Victoria has been the latest state to celebrate its champions from a memorable 2023 season.
 
Held via a virtual ceremony hosted by Cameron van den Dungen, the Victorian Awards honoured more than 70 individuals during the presentation, with drivers, officials and car clubs all receiving acknowledgement.
 
For the drivers behind the wheel, all disciplines were covered, ranging from Victorian Hill Climb champion David Mahon to Victorian Rally Champions Justin Dowel and Tracey Dewhurst, and to the multiple category winners of the Motorsport Australia Victorian Circuit Racing Championship.
 
One of those champions was Reef McCarthy, who took out top honours in the Formula Vee Series, having led the competition throughout the whole season.
 
In addition to winning the category’s Victorian Circuit Racing Championship title, he also won the club title – marking a hugely successful year for the youngster.
 
McCarthy’s impressive season saw him named as the 2023 Victorian Future Star Award – an award recognising the efforts of a young driver in the sport.


Another individual to receive honours during the presentation was Gavin Moore, who was named the State Official of the Year.
 
Considered a thoughtful and quiet achiever, Moore's competitor-focused attitude and calm nature are just two of the notable traits that make him a highly respected official at every event he attends.
 
Not only does Moore serve as a great ambassador for motorsport’s culture, but he has also contributed greatly to the growth of the Marque Sports Car Association.
 
Moore wasn’t the only individual to receive acknowledgement for his longstanding contributions to the sport, with a further six individuals were awarded with Service Awards.
 
Highly regarded officials David Stillwell, David Vernall and Kelli Stephens, as well as photographers Paul Mollison, John Doutch and Fortunato 'JoJo' Tallorin were those who received the prestigious award.

 
Ten other clubs also received recognition, having hit major milestones in 2023 – the most notable ones being the Holden Sporting Car Club of Victoria and MG Car Club Geelong, who celebrated 50 years.
 
The Falcon GT Club of Geelong hit its 25-year anniversary, while the Delatite Drivers Car Club, Vermont Automotive Group, Victorian V8s, Victorian 86/BRZ Club, Mercedes Benz Club (Victoria), Formula 5000 Australia and Club VE all celebrated their 10-year anniversaries.
 
The next Motorsport Australia State Awards presentation will be the combined NSW/ACT Awards, which will be held on 7 March.
 
View the Motorsport Australia State Awards presentations.