When the checkered flag fell on a drama-filled Excel Enduro weekend, Aaron Cameron and his co-driver Caleb Paterson emerged victorious after a fierce battle that ended with a mere 0.092-second margin. This win proved that grassroots racing still holds charm and intensity that rivals professional series.
Cameron, who is currently focused on his second Supercars season and a title push in GT4 Australia, decided to return to his racing roots by competing in the Excel Enduro. Together with Paterson, a GT4 racer and Queensland Excel regular, they formed a formidable duo. Despite it not being a main event, Cameron admitted he enjoyed the relaxed yet competitive atmosphere.
“It was awesome to be back in an Excel,” Cameron told Speedcafe. “It’s been a few years since I’ve done an Enduro. I originally did the one up in Queensland first and I was doing the Melbourne ones a few years ago. They’re always a lot of fun, it’s always just a great community of racing. Supercars is incredibly serious for us all, but just to go back to the grassroots and remember why we do it, why we have fun doing it is always good.”
The weekend itself consisted of a sprint and an enduro on each day. On Saturday, the Cameron/Paterson pair started strong by taking pole position in the first qualifying session. Paterson then won the Driver A Sprint, showcasing their speed. However, in the opening Enduro, they had to settle for third behind winners Jesse Dixon/Luke Rinaldi and second-placed Connor Roberts/Ryan Casha.
Sunday again began with pole position for Cameron/Paterson. Unfortunately, Cameron suffered a misfire and could only finish fourth in the Driver B Sprint. Nevertheless, their spirits remained high. In the Sunday Enduro, they bounced back to take a spectacular victory, though it was far from easy.
“At the start of the enduro, I had a little incident with someone so I went back to about 30th, I think it was,” Cameron recalled. “I drove the car back to seventh with the misfire and I thought there was no way Caleb was going to be able to wheel this thing to the front. He somehow wheeled it into the lead and then I just don’t get how he held them off like he did.”
Paterson was indeed heroic. He was locked in a fierce fight with Casha and Dixon at the front. However, with less than two laps remaining, disaster nearly struck. What appeared to be a mistimed bump draft from Dixon on the run to Turn 4 pushed Paterson across Casha’s nose, sending the car sliding across the infield and rejoining between Turns 4 and 5. Despite this, Paterson maintained the lead and resumed the battle on the final lap.
The trio fought all the way to the finish. Paterson led Casha home in a photo finish, winning by just 0.092s. “I was speechless watching it all unfold, I just couldn’t comprehend how we were still in the lead,” Cameron added. “It was just so cool to see the emotion after the race from Caleb and his parents, family, the team that are all just so pumped to get a win like that. There were a few tears falling from a few people, so it was a good time.”
Meanwhile, fellow Supercars star Jayden Ojeda had a less fortunate weekend. He partnered with Adam Amson, but they struggled to be competitive throughout. Nevertheless, their presence added to the excitement of the competition and showed that the Excel Enduro brings together drivers from various disciplines.
For Cameron, this experience served as a reminder that beyond the pressures of top-level competition, there is still pure joy in racing. A win in the Excel Enduro may not be as big as a Supercars or GT4 victory, but it still provides its own satisfaction. Caleb Paterson and Cameron proved that teamwork and composure under pressure can yield extraordinary results.
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