Australian Hall Confirmed for Laguna, COTA in McElrea Entry

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Michelin Junior Bayley Hall will make his U.S. racing debut later this month, having been confirmed in McElrea Racing’s Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America lineup for the final two races of the season.

Hall will compete at the iconic Porsche Rennsport Reunion event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sept. 29-Oct. 1, before journeying to the Circuit of The Americas for the support event at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on Oct. 20-22.

Hall will slide into McElrea’s No. 24 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car alongside another Australian graduate – Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge winner Tom Sargent.

Sargent has already scored several pole positions and podium finishes this year and sits second in the North American Championship.

Hall has impressed in Australian Porsche competition this year, scoring three top-10 round finishes in what is effectively his second full year of one-make Porsche competition.

He qualified a career-best third in Townsville and finished fifth overall last time out at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia and sits less than 60 points outside the top four in the championship.

Hall has already completed a pair of tests in the United States, including one at Road America in Wisconsin in July.

He then recently travelled to Texas for a two-day test with McElrea at the Circuit of the Americas ahead of the round there later this month.

“This opportunity to race with my home team on an international scale will be I’m sure, very eye opening but an experience I am very grateful to take head on and make the most of every minute,” Hall said.

“The United States are so passionate about sports and I cannot wait to experience that for myself from the drivers side’ and immerse myself in it.”

Carrera Cup North America uses identical cars to the Australian championship, except for the addition of ABS braking.

“Last year we threw Bayley into the deep end in Carrera Cup due to COVID not allowing a Sprint Championship for him to learn from, he pretty much had to learn how to drink from a fire hose and he certainly did,” said team boss Andy McElrea.

“This year he’s been able to gain another level of confidence by building on his experience from last year, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him, he’s a brilliant student & he’s exceeding our expectations. He’s fast, he’s dedicated & he’s hungry.

“The opportunity to test in America arose and like Bayley always does, he grabbed it with two hands and impressed at the test, opening up this opportunity to race in the North American Carrera Cup.

“It will be a challenge for him but he’s proven his adaptability skills over the last 18 months & we can’t wait to see what he can do.”