DEAN Wanless is set to bring a sense of old-school to the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge grid in 2026.
V8 Sleuth understands Wanless, 56, is making a racing comeback 20 years on from his last outing in the Fujitsu Series (now known as Super2).
That came with MW Motorsport aboard an ex-Thexton Motor Racing BA Falcon at the 2006 Queensland Raceway round.
Dean Wanless’ penultimate Super2 round, at Wakefield Park 2006. Pic: an1images.com / Scott Wensley
Wanless tallied 40 Super2 races, all of which came after his sole main game enduro campaign as Rod Nash’s co-driver in 1999.
Nash and Wanless recorded a top 15 result in that year’s Queensland 500 before failing to finish the Bathurst 1000.
Wanless is also known for his exploits in the Aussie NASCAR scene, including at the Calder Park Thunderdome, not to mention two starts in the 1998 Winston West Series (known these days as ARCA Menards).
Those American cameos came at Auto Club Speedway in California and Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado, both of which were won by eventual champion Kevin Harvick.
Wanless’ presence in Australian motorsport has more recently centred around sponsorship, including of rising V8 SuperUtes talent Cody Brewczynski.
Porsche Sprint Challenge is the feeder series in Australia to Carrera Cup, and its 2026 season will open this coming weekend at Phillip Island.
