Dylan O’Keeffe has announced he will return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship in 2022, joining the Sydney-based GWR Australia squad aboard the RAM Motorsport entry.
The 24-year-old previously competed in Australia’s premier one-make Porsche category from 2016-18, scoring race and round victories on his way to finishing third in the 2018 title race.
This season, O’Keeffe believes he has surrounded himself with the right team for an assault on the championship aboard Porsche’s latest 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
“GWR Australia has evolved into one of Australia’s largest and most successful racing operations,” O’Keeffe said.
“Garth (Walden) and his team have created an environment that is competitive and highly-professional, while at the same time being fun and enjoyable.”
This week, O’Keeffe completed a two-day test at The Bend Motorsport Park. As well as allowing him to come to grips with the new car, the test also enabled him to familiarise himself with the team members, including engineer Dejan Ninic, who guided Cameron Hill to the title last year.
“Dejan and I have been friends for a while, and his engineering credentials are second-to-none as demonstrated by what he achieved with Cameron last year,” O’Keeffe said.
“We’re already working really well together, and the two-day test gave us a valuable insight into the 992 Cup car and how it responds to setup changes,” O’Keeffe said.
“The fact we’re all racing a new car will create a level playing field for everyone, which is why the pre-season testing is so important; we need to thoroughly understand the car so we can hit the ground running at the first round.”
Heading into the 2022 season, O’Keeffe said he has some unfinished business in Carrera Cup and believes he has become a more complete driver since he last raced in the category.
“During my last season in Carrera Cup in 2018, we were in contention for the title all season, but some bad luck in a couple of races meant I wasn’t able to win the title,” O’Keeffe said.
“Since then, I’ve gained a lot more experience in categories like the Dunlop Super2 Series, TCR Australia and my appearance in the WTCR World Touring Car Cup, where the opposition is cut-throat.
“I’m expecting the field in this year’s Carrera Cup championship to be competitive, but I won’t be afraid to get my elbows out in the heat of battle.”
O’Keeffe will dovetail his Carrera Cup program with his existing campaign in the TCR Australia Series.
The 2022 Carrera Cup Championship kicks off at the Australian Grand Prix, 7-10 April.
Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Calendar
Round 1 – Australian Grand Prix, 7-10 April
Round 2 – Winton Raceway, 21-22 May
Round 3 – Hidden Valley, 17-19 June
Round 4 – Townsville, 8-10 July
Round 5 – The Bend, 29-31 July
Round 6 – Sandown, 19-21 August
Round 7 – Bathurst, 6-9 October
Round 8 – Gold Coast, 28-30 October
