 | |
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Ryan McLeod |
| Headquarters | Norwell, Australia |
| Products | MARCFocus GTC MARCMazda3 GTC MARC II V8 MARC GT |
| Services | Automobile manufacturing |
| Owner | Geoff Taunton |
| Website | www.marccarsaustralia.com.au/ |
MARC Cars Australia is an Australianauto racing team andracecar manufacturer, who compete internationally insports car andendurance racing events, mostly in their own GTC prototype cars.
Founder Ryan McLeod entered several editions of theBathurst 12 Hour under the team's former name, Racer Industries.[1] After an initial foray in2009 with fatherPeter and brother Gerard, the family entry, driving aHolden Astra SRi returned in2010 to win its class. In the years following, the team moved away from a family focus, instead providing opportunities to various young drivers includingChaz Mostert,Scott Pye andAshley Walsh in aHSV VXR Turbo. The team won further class victories in2012, in which the team finished seventh overall, and in2013.[2][3]
In 2013, an initialGTC prototype was built and tested by Pace Innovations, following their work on new chassis for theSupercars Championship andV8SuperTourer series.[4] The initial model, styled as aFord Focus, featured a five-litreFord Coyote V8 engine and was tested atQueensland Raceway byGlenn Seton andRussell Ingall amongst others. After an initial plan to run the cars inSouth Africa, Racer Industries developed a package based on the GTC prototype and entered three cars, now each branded as a MARC, in the Invitational class of the2014 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.[5]
McLeod used the event as a launching pad for developing and promoting a package that could compete in global endurance races on a reduced budget.[6] The team, or its cars, have since competed in theSilverstone 24 Hours,Dubai 24 Hour andSepang 12 Hours amongst others. In2015, the team competed in the full season of the24H Series, consisting of six 12 or 24 hour races globally. Since then,VDS Racing Adventures have used MARC cars in the series.[7] In 2015, MARC also unveiled aMazda3-styled body panel kit to enter the2015 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, which still used the Ford Coyote engine.[8]
In 2014, MARC Cars were given their own class in theNational Sports Sedan Series, while they are also eligible for theAustralian GT Trophy Series as of 2016.[9][10] With the Invitational class at the Bathurst 12 Hour predominantly made up of MARC entries, the team has won four consecutive class victories with the GTC prototypes, which extends to six when taking into account their HSV victories.[11]
In 2017, MARC Cars competed in theUnited States for the first time, with entries in theCalifornia 8 Hours atMazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the24H COTA at theCircuit of the Americas.[12]
Ahead of the2018 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, MARC Cars Australia launched the MARC II V8, their second generation GTC racer unofficially styled on theFord Mustang. Their three entries in the Bathurst 12 Hour were allowed to lap in the 2:06s bracket, having previously been restricted to 2:10s.[13] With MARC Cars making up seven of the nine entries in the Invitational class, the manufacturer picked up another class victory, with the sole remaining MARC II V8 finishing ahead of the first generation MARC entries.[14]
In 2016, MARC Cars acquired aBMW M6 GT3 and entered it in selected rounds of the2016 Australian GT Championship, including hiring factoryBMW driverBruno Spengler to drive with regular driver Morgan Haber at thePhillip Island round. The team also entered their M6 GT3, as well as a record six GTC entries, at the2017 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour with Chaz Mostert as lead driver.[15] Mostert qualified second on the grid, however the car did not finish the race after suffering a Gearbox failure.[16] From the 2018 Bathurst 12 Hour, MARC Cars prepared aBMW M4 GT4 for American entry RHC-Lawrence/Strom.[14]
In 2020, GJ Motorsport, run by Geoff Taunton and a former customer team using MARC's prototypes, purchased the company from Ryan McLeod.[17]