Hamish Fitzsimmons and Aron Shields will both take to the track at Symmons Plains Raceway for the first time, when Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge heads to Tasmania for round two of the season.

The TekworkX Motorsport duo found immediate success at the season opening round at Phillip Island, with Shields earning his maiden victory while Fitzsimmons raced his way to a top five in his first event out of karting.

The up-and-coming drivers are both benefitting from a strong testing and coaching programme. The team completed a test day at Queensland Raceway in between the opening two rounds and the pair have also spent time at Norwell Motorplex, receiving extensive coaching and training.

Last time Sprint Challenge raced in Tasmania was in 2019, before TekworkX Motorsport had formed, however the team has strong ties to the track and category combination. Max Vidau swept all three races when Sprint Challenge last visited Tasmania, and the current Carrera Cup Championship leader will be on hand to lend his expertise over the weekend.

Shields is in his second year in the category and sits second in the championship after the opening round of the 2023 season.

“I’m really looking forward to tackling a new track, as I’ve been to most of the circuits on this year’s calendar,” said Shields.

“Phillip Island was a really strong weekend for us, and I felt that I unlocked a new level of speed in my driving. We saw a really competitive round in the Pro class, and I’m expecting much of the same in Tasmania.

“It’s pretty cool to be racing on the support bill for Supercars, it’s the first time I’ve had that opportunity. I’ll try to soak in the atmosphere and the event but I’m there to do a job and all the focus will be on performing as best we can on track,” concluded Shields.

Fitzsimmons showed experience beyond his years when he carved his way through the pack in races two and three at Phillip Island, culminating in a fifth-place finish to end his debut weekend.

“The confidence levels are much higher than they were at this point prior to round one,” said Fitzsimmons.

“I learnt a lot through that weekend at Phillip Island, and I’ve been working hard since then to continue improving in preparation for round two. The time at Norwell has helped me to iron out some bad habits and I’ve really benefited from the training from Anton De Pasquale and Paul Morris up there.

“Symmons Plains is obviously a lot tighter and shorter than Phillip Island, there’s not much room for error and the field is going to be extremely close. I’m keen to go racing at a different style of circuit and also live out a dream of mine, which is to go racing at a Supercars event,” said Fitzsimmons.

Round two of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge takes place at Symmons Plains Raceway as part of the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, from May 19-21. All three races will be live on Fox Sports and Kayo.