habit.

Instead:

• Go wide – use all the available track width on the outside.

• This opens up Turn 2, letting you hit the apex cleanly and carry more speed through the exit.

• That extra momentum feeds straight into Turn 3, giving you an advantage early in the lap.

It’s not just about speed — this line means less steering lock and less tyre scrub, which pays off over the course of 300km.

2. Slingshot Onto the Straight – Choose the Kind Line

The last corner called “Slingshot” is a right turn double-apex complex with a flick left that decides your run down the main straight. There’s more than one way to tackle it, but for endurance racing, the right choice can save your tyres.

Phil’s take:

• Test all approaches – running high for the exit or tucking in tight to the inside kerb.

• In a front wheel drive endurance car, staying tight on the second apex has proven quickest and gentlest on the tyres.

• Avoid big steering angles here — if your tyres are squealing, you’re scrubbing speed and cutting tyre life short.

Driver John Connolly in the RaceAway Mazda SP25 (Front wheel drive) getting into the gutter on the second apex of the Slingshot at One Raceway

3. The Straight – Work the Tow

One Raceway’s main straight is longer than before, which means drafting can give you a real edge.

Here’s how to make it work:

• Get behind a car that’s just quick enough to break the air for you without pulling away too fast.

• Position yourself out of the slingshot close enough to latch onto their slipstream.

• Use the extra speed to your advantage without using more fuel or wearing the tyres.

In a long race like the Wakefield 300, this is “free power” — and it all adds up.

Wrapping It Up

Heading into the Wakefield 300, keep these three things in mind:

• Go wide into Turn 1 for a faster setup into Turn 2.

• Take the most tyre-friendly line through the slingshot.

• Use the tow down the straight whenever you can.

Small changes like these can help you improve your lap times while keeping your car in the fight right to the chequered flag.

Want a hand dialling it all in before race weekend?
We’re offering professional race coaching at One Raceway with Phil Alexander to help you get the most out of every lap.

📞 Contact Us 0472 535 354| 📧 info@raceawaytracktime.com.au

RaceAway RX8 at One Raceway with Professional Driver Coaching

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