Cindric Jr. to race in Bathurst 12-hour

American teenage racer Austin Cindric will become the youngest driver in history to contest the Bathurst 12 Hour when he joins the driver lineup for Erebus Motorsport's two-car assault on next month's Australian GT endurance showpiece.

Sixteen-year-old young gun Cindric, the son of Penske Racing President Tim Cindric, will join three Australians – V8 Supercar driver Dean Canto, 2014, Australian GT Championship winner Richard Muscat and Jack Le Brocq in the pro class #36 SLS AMG GT3 entry.

Cindric will feature in the team's youthful amateur class entry in the #63 SLS AMG GT3 alongside talented Australian Formula 3 racers Simon Hodge and Nathan Morcom, who have both held the Bathurst F3 lap record in recent years.

"The 2015 Bathurst 12-hour is shaping up to be as strong and as big a challenge as ever and we are ready to target winning again this year,'' said Erebus Motorsport General Manager-Motorsport Barry Ryan. "Erebus has selected a very young but extremely talented group of drivers to attack the mountain for the around the clock event. Championships among all these drivers are a plenty, from Karting to V8 Supercar."

Erebus Motorsport GT team principal Daniel Klimenko said the appointment of Cindric and a host of other youngsters continued the team's mantra of providing young drivers with opportunities in motor racing via initiatives such as the Erebus Academy which has produced the likes of Muscat and Le Brocq in recent years.

"I think our driver lineup has the perfect balance of youth and experience,'' said Klimenko. "Sometimes the world doesn't want to give young guys a chance but this is what the Erebus Academy is all about.

"Believing in a 16-year-old is nothing unusual for Erebus – we ran Matthew Soloman at the age of 16 with Mika Hakkinen at Zhuhai and there's nothing to say Austin won't be just as good.

"The whole list of drivers entered for the Bathurst 12-Hour is a who's who of drivers. It's actually a stronger event than the Dubai 24-hour. But if you want to be the best, you have to race the best. Whoever wins is going to earn this and earn every bragging right that comes with it.''

Cindric (LEFT), who last year alone raced at 17 different tracks across five different series in the United States, Canada and Australia, said he was excited about the opportunity to test himself on the famed Mount Panorama circuit.

"The Bathurst 12-hour event is something many drivers dream of doing. I'm really looking forward to my first race in Australia and for it to occur at a track as historic as Bathurst makes it really cool,'' said Cindric. "The opportunity to compete for the overall win with a team like Erebus, so early in my career, is unbelievable. I can't thank Ryan, Barry and everyone at Erebus Motorsport enough for believing in me and helping to make this happen."

Canto, who finished a heartbreaking narrow second in a V8 Supercar at Mount Panorama in the 2012 Bathurst 1000, said he was excited to be linking with a team with such an outstanding record in the Bathurst 12-Hour in what will mark his second start in the endurance event.

"It's a really big event now the Bathurst 12-Hour with awesome cars and a great track – 12 hours around Bathurst will be a new experience for me,'' said Canto.

"Erebus ticks all the boxes – they're strong for pit stops and strategy, they know the ins and outs of the car and they know the event, which they've had plenty of success at. And we've got a strong combination as well, so hopefully we can make the most of that."

Erebus Motorsport will hold a test day at Phillip Island on January 21 in the build-up to the Bathurst 12 Hour.