Miedecke Stone Motorsport has announced its driver roster and sponsors for a tilt in the GT3 Am class at the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
The Queensland-based operation will see George Miedecke, Ash Walsh and reigning Carrera Cup Australia TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge champion Tony Bates combine in an Aston Martin.
The Vantage V12 GT3 has been completely rebuilt to current specifications after it was acquired from Craft Bamboo Racing and is now prepared in a partnership between Miedecke and Matt Stone Racing.
In 2015, the Craft Bamboo Aston finished third in the Bathurst 12 Hour at the hands of Stefan Mucke, Darryl O’Young and Alex MacDowall.
The team has confirmed that Infants Friend and Lubrimaxx will serve as primary sponsors with Moveit.net and IAC Australia also joining the program.
Its Bathurst 12 Hour battledress will see it run in a distinctive orange, white and black livery.
“We are heading to Bathurst with a lot of confidence and we’re really pleased with the team we have been able to assemble,” George Miedecke said.
“We have had a year to come to grips with the Aston Martin, racing the cars in Australian GT.
“It’s a great car and one we already know that is a competitive package at Mount Panorama.
“There has been a lot of focus going into this program and making sure that we’re ready to go the moment we get to Bathurst this February.
“It’s an exciting time for the Miedecke Stone Motorsport team to be representing Aston Martin in such a competitive field.”
Miedecke said the team would be targeting a class victory but are mindful of the depth of talent among the GT3 ranks.
“The obvious target is an ‘Am’ Class victory, though with the depth in the field it is clear that won’t be an easy thing to achieve. It’s going to be a hugely competitive race,” he added.
“If we have a good day and we are somewhere inside the top-10 in the closing hour of the race it’s proven that anything can happen in the closing stages.”
The Miedecke Stone Motorsport machine is the sole Aston Martin in Class A.
“Aston Martin has an incredible history in long distance racing and we’re proud to be representing Aston Martin Racing at the 12-Hour,” Miedecke said.
“Their support has been very helpful throughout the process of building this program and we’re going to Bathurst looking to represent not just our team, but the brand overall, in the best possible way.”
Miedecke has tasted success in Australian Production Cars, V8 Utes, Supercars Development Series and last year combined with his father, Andrew, to win a round of the Australian Endurance Championship driving one of the team’s Aston Martin entries.
Multiple Australian karting champion Walsh currently serves as Tim Slade’s co-driver in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Pirtek Endurance Cup with the pair finishing seventh in the Bathurst 1000 last year.
Victorian driver Bates received his maiden GT opportunity last year coming in to replace the injured Geoff Emery in an Audi R8.
