MIEDECKE STONE MOTORSPORT will field a trio of Aston Martin entries in the 2017 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

The collaborative effort between the iconic Miedecke and Stone racing families has confirmed the entry of a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT3s in the outright class, and a Vantage GT4 in class C.

The entry builds on a tradition of success at Mount Panorama already long established by both the Miedecke and Stone families.

The trio of cars were unveiled today at the team’s first pre-Bathurst test at Queensland Raceway, alongside Andrew Miedecke’s recently restored ‘05’  Ford Sierra RS500 that he shared with Peter Brock in 1990.

With the experience of 15 Bathurst 1000 starts, a lap record and a podium in 1997, the Port Macquarie-based businessman switched to GT racing this year and won the Sydney Motorsport Park round of the CAMS Australian Endurance Championship, driving with son George.

The pair are well placed to take out the championship, which finishes at Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand on November 13.

He says the entry to the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour represented a major step in growing the Miedecke Stone Motorsport team, which he runs in partnership with Matt Stone.

“The 12 Hour is one of the four big GT events in the world. It’s an extremely competitive race at one of the world’s best circuits and it is the next step for our team,” Miedecke said.

“I started with a single Aston Martin GT3 with the intention to do some racing with my son, George before I retired, however it has grown into much more than that.

“Matt Stone ran the car at the Grand Prix event and that went very well – and George showed he was very, very fast in these cars. I already had a very long standing longstanding friendship with Matt’s father Jim Stone. We talked about it and we all had the ambition to do more, so when the very competitive Aston Martins and a very, very large spares package came up from Craft Bamboo Racing we grabbed them.

“We are running a very professional operation, we are a partner team with Aston Martin Racing in the U.K and we have come a long way from early this year.”

The Miedecke Stone Racing Aston Martins already have Bathurst pedigree: Asian/UK team Craft Bamboo Racing owned the cars prior to their Australian arrival, one of the two finishing on the podium in the 2015 12 Hour in the hands of Darryl O’Young, Stefan Mucke and Alex MacDowell.

The GT4 Vantage will add to the growing class with at least six cars already entered into the ‘baby GT’ category for next year’s race.

Miedecke believes the team will be ready to challenge for a strong result at Bathurst, following success in both Australian GT and the GT Asia Championship in 2016.

“It is a big exercise to run three cars however we have a lot of years’ experience between us. The Stone Brothers team has won at Bathurst as well as V8 Supercar and Dunlop Series titles. We know we are more than up to it.

“We have three GT3 cars but the decision was made to run two cars and have a complete car at the track available as a spare. We have an enormous spares package and world class facilities.

“Additionally, there is an appetite for GT4 and a demand for a car which can win the GT4 class at Bathurst. It is ideal for experienced drivers or young drivers making their first step into a major race like the 12 Hour.

“We’re already talking to Australian and International drivers for all three cars, but obviously welcome inquiries from drivers who might be looking to get involved – We know we can field a race winning car and we are serious about running at the front.

“Ideally we would like one GT3 driven by Bathurst experienced Australian drivers and the other for Pros, Australian or International”.

Miedecke Stone Motorsport’s involvement in the Bathurst 12 Hour comes as something of a full-circle story for the champion driver.

“I brought Jim Stone over from New Zealand to work on my Sierra’s in 1988, so coming back to Bathurst with our sons in the roles that we were in nearly 30 years is unique and very satisfying,” he said.

“We have grown this program from a one-car, family operation to a highly professional team entering three cars in the biggest GT race in Australia. We are looking forward to the challenge next February.”

The 2017 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour will be held across the 3-5 February weekend at Mount Panorama.

PHOTO: Matthew Paul Photography