Chahda set on giving Supercars regulars a hard time

Matt Chahda set on giving Supercars stars a hard time
Chahda/Brad Vaughan one of two Great Race wildcards
Chahda wildcard scored lead-lap Sandown goal last month

Matt Chahda is keen to take it to the stars of Supercars in his second Great Race start, saying he has no plans on holding back in Bathurst.

Privateer racer Chahda will link up with rookie Brad Vaughan at the upcoming Repco Bathurst 1000, with the duo recording a solid finish at Sandown following a rollercoaster build-up.

Sponsors stepped in last minute to back the Chahda entry, with the team purchasing a Triple Eight Chevrolet Camaro in the lead-up to the event.

It’s a stark contrast to the Chahdas’ first Bathurst in 2022, with the Albury squad leasing a Walkinshaw Andretti United Commodore.

Armed with a car of their own, a crucial Sandown “dress rehearsal" and memories of 2022, Chahda isn’t intent in waving by the series regulars.

“We showed last time we could get through without mistakes,” Chahda recently told The Driver’s Seat podcast.

“The last Bathurst we did [2022] we were probably the only car that didn’t throw it in the wall to off the road at any stage. Maybe it was a bit of a held-back thing.

"I definitely don’t plan on holding back this time, with a better team, more experience and essentially what you might say, a better car.”

As it did in 2022, the Chahda car stayed out of trouble at Sandown, and delivered on the team’s goal of finishing on the lead lap.

The team had already underlined Bathurst, courtesy of a rusted-on Larry Perkins mantra. With Sandown in the rearview mirror, Chahda has set a clear target — race the big names, and beat as many as they can.

“Sandown helps. The prep we got at Sandown, getting a whole team together, to have almost a dress rehearsal for Bathurst, helps massively,” Chahda said.

“If we are genuinely racing — you’ve got to remember all these guys, every single one of them, are full-timers, this is all they do. If we’re able to rock up and race at least a few of them and beat a few of them racing, that’s the target.”

The Chahda/Vaughan entry is one of two wildcards entered in Bathurst, alongside the Triple Eight Camaro of Craig Lowndes/Cooper Murray.

Track action at the Repco Bathurst 1000 will commence on Thursday October. Tickets are on sale now.