Max Geoghegan wins 2024 TGRA GR Cup

The Geoghegan name is once again leading the way in Australian motorsport, with Max Geoghegan victorious in the 2024 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia GR Cup (formerly the Toyota 86 Series). Taking home $50,000 in addition to the 2024 championship trophy, the 21-year-old was also victorious in the second-tier TGRA GR Cup Scholarship Series.

The grandson of five-time Australian Touring Car Champion Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, Max made his TGRA GR Cup debut in 2023 after spending a year in the Excel Cup - his first circuit racing of any kind. Even before he’d completed his second season in the TGRA GR Cup, Geoghegan’s improvement was recognised by the Erebus Academy, who signed him to their driver development programme in August.

In something of a Bradbury-esque performance, Geoghegan never led the 2024 TGRA GR Cup until the end of the season, but consistency kept him in contention all year. Two wins in the penultimate round at Bathurst, along with a season-ending crash for early series leader Matthew Hillyer at the same round, moved Geoghegan to second in the championship behind Bradi Owen coming into the 2024 season finale on the Gold Coast.

After qualifying second, Geoghegan achieved a third- and two second-place finishes in the three races on the Gold Coast street circuit, which was enough to claim the title. An accident for Owen in the second race saw him finish outside the points and ultimately drop to third in the championship behind Geoghegan and James Lodge, who won all three races on the Gold Coast. Lodge also won the 2024 Kaizen Award for the TGRA GR Cup driver that has demonstrated the most improvement over the course of the year.

“I want to congratulate all the 2024 award winners and the many other teams and drivers that make the TGRA GR Cup one of the best categories on the calendar and a recognised career pathway for aspiring professional race drivers,” said Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer Vin Naidoo.