Supercars team bosses back indigenous motorsport initiative
Prominent Supercars team bosses Roland Dane and Ryan Story have joined the newly created Racing Together programme.
Designed to help indigenous youths aged between 12 and 16 get an insight into motorsport, the programme aims to help the teenagers make a potential transition into a career in racing.
A team has been put together for the 2021 Series X3 Queensland, which will run in this year's Motorsport Australia Queensland Motor Racing Championships.
Triple Eight Race Engineering Managing Director Dane and Dick Johnson Racing Chairman Story, along with Paul Morris Motorsports owner Paul Morris, have joined as directors.
The decorated trio will help guide the indigenous teens through the 2021 season.
They join RACQ Chief Executive Officer Ian Gillespie AM, and Monique and Garry Connelly AM, who are existing directors of the programme.
"These young people are just starting out but will benefit from the advice and encouragement of some of the very top names in Australian motor racing," Connelly said.
"We're very grateful that Roland, Ryan and Paul have agreed to contribute their time and experience."
The Racing Together team of 10 was shortlisted from 80 applicants, and will gain valuable race team experience, from data-logging, car build, servicing and maintenance.
Later this month at Morgan Park, 17-year-old Braeydn Cidoni will take to the track.
Dane's Triple Eight squad has installed the roll cage for the Racing Together Hyundai Excel.
"I'm honoured and excited to have been asked to sit on the board of Racing Together," Dane said.
"Garry and Monique are superbly positioned to bring their years of experience in the sport at an international level to bear in this great project.
"I'm really looking forward to helping them make a difference and open doors into motorsport at all levels for the young Indigenous community."
Story added: "Joining Racing Together's board is a great honour.
"Garry and Monique Connelly have founded a tremendous organisation and its burgeoning team of young racers hit the track for the first time only a few weeks ago.
"The responsibility to make motorsport as inclusive as possible and creating opportunities for young First Nations people not only in motorsport, but also in STEM, is something that is at the very heart of Racing Together and the priority of myself and my fellow directors."
The Racing Together team will feature at the opening round of the Motorsport Australia Queensland Motor Racing Championships opening at Morgan Park across March 27-28.
Dane and Story's Supercars teams will return to Victoria for the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint across March 20-21. Tickets are on sale now.
The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo. Check out the full TV schedule here.
