Australia Excels in Porsche Golf Cup

A Power Couple’s

Team Tactics

Billy Murelli and Kayleen Mahony are a husband-andwife team to be reckoned with. They are ‘two peas in a pod’ when it comes to racing and have six Porsches in their garage including the 2016 GT4 ClubSport Manthey Racing Cup Car.

This car – the only one of its type in Australia – wore the famous number 170 for the 2016 Nürburgring 24-Hour race, guided to victory by Christoph Breuer, Christian Gebhardt, and Lars Kern, and still retains the number 170.

Billy’s love affair with Porsches goes back well into his younger days.

‘My first Porsche was a 924; I’ve also had 944s, the 911 G Series, and a 928. In Europe, when I was living in the UK, I had many 911s.

‘Back in Australia, we have six Porsches, all bought from Porsche Centre Brighton – a Macan GTS, the Cayman GTS, and a Boxster GTS. I also have a 996 C4 S, as well as the 997 Cabriolet. (And my race car, of course.)

‘I’ve been interested in cars since I was 15 or 16,’ Billy remembers. ‘But my real passion for Porsche came in when I bought my first 924.’

Robert Gattereder, CEO of Porsche Centre of Brighton (PCB), assisted with Billy’s acquisition of his GT4 Clubsport Manthey Racing Cup Car. PCB looks after all of Billy and Kayleen’s cars for on-road and racetrack use.

Kayleen’s also a long-time car enthusiast. Growing up, she would help her father, a mechanic by trade, to work on race cars in the family workshop. An ambassador of PCB’s Women Who Race program, Kayleen competes at Porsche Club Race Days in their white Cayman GTS, while Billy races in the Victorian State Race Series as well. Kayleen’s Cayman has been upgraded for racetrack use while still road-registered, with PCB doing additional upgrades. Even if Kayleen isn’t racing, she attends Victorian Race Series meetings with Billy.

Billy recently took his Porsche to Phillip Island for Round 5 of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship in the Sports Cars class, mainly comprising Porsche GT3 Cup Cars.

Billy looks out his window and points to his GT4 on the trailer. ‘She came back yesterday from Phillip Island, so I’m going to take her off later today and put her back in the garage; then she’ll go to Porsche Brighton for checking before my next race,’ Billy explains.

Not only does Billy own a successful accounting firm – MMM Accounting and Business Management – he’s also a commercial pilot, so his need for safety complements his need for speed.

‘Safety’s the first thing in aviation,’ he says. ‘Porsches are also reliable on the track, and they don’t compromise your safety.’

Billy remembers when Steve Richards and Dale Wood drove his GT4 before he bought it, and wants to approach their achievement.

‘Once I’ve reached my goal, the intention is to give this car to Kayleen,’ he says. ‘Then I’ll buy a GT3 Cup Car from Robert (Gattereder), hopefully in one to one-and-a-half years.’

Here’s to this literal power couple. •