About Us
After many years of crewing with Sprintcar teams and traveling around Australia, it was inevitable that car owner Greg Apelt's daughters would become involved in the racing industry one way or another. The eldest of his two daughters, Tarhlea, would be the first to kick off her racing career, making her debut in the Junior Quarter Midget ranks within Queensland. From there, Apelt Floors Motorsport was established in 2009.
In her very first race, Tarhlea got her first taste of victory at the age of seven. As the seasons progressed and engine requirements changed, success followed the team up until their departure from the Quarter Midgets in 2015. In the 2012-13 race season, Tarhlea gained valuable knowledge and experience, winning six consecutive race meetings and being recognized as Australia's Top Competitor of the season by Totally Motorsport. Like most sports, failure is inevitable, and in her final season in the Quarter Midgets, Tarhlea experienced her first crash, resulting in a destroyed race car. However, she jumped into her younger sister's car, with less horsepower, and finished in the top five in the main event.
Shortly after, the team decided to progress into open-wheel competition, making the step into the Formula 500 division. In her rookie season in the Junior Formula 500 ranks, Tarhlea was not only the only female competitor but also managed to secure her first open-wheeler victory in the team's fourth meeting in Gatton's Lockyer Valley Speedway.
Successes and challenges followed throughout their Junior Formula 500 campaign, which ended in May 2018 when Tarhlea turned sixteen, allowing her to progress into the open class of Formula 500s. Her rookie season in the open class resulted in top-five finishes straight away, and in the 2018-19 season, she received the Rookie of the Year accolade, along with several other top-five finishes in championships.
Tarhlea's success in the motorsport industry led to her recognition by Speedway Australia authorities, earning her a spot in the 2019 Rising Star Program, a prestigious driver development program in Australia for Speedway drivers. This program included intensive physical and mental training sessions at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The 2019-20 season marked a significant milestone for the team, achieving their first official open-wheel podium finish alongside four-time Australian Champion, Liam Williams. However, the season had its challenges, with numerous blown motors, crashes, and uncompleted races. Tarhlea and the team bounced back stronger after each incident, achieving repeated fifth-place finishes in the Formula 500 club championship.
In the 2020-21 season, the team completed only five of the originally scheduled meetings before departing from the Formula 500 class after an opportunity arose to compete in the Sprintcar ranks. Despite the short season, Tarhlea achieved a second-place podium finish, making it a one-two female podium finish.
Since competing in the Q97 Sprintcar from mid-2021, Tarhlea and the Apelt Floors Motorsport crew have participated in some of Australia's biggest national events, gaining recognition and respect within the racing community. The team's rookie season came with its fair share of challenges, but they continued to improve, finishing twentieth in both the Ultimate Sprintcar Championship and the East Coast Logistics Series.
Competing in the 2022-23 speedway season, the team has committed to the Queensland Ultimate Sprintcar Championship once again, racing competitively with some of Queensland's best Sprintcar drivers. Although they haven't cracked the top ten main event finish yet, the team's determination remains unwavering.
In recent months, Apelt Floors Motorsport has contested in some of the biggest events in the Speedway calendar, racing in front of sold-out crowds and gaining experience and confidence in national-level competitions. Their journey continues, and the team looks forward to achieving more milestones in the world of Sprintcar racing.