Eggleston signs van Gisbergen protege

A New Zealand protege of Shane van Gisbergen has been recruited by title-winning team Eggleston Motorsport.

Matthew McCutcheon will contest the 2023 Super3 Series with the Eggleston team.

McCutcheon will race a Triple Eight Race Engineering-built VF Commodore this year.

The 19-year-old raced on speedways in midgets before racing in Formula First.

He then before stepping up to New Zealand Formula Ford in 2020/21, and raced to second.

The teenager drove the sister car to the van Gisbergen championship-winner.

The car was run by Shane’s father Robert and his team, with Shane himself offering feedback.

McCutcheon later raced Toyota 86s before testing a Supercar with Erebus Motorsport.

Robert van Gisbergen (R) with McCutcheon

He also attended the VALO Adelaide 500 with the Eggleston team, which has also signed Cooper Murray and Jordyn Sinni for Super2.

Eggleston nearly won the Super3 title in 2022 with teenager Kai Allen.

The team’s third-tier hopes will now be carried by McCutcheon, a Tony Quinn Foundation scholarship winner.

“In our first discussion with Matt, he didn’t just say he wanted to be a Supercar driver, he said he wants to be a Supercar champion,” Rachael Eggleston, Team Owner and Manager, said.

“We know he will leave no stone unturned to get to the top level of Supercar racing in Australia and we cannot wait to be a part of helping him get there.

“Matt and his family flew to the Adelaide 500 where Matt worked with the team, he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and was doing everything from cleaning cars, tyre pressures, and everything in between.

“It was a great opportunity for him to learn how a race weekend in the category works and get himself ahead of the game for 2023.

Eggleston Motorsport has won in Super2 and Super3

“He had a test with us in December and showed real talent behind the wheel. He worked so well with the team to get faster and faster as the day went on.

“He has such a fantastic attitude and is just a great young guy. We are genuinely excited to hit the track and we are confident Matt will be a regular podium contender.”

McCutcheon added: "I am so excited to be joining Eggleston Motorsport in 2023 to race in the Super3 Series.

“I can’t thank Ben [Eggleston], Rachael and the team and all my supporters enough for this opportunity.

“It has always been a dream of mine to race in the Supercar series and this step is an amazing opportunity in achieving my goal of racing in Supercars.

“After spending time with the team at the Adelaide 500 and then again at the test at Winton a couple of weeks after, I already feel at home and I am honoured to be a part of their winning team.

“I can’t wait to kick off the season at Newcastle which is coming around fast.”

The Super2 and Super3 seasons will get underway in Newcastle on March 10-12.