The great folk at Live and Learn Group, through regular Motor Racing Australia competitor, Robert Vide, have taken on naming rights and sponsorship of Division C, for the 2024 Pitcher Partners Sydney 300.

Statistically, along with Division B, Division C is one of the most contested (in terms of the number of vehicles entered) in the 77-lap race each year.

Last year, a record 17 competitors started the night in Division C, but the number climbed to 18 when the Andrew Trampus/Daniel Cunningham Honda Accord was bumped up, out of Division D, mid-race.

Four years have produced four different winners in Division C, all representing different manufacturers, and the naming rights sponsor of the event – Charlie Viola from Pitcher Partners – has been involved in the two closest fights, for Division C honours, in Sydney 300 history.

Never lacking in manufacturer diversity, the battle for division supremacy is always ultra-competitive.
Last year, the race for Division C triumph came down to the final sector of the final lap, when the Brad and Will Harris Mazda RX8 found its way by Viola’s ailing Honda Integra. The winning margin was 9.0529 seconds.

In 2021, it was success for Viola and Ben Hanrahan, over the BMW M Coupe of Julian Burke and Matthias Herberstein, by just 14.8173 seconds.

This division has also featured rather prominently in the outright fight over the years as well.
A minimum of three division C cars have finished in the outright top ten in all previous editions of the Pitcher Partners Sydney 300. The record was five, in 2019.

Speaking of 2019, Daniel Kapetanovic and David Kruza’s 5-minute post-race penalty cost them an outright podium in the inaugural race. Consequently, they were the last car to finish on the lead lap, classified in 4th place.

In 2022, Chris Sutton secured the first outright podium for a Class C entry in the Sydney 300, and Subaru’s best ever result, finishing second outright, after losing the lead in the closing laps, in what was an epic duel with eventual race winner, the Division B Mitsubishi Evo of Dylan Thomas and Cody Brewczynski, from CXC Global Racing.

Courtesy of the Live & Learn Group, $1750 is up for grabs in Division C this year. The winners will pocket $1000, while the runner-up takes $500, leaving $250 for the entry that finishes third.

For those that don’t know, the Live & Learn Group specialises in disability support care services, including supported individual living and support, to Day Programs, plus short-term accommodation, and so much more.

For more information, visit their website: https://livelearngroup.com.au/

Robert Vide was scheduled to race his Live and Learn Group Holden Commodore in last year’s Pitcher Partners Sydney 300, but was a late withdrawal. However, in what was a memorable part of the 2023 event, his clients were treated to some passenger laps during the lunch break.