Golding eyes maiden podium after fast start

A maiden Supercars podium is James Golding’s next target after a breakout showing at the Thrifty Newcastle 500.

Golding heads to the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint ninth in the points after a strong Nulon Racing Camaro debut.

The 27-year-old powered to fourth in Race 2 in Newcastle, which was his best solo result in his 93-race career.

It also equalled his best ever Supercars result, which came alongside Garth Tander at the 2017 Sandown 500.

Golding arrives at Albert Park having raced an S5000 car to eighth, seventh and fifth last April.

He also raced for Garry Rogers Motorsport at the 2018 and 2019 Supercars events, and is determined to put his PremiAir Racing Camaro on the podium.

“I’m enjoying driving it, it’s a different driving style to the other car,” Golding told Supercars.com.

“There’s a lot of new things we need to work out, a lot of thing’s we’re trying.

“I like the challenge of the new car — so far, so good.

“As soon as you get one of those good results and you get further up, you naturally want to be there every time you get in the car.

“We’ll be attacking the next round the exact same as this one — get solid finishes, and complete every lap.

“You never know what’s going to happen in a Supercars race, but we’ll be doing everything we can to finish up the front.”

Golding’s Newcastle speed was complemented by recruit Tim Slade’s top 10 pace over one lap and in the races.

It has team owner Peter Xiberras daring to dream to silverware in just PremiAir Racing’s second season in Supercars.

Golding leads Shane van Gisbergen in Race 2

The team had form last year at the Grand Prix, with former driver Garry Jacobson scoring three top 10s in four starts.

“It was a surreal moment,” Xiberras told Supercars.com of his team’s Newcastle front-running pace.

“On the Sunday, there were a lot of cars behind us… it was a real pinch-me moment.

“We’ve got set goals — we will qualify in the 10, and we will finish in the 10.

“I promised the boys we’re going to taste champagne. We’re quite thirsty, we didn’t drink much last year.

“The goal is we will get a podium… fourth is the best we’ve ever done, I’ll take that… I can’t wait for the future."

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint on March 30-April 2.