Bill Grundon is a first-time national champion after an impressive performance at this year’s Motorsport Australia Khanacross Championship.
Hosted by the Central Coast Car Club (Gladstone) Inc, the event served as a thrilling opening of the 2023 National Speed and Auto Test season, as 30 competitors fought valiantly for the top spot at Queensland’s Benaraby Motorsports Complex.
The venue proved the perfect challenge for the drivers, tasked with both sealed and unsealed tests across the weekend.
But it was Grundon who ended the weekend victorious, giving a focused and professional performance that demonstrated the growing talent at the Central Coast Car Club.
“I’m pretty excited, definitely on a bit of a high,” Grundon said.
“I’ve been involved with the Central Coast Car Club since the 90s and I’ve had a lot of local involvement with the club in both bitumen and dirt events, so because this khanacross was a dual discipline, I think that set me up to have a good feel for both.
“There was about two weeks of preparation on my car where I checked every nut and bolt, but it was a holistic thing – good support from my family, my wife, from the club members and mates at work.
“I’m also a mechanic by trade, so I’ve pretty much been involved with wheels and petrol all my life.
“I don’t play golf, I don’t have a boat. I’ve been interested in motorsport all my life and I’ve found khanacross to be the best value.
“My car is not special. It’s a basic, 23-year-old 1.5 litre Mitsubishi Lancer that I’ve developed a little bit over the last couple years. I haven’t got a hotted-up engine or turbo charge… but it was the little wagon that would.
“I’m currently leading my club series, so I really want to hold it together and bring it home for my club, then look into what the new year brings.
“The locals will have something to chase now. They’ll be wanting to beat the current Australian champion.”
The second of the National Speed and Auto Test Championships – the Motorsport Australia Motorkhana Championship – takes place at Nirimba Education Precinct in NSW on 30 September to 1 October.