EMA Motorsport will make a return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at Sandown Raceway this week, signing Supercars ace Zak Best to drive their Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Car.

Best, 22, will make his Carrera Cup debut with the team at Sandown - the event to be a return to local competition for the Melbourne-based squad.

The car will feature Link Cold Storage & Transport as the major sponsor for the event.

EMA’s last race in Australia was their successful campaign at the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour in February, which delivered an outright win with their Porsche 992 GT3R co-entered with Manthey Racing, and victory in the Pro-Am class with the sister car.

The team’s last Carrera Cup start saw British driver Harry King claim all three races and the round at Mount Panorama last October, delivering EMA their first win in the one-make championship after several years of trying.

The team has remained extremely active in international competition, however, with the Manthey-EMA Porsche claiming the LMGT3 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year, while the team has also been a race winner in the DTM championship this year.

Best has completed several test days with the team ahead of his Sandown debut, including spending time with EMA’s international operations with a test at the famous Nürburgring in Germany, where he worked alongside now three-time Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup champion, Larry ten Voorde.

Round 5 of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia will be held at Sandown Raceway between September 13-15.

ZAK BEST

“I’m excited to be back in a race car and to be joining a great category like Carrera Cup. Joining EMA Motorsport has been great and have this opportunity to build something good moving forward.

“Sitting on the other side was the first learning curve in adapting to the Porsche. With the rear engine the setup is very different and warming the car is all different, but I am enjoying the experience so far and have had a few test days to get up to speed.

“To have the chance to run around the GP track at Nürburgring and lean off some of the really good guys over there was great – I worked with Larry ten Voorde throughout the day and that was fantastic.

“I don’t think many people have an idea of just how good EMA are. Hopefully we can show that they are there to win – they are a great team and it’s a privilege to be driving for them.”

MARCUS COLE – TEAM MANAGER, EMA MOTORSPORT

“We have been working diligently behind the scenes to return EMA to Carrera Cup this season and we are happy to have come to the point where we can announce that Zak Best will be in the #90 Porsche for Sandown.

“Zak has been very impressive in testing and is hungry to show what he is capable of this season.

“It’s exciting for EMA Motorsport to work with Zak and get back on track in a bid to continue our run of success in Australia, including the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst round of Carrera Cup Australia last year.

“The field is as competitive as ever but we know we are up for the challenge and with Zak we have the driver to do the job behind the wheel.”