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Privateer Chahda wildcard no 'half-stitched effort'

03 Oct 2022
Wildcard means business with WAU chassis, global sponsor
3 mins by James Pavey
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Matt Chahda is proud to be the sole privateer entry in Bathurst, but is adamant the wildcard is no "half-stitched effort”.

Chahda will share the #118 Commodore with fellow Super2 driver Jaylyn Robotham.

The car is one of three wildcards entered in this weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000.

However, the other two will be run out of Bathurst-winner teams Triple Eight and Erebus Motorsport.

Matt Chahda Motorsport, based out of Albury, is a family-run team.

However, MCM has brought together experience and familiarity to set up a solid squad.

Chahda’s father Amin is Team Principal, with the experienced Wally Storey Team Manager and Brian Cottee race engineer.

The team has also attracted juggernaut machinery and backing.

Chahda and Robotham will race a Walkinshaw Andretti United chassis with backing from Caltex with Techron®.

The WAU car raced as recently as June in the hands of solo wildcard Jayden Ojeda.

MCM first tested the car at Winton in August, before completing another test day last month.

Chahda, 28, believes his wildcard team has all the ingredients to do a job.

“The team doesn’t look like a half-stitched effort,” Chahda said.

“The team looks really good, which makes you a lot more proud to be doing it.

“The privateer thing is cool, it’s cool to be a privateer and still be fully respected by the teams.

“If we came in the way we have a few years ago, it wouldn’t have been half the team it is now.

MCM has attracted Caltex backing, no less

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“It’s an ideal circumstance to be in.”

Russell brothers Aaren and Drew Russell teamed up for a one-off Novocastrian Motorsport cameo at the 2015 race.

That was the last genuine privateer wildcard entry, with others running out of main game teams.

Chahda and Robotham head to Bathurst with a strong Super2 campaign under their belts.

Robotham won the season-opener in Sydney, with Chahda scored a maiden podium in Townsville.

Chahda and Robotham will have seven hour-long practice sessions to get up to speed.

It’s finding speed in themselves, rather than the car, which has Chahda on notice heading to Mount Panorama.

“We’re in a great car, we know that,” Chahda said.

“We don’t have to second-guess we’ve got a car that’s capable of being quick.

“We just have to find a way to be quick in it.

“There’s a huge amount of practice.

"It’s going to cost you more even just tagging the wall slightly of making a mistake.

“Even mechanics making a mistake during a session is going to cost us more than easing into it during those sessions.

“We can run slowly in those first few sessions, it truly doesn’t matter.

“That’s the approach; really build up to it."

Cars will hit the track at Mount Panorama for Practice 1 on Thursday.

Tickets for the Repco Bathurst 1000 are available on Supercars.com and Ticketek.

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