Hello race fans and welcome to the first event report of the European Performance Car Challenge.

The first event of the year has been run and won under the warm summer sun at Eastern Creek Raceway last weekend in a veritable feast of motorsport action thanks to BMW Clubsport and Toyo Tyres Australia.

Sports bikes were screaming around the main circuit, the sound of WRX boxter engines echoed from the skid pan and a symphony of tyre frying action and high revving European engines filled the figure 8 circuit – there was definitely something for everybody.

Rookie drivers who cut their teeth under the Volkswagen Audi Group Motorsport Series were more than ready for this new circuit with a year of advanced driver training events already under their belt...but this year is a whole new ball game.

Phillip Brook took the lead from the first event and kept his name at the top of the leader board all day in his 117 Lotus Elise, with Massimo, Nick and David all absent, it was a clean, but a well deserved win to Phillip not only winning a $100 Toyo Motorsport Tyres credit from iautosport.com.au for the fastest time, he also won his category - doubling his prize money!

A regular to the circuit, Quang Tran once again wowed the crowd in a display of 4.2 FSI and quattro supremacy, also continually at the top of the leader board with almost 20 other competitors hot on his heels. Audi plus quattro – it is just a win, win...which is exactly were Quang placed in his category, winning a $100 Toyo Motorsport Tyres credit from iautosport.

On the topic of quattro, Simon Brown in his Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI (that's a wagon for the people at the back) made it look far too easy considering the laws of physics he was bending - just check out his in car footage...he is cooler than ice man. Definitely one competitor to watch this year, Simon not only takes home a $100 Toyo Motorsport Tyres credit from iautosport for the category win – he doubles his prize money as the first EPCC STIG!

Lastly, but by no mean least the hot hatch category. The most vibrant car on the circuit was also one of the fastest – the Ford Focus XR5 in neck snapping orange was definitely the stand out car on the circuit. Piloted by Sean Stewart it looked good, sounded great and went fast – faster than a formula V if you believe it...no really the whole category was! Sean claimed a very respectable 3rd place and placed higher than more than 50% of the competitor field... not bad for his first circuit outing!

Zoe Shacklady in a JCW Mini Cooper set the track on fire (just check out her race footage) and certainly put many 'boy racers' on notice and she took no prisoners consistently placing at the top of the field...come on girls, grab the car keys and get down to the circuit – or just come down to cheer her on. She just missed out on first place by 0.3 points...this series is going to be close!

Ian 'Team Rennenhaus' placed 2nd in his category overall last year, and this year he has his eyes firmly on the prize – there can be only one. The Rennenhaus R32 was quick (most probably due to the Toyo Motorsport Tyres) securing 2nd or 3rd placing overall all day scaring many an M3 owner. Ian also wins a $100 Toyo Motorsport Tyres credit from iautosport for the category win.

The EPCC Team congratulates all out entrants and especially the category and special award winners; Phillip, Quang, Simon, and Ian. Well deserved wins in a field of 25 strong competititors.

To see select GoPro Hero race footage visit our EPCC Vimeo page

Registrations for the next event – the EuroAutomotive Drag Kombat are open now...so dust off the helmet and head to WSID on March 15.

For more information on EuroAutomotive, or to become an EPCC Series Sponsor / Promotional Partner, please email: info@epcc.net.au and really showcase your business, products and services to the European vehicle enthusiast community.