HMO Customer Racing will expand to three cars for the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series to accommodate rising youngster Bailey Sweeny.

The 18-year-old competed in the 2021 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series and is an Erebus Academy driver.

Sweeny will join returning incumbents Nathan Morcom and Josh Buchan at the team which powered Will Brown to the inaugural title in 2019.

“I am thrilled to be joining the grid of TCR Australia in 2022 and to be working with the championship-winning team, HMO Customer Racing,” Sweeny said.

“It’s a dream come true. It shows all the hard work we have put in, in the past few years, is starting to pay off.

“I have loved competing in the Toyota 86 series and we will continue to race in that category as well – all of course with the support from our amazing partners and sponsors and with the help and guidance from Erebus, who have been great.

“I am truly thankful for all our support and I look forward to now forging some new partnerships too, as we take on some of the best drivers in Australia, in one of the world’s most exciting racing categories.”

Morcom, who was on-hand at a recent test day where Sweeny drove the Hyundai i30 N TCR, has been impressed by what he’s seen of his new team-mate.

“Bailey is a young kid, level-headed and was really quite quick in his test,” said Morcom.

“He is going to be a great addition to our team. He ticked all the boxes that we wanted from him and I’m looking forward to seeing how he progresses through the year.

“He proved that he was very competitive in the Toyota 86 Series. Any one-make series is tough to stand out, but he proved fast there and I’m confident that his pace will be shown in TCR too.

“We saw on the evaluation day that he has potential, and being young, he fits the profile of driver that we are looking for.

“It’s also great to have three cars full-time for this year. We know our cars have the potential to win, so having three means we can put all focus ahead for the season.”

The TCR Australia season will open at the Race Tasmania event on February 11-13 at Symmons Plains Raceway.