XV2 Racing

Still buzzing from an amazing weekend checking out Supercars at MotorMall Wanneroo Raceway with one of the many highlights being part of the Grid Walk before Sunday’s epic battle in the final race.

Huge thank you to John & Andrew Van Leeuwen from Van Leeuwen Motorsport for hosting us for the whole weekend and for especially access to the grid walk! It was a wonderful experience and certainly very memorable.

Was also great to see fellow HSV Owners Club of WA members out there on the big stage putting on a great show! Congratulations on the win great drive all weekend 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙟𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙢

Still gutted for Jewellzy about the penalty on Saturday! You showed everyone you’ve got the pace and can hold your own. I’m sure it’s not the last time we’ll see you leading a race!

On a side note - no idea where he finds the time, but when he’s not riding shotgun and calling notes in one of the XV2 cars, our navigator Stephen Mackinlay along with his brother Damian Mackinlay and Mitchell Cameron (in the first pic) help out with service crew duties for Van Leeuwen Motorsport’s Formula Ford Championship Campaigns, including a trip to the National Titles last year in Malala!

Early start for us yesterday, on the road before dawn on route to Mount Ommanney for the Triumph Sports Owners Association of WA Inc.’s annual hill climb event. The weather was less than ideal with constant drizzle testing both competitors and officials.

We were excited to get the VN back out for competition after a few tweaks from the previous event. Unfortunately we had a sensor/electrical related issue causing the engine to misbehave and limp around on our sighting lap. It was looking like our day done before it even started 😭

Having checked a few basics without any luck, I made a call to Mitch Larner from WA Performance & Service Centre hoping he might be able to point us in the right direction. I cannot speak highly enough of Mitch’s customer service and support because without me even asking he was in the car and on his way to Northam! On arrival Mitch plugged in his trusty laptop, checked a few things and before I knew it, he’d bypassed the issue and we were back in action 🙌

Not only did Mitch answer the phone on a Monday public holiday, he also was more than happy to attend and assist. 10/10 customer service! Thank you 🙏

Now the car was performing again, we quickly got into line and started our runs. End result in rather testing weather conditions was 3rd outright total elapsed time and 2nd quickest single run out of 50 competitors. Not bad for an old 2wd Commodore without any driver aids in a field that included a handful much more modern and sophisticated vehicles such as WRXs and GR Yaris etc.

It’s fair to say, the VN is definitely growing on us, as is the smile while behind the wheel! 😁🤙

At Home around the Harbour | The XV2 Racing VH SS Commodore

Somewhere between stages and recce runs, we found a moment in Albany to capture the XV2 VH in its element. Coastal air, good light, and a rare chance for the car to sit still… which is usually where race cars are at their least flattering.

A huge thank you to for the artistry, effort, and attention to detail. Making a well-used race car look this good, up close and stationary, is no small feat.

Also… a quiet farewell to the OG left-hand rear door, pictured here in its final hours of active duty before an incident less than 24hrs later brought its rally career to an abrupt end. It served well.

Same car, same attitude. Just one less original panel now 😅

Albany Double Header – Results, Redemption & a Few Laughs Along the Way!

XV2 Racing made the trip south to for the Tarmac Events Quaranup Rallysprint on the Vancouver Peninsula (Sunday 1 March) and Albany Rallysprint at Middleton Beach (Monday 2 March), and it turned into a weekend we won’t forget in a hurry. With Tim Wright on the wheel and Stephen Mackinlay on the notes in the 1983 VH SS Commodore, the results speak for themselves:

Quaranup Rallysprint
1st – Classic Category
3rd – Two Wheel Drive
8th – Outright

Albany Rallysprint
1st – Classic Category
5th – Two Wheel Drive
12th – Outright

Back-to-back Classic wins while dicing with modern machinery in 2WD and outright standings is something we’re proud of. But the story behind the results? That’s where it gets interesting.

Our media team joined us for recce and quickly discovered that the team Landcruiser tow vehicle apparently comes standard with “launch control.” Let’s just say they weren’t entirely prepared for full-boost diesel acceleration between note-taking stops. We’re pleased to confirm all camera operators & their beverages survived.

At Quaranup, the weekend included the delicate process of appealing a penalty for "allegedly" brushing a chicane. Motorsport is a game of millimetres, and we’re very appreciative of the organisers for working constructively with us to review footage and rectify the situation. It’s a credit to the Tarmac Events team and their professionalism.

Preparation for Day 2 at Middleton Beach involved bleeding brakes while being aggressively attacked by what felt like every bug in the Great Southern. Covered in brake fluid and insect welts, the team adjourned for what can only be described as a much needed lasagne and a very civilised glass of red wine.

Naturally, this led to a “got it” moment the following day where we managed to earn the exact same style of penalty we had so carefully appealed the day before, but this time the evidence was let's just say, less ambiguous... Motorsport has a sense of humour. We respect that.

The weekend finished in the best possible way laying long, smoky “11s” all the way up the hill on the final run at Middleton Beach, with driver and co-driver giggling like school kids inside a 1983 Commodore doing exactly what it was built to do.

Thank you to the Tarmac Events organisers, the orange army of volunteers, our supporters and everyone who continues to back XV2 Racing. The VH might be a classic, but it’s still very serious about having fun!



Tarmac Events WA
Australian Autosport Alliance (AASA)
Amazing Albany WA
Futura Trailers WA
Futura Trailers
Aaron James Media