Grove Racing was founded on the dedication and passion of Stephen and Brenton Grove, who hold the positions of Executive Chairman and Director of Operations within the Grove Group. With extensive involvement in racing, the team continues to evolve, gaining experience and achieving success on the track. These accomplishments include multiple class victories at the Bathurst 12 Hour, podium finishes in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, three class championships in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, and numerous wins in the Carrera Cup Australia series.
Grove Racing actively participates in various motorsport categories, including V8 Supercars, Porsche Carrera Cup, and GT racing. Additionally, they have established the Grove Junior Team, focused on identifying and nurturing emerging talent from Australia and New Zealand, providing structured development plans, career advancement opportunities, and financial support.
Stephen's racing journey began in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia before moving up to the premier one-make series, Carrera Cup. Notably, Grove Racing achieved significant milestones, such as a class podium in the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2013 and a class victory in 2014, alongside accomplished co-drivers Scott McLaughlin and Earl Bamber. In 2024, Grove Racing is making a significant transition from Porsche to Mercedes for the upcoming 2024 GT World Challenge Australia season. They see this change as a positive step forward and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to showcase their skills and solidify their position in the sport.
The Grove Group prides itself on delivering superior commercial services to its partners, and Grove Racing is no exception. Sponsors benefit from an exclusive and enduring partnership, tailored to meet their specific requirements. Grove Racing understands the unique needs of each business and aims to create a personalised leverage program through its partnership with the race team.
HISTORY
Stephen picked up the 2014 Carrera Cup Australia Pro-Am event win, sharing the car over the weekend at Phillip Island with Scott McLaughlin. Grove signed off what was an exceptional 2014 season in style by taking out the Carrera Cup Australia Elite class championship. 2015 began with another podium-place finish for Stephen at the Bathurst 12 Hour before he claimed second in the Elite class championship for Carrera Cup Australia.
In 2016, Stephen's son Brenton Grove, burst onto the motorsport scene and spent his first full year racing in the Australia Formula 4 Championship. The young gun started with a bang, winning his debut race at the opening round in Symmons Plains as well as leading Race 2. Earlier in the year, Stephen won his second Bathurst 12 Hour, again alongside Bamber and McLaughlin.
Grove Racing made another step up in 2017, with both father and son running their own separate series in the same season. Stephen once again took on Carrera Cup Australia, while Brenton competed in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge where he finished second in the championship in his debut year. The Groves went on to make Carrera Cup Australia history that same year when Brenton scored a drive with local team Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport for the final rounds of the season to become the first-ever father and son to race in the category in separate Porsche entries.
In his two outings for PCM, Brenton picked up a number of top ten finishes in the highly competitive category, including a fourth place in Race 2 at Sandown and a ninth place from eleventh on the grid in a treacherous and wet Race 1 on the streets of Surfers Paradise. Meanwhile, Stephen won his second Carrera Cup Australia title in the Challenge class, on top of multiple drives overseas in other Carrera Cup championships at the infamous Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Belgium and the picturesque Fuji Speedway in Japan. Stephen also had a drive in the 24 Hours of COTA at Texas' Circuit of The Americas.
The year of 2018 was yet another remarkable one for Grove Racing, starting off with a return to the top step of the Class B podium at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February. Father and son Stephen and Brenton shared the driving duties with Ben Barker and nominated fourth driver Daniel Gaunt; racing their way to victory in the all-Porsche class by three laps ahead of the competition. The team joined the Dunlop Super2 Series grid fielding an entry for Brenton, who spent the season learning the craft of Supercars’ second tier.
Meanwhile, Stephen made the step up the Porsche Pyramid and made his debut in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup - the pinnacle of Porsche one-make racing in the world, competing at three selected rounds. His first round came at Monte Carlo on the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, followed by the Hockenheimring in Germany and the Hungaroring near Budapest, Hungary.
Grove’s international program also featured the 24 Hours of Dubai endurance race in January.
Between events, Stephen continued to enjoy success in Carrera Cup Australia, before closing out the year with an incredible third Pro-Am title at the last round on the Gold Coast. It was also the year of Bamber’s return to the team for selected outings in Carrera Cup Australia at the Bathurst and Gold Coast rounds, with the two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner’s appearance exciting fans. Over the Bathurst weekend Bamber also partnered Brenton for the Super2 Bathurst 250km endurance race where the pair scored a top 10 result.
An unprecedented 2018 for the team wrapped up under the lights in Bahrain. Stephen and Brenton represented Australia at the FIA GT Nations Cup where drivers from around the world raced under their flag in GT3 machinery. The Groves had mixed results over the weekend, however, were thrilled with the experience of representing their country.
Over the off-season, Brenton took part in the BNT V8s Championship in New Zealand as he continued to learn the craft.
The year of 2019 began with yet another Bathurst 12 Hour Class B victory for the team, with the two Groves and Barker joining forces to once again conquer the Mountain. Stephen made the step up into Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup for a full-season campaign as part of the formation of Team Australia, enjoying a number of class podium results through the season. He also competed in selected rounds of Carrera Cup Australia.
Brenton continued in the Super2 Series in 2019, but this time formed part of a two-car effort from Triple Eight Race Engineering who made their return to the category. His best result of the season so far, a second place, came at Townsville. Grove Jnr. also joined Grove Snr. on the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup grid at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, Europe for a one-off appearance, with the pair becoming the first-ever Australian father and son to compete in the series.
2022 saw Stephen compete in the Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia for the Pro-Am category as well as GT races including the Bathurst 12 Hour. Both Stephen and Brenton competed in international campaigns including the Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa. The race, which forms part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), saw Stephen and Brenton sharing the #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R with Matthew Payne and Adrian D’Silva. Stephen and Brenton also took to Circuit Paul Ricard to once again compete in the FIA Motorsport Games along with Matt Campbell.
SUPERCARS
The latest endeavor undertaken by the Grove family has propelled them into the world of Supercars, representing the pinnacle of Australian motorsport through their ownership of Penrite Racing. Grove Racing is fully dedicated to enhancing their program and has showcased this dedication by appointing a highly capable and experienced team to oversee the growth of Penrite Racing, from its inception to development.
In 2023, the Grove Racing team demonstrated their championship-winning potential by securing victories at both the Gold Coast 500 and Adelaide 500, and they remain committed to pursuing further performance improvements and race triumphs. Supported by a world-class team of personnel, our Supercars driver lineup, featuring Richie Stanaway and Matt Payne, alongside co-drivers Garth Tander and Kevin Estre, positions Grove Racing for success on the track.
Fueled by a passion for victory and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Grove Racing excels in both business and racing endeavors. Built on family values, our dynamic team is guided by a clear vision to achieve excellence both on and off the track, ensuring exceptional outcomes for our partners.
The Groves are poised to continue their endurance journey in 2024, with Stephen and Brenton gearing up to compete in the GT World Challenge. Their commitment to the Penrite Racing Supercar team has resulted in notable improvements, marked by stellar performances including pole positions and podium finishes. Backed by seasoned drivers like Matthew Payne and Richie Stanaway, and supported by a team of skilled professionals in various domains, Grove Racing is well-equipped to pursue further triumphs. Additionally, Grove Racing is actively nurturing the next generation of racing talents through the Grove Junior Team, which nurtures promising stars like Sebastian Tander and Oscar Targett. Our team is fueled by a relentless drive for victory and excellence in every endeavor. Rooted in family values, we embody a dynamic spirit and maintain a clear vision for peak performance both on and off the track.