Racing at Bathurst, the Matt Stone Racing team finished in fifth place. Photo: Matt Stone Racing.
In just his second season in the Supercars driving for the Matt Stone Racing team, Cameron Hill has jumped 11 places to finish 12th in what was, at times, a gruelling 2024.
It’s been a steep learning curve to say the least, dealing with mental and physical demands as a member of a team and in terms of personal expectations.
What he has been able to achieve has probably exceeded those expectations – so far.
“The really encouraging thing for me is that I have in no way tapped out. I’m still learning, and there’s a lot of work to do.”
The roller coaster nature of Supercars is reflected in Cameron’s year, which started with a career-high fifth place in the Bathurst 500 and finished with 16th in a totally rebuilt car in Adelaide.
Repco Supercars Championship – Adelaide 500. Cameron Hill. Photo: Matt Stone Racing.
The rebuild was courtesy of a crash in qualifying resulting in a massive team effort to get the car back on the track the following day.
For Cameron, this year has been a year of personal growth as well.
“One thing I realised pretty quickly was the importance of the mental side of things. It is where races can be won or lost,” he said.
“I have done a lot of work behind the scenes so that I am mentally ready for racing. This includes having the right meal and hydration preparation so the focus is totally on racing. You don’t want to be cramping 20 minutes into a two-hour race. One mistake in qualifying, and you have a lot of work to do. If you can be well prepared, it puts you a step ahead.”
With the intense focus required on race day, just as much work goes into switching off during the down times.
Says Cameron, “It can be hard to switch off. It’s something we have talked a lot about because you risk burnout if you are thinking about racing all the time.”
The Matt Stone Racing team at the Repco Supercars Championship – Adelaide 500. Photo: Matt Stone Racing.
In 2025, it will be harder than ever to focus on anything other than racing, with the Supercars introducing a three-event finals format. The finals series will feature the top 10 drivers, so there is plenty at stake.
But as Cameron says, the team is preparing: “There’s a great vibe around the team. Next year, the goal is to make it to the finals series. Anything is possible from there.”
The Matt Stone Racing team is an outfit on the rise, judging by the jumps in positions by both drivers. Cameron’s teammate Nick Percat moved 12 positions, finishing the season in eighth.
Says Nick, “I’m excited for next year and what we have going on. I’m re-doing it all again, but I’m having a bit of a better enduro season.”
And for Cameron reflecting upon the year, “I thought it was a big step forward for me this year from my rookie season, I gained a lot of confidence out of 2024.”
The 2025 Supercar season opener is on 21 February at Sydney Motorsport Park.
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