Michael Caruso (born 25 May 1983) is an Australian professional motor racing driver. Caruso competes in the Pirtek Enduro Cup, co-driving a Chevrolet Camaro Mk.6 for Team 18 alongside Mark Winterbottom.
Early career Caruso began his career in go-karts at age 12,http://www.michaelcaruso.com.au/about/ About Michael Caruso before graduating to Formula Ford in 2001. He moved to Formula 3 in 2002 and won the Australian Formula 3 Championship in 2003.http://www.speedsport-magazine.com/race-driver-database/biography/Michael-Caruso-,2171.html Speedsport Magazine Driver Database Profile Despite offers to move to FIA Formula 3000 in Europe, he chose to join the Holden Young Lions team in the V8 Supercars Development Series for 2004. After a poor start, he quit the team mid-season. In 2005, Caruso competed in the first two rounds of the Australian Formula 3 Championship, before moving to Europe to be a test and reserve driver for the F3000 outfit Team Astromega.
Touring cars Development Series In 2006, Caruso returned to Australia and to the V8 Supercars Development Series with Jim Morton's Decina Racing, finishing 4th in the championship. In 2007, he was runner-up in the Development Series, again with Jim Morton's renamed Ford Rising Star program. He also made three main-game V8 Supercars starts in this period. The first of which was at the 2006 Bathurst 1000 as a replacement for Mark Porter in a Brad Jones Racing entry. Porter had a serious crash on the Friday of the event and later died in hospital. In 2007, Caruso entered the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 with WPS Racing.
Garry Rogers Motorsport In 2008, Caruso was signed to compete in his first full season in V8 Supercars, driving a Holden Commodore (VE) for Garry Rogers Motorsport, where he replaced Dean Canto. In 2009, Caruso won his first championship race at the Skycity Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway. He also finished on the podium at the 2009 Bathurst 1000, co-driving with Lee Holdsworth, and in the second race of the Sydney 500. Caruso stayed at the team until 2012, only scoring one further podium in this period.
Nissan Motorsport In 2013, Caruso moved to Nissan Motorsport, a four-car team running the Nissan Altima L33. The team was the first to introduce a new manufacturer to the category under the New Generation V8 Supercar (then known as Car of the Future) regulations in 2013. The team largely struggled with the new package and Caruso finished 23rd in the championship. The highlight of the year for Caruso was at the Winton 360, where he finished second in the opening race. Caruso had been leading the race at the conclusion of the first half of the split race; however was beaten by teammate James Moffat to victory in the second half.
In 2014, Caruso finished a career-high tenth in the championship, despite only scoring one podium, in the second race of the Gold Coast 600. Caruso also took pole at the non-championship V8 Supercars Challenge race, a support event to the Australian Grand Prix. Having featured Norton 360 sponsorship in 2013 and 2014, from 2015 onwards, Caruso sported a corporate Nissan and Nismo livery. After another lean year in 2015, Caruso began 2016 strongly at the season-opening Adelaide 500. Caruso finished second in the Sunday race and led the championship following the event. At the 2016 CrownBet Darwin Triple Crown, Caruso won his second career championship race, seven years after his first and coincidentally once again at Hidden Valley Raceway. On 30 January 2019 it was announced that Caruso would lose his drive with Nissan Motorsport. He will not compete full-time in 2019 and has yet to announce an ENDURO drive.
Career results Karting career summary SeasonSeriesPosition 1997 Queensland Junior Kart Championship 1st Victorian Junior Kart Championship 1st Australian Junior Intercontinental A Title 1st North American Junior Intercontinental A Title 1st 1998 Queensland Intercontinental A Title 1st 2000 Victorian Formula A Kart Title 1st
Racing career summary Season Series Position Car Team 2001 Australian Formula Ford Championship 23rd Spectrum 06 – Ford Caruso Racing 2002 Australian Formula 3 Championship 5th Dallara F301 – Alfa Romeo Caruso Racing Victorian Road Racing Championship 1st 2003 Australian Formula 3 Championship 1st Dallara F301 – Alfa Romeo Caruso Racing Australian Drivers' Championship 11th Reynard 94D – Holden Ralt Australia 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series 24th Holden Commodore VX Holden Young Lions 2005 Australian Drivers' Championship 5th Dallara F301 – Alfa Romeo Caruso Racing 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series 4th Ford Falcon BA Decina Racing 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series 2nd Ford Falcon BA Ford Rising Stars Racing 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series 18th Holden Commodore VE Garry Rogers Motorsport 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series 11th Holden Commodore VE Garry Rogers Motorsport 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series 11th Holden Commodore VE Garry Rogers Motorsport 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship 14th Holden Commodore VE Garry Rogers Motorsport 2012 International V8 Supercars Championship 15th Holden Commodore VE Garry Rogers Motorsport 2013 International V8 Supercars Championship 23rd Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2014 International V8 Supercars Championship 10th Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2015 International V8 Supercars Championship 12th Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2016 International V8 Supercars Championship 10th Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship 13th Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship 18th Nissan Altima L33 Nissan Motorsport 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship 28th Holden Commodore ZBFord Mustang GT Garry Rogers MotorsportTickford Racing 2020 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship 32nd Ford Mustang GT Tickford Racing TCR Asia Pacific Cup NC Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR Garry Rogers Motorsport 2021 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship 40th Holden Commodore ZB Team 18 TCR Australia 11th Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR Garry Rogers Motorsport 2022 Repco Supercars Championship 40th Holden Commodore ZB Team 18 TCR Australia 12th Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR Ashley Seward Motorsport 2023 Repco Supercars Championship 51st Camaro ZL1-1LE Team 18
Super2 Series results (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Super2 Series results Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Position Points 2004 Holden Young Lions Holden VX CommodoreWAKR1WAKR2WAKR3 ADER4ADER5WINR6WINR7WINR8EASR9EASR10EASR11QLDR12QLDR13QLDR14MALR15MALR16MALR17 26th 256 2006 Speed FX Racing Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 WAKR3 WAKR4 WAKR5 QLDR6 QLDR7 QLDR8 ORAR9 ORAR10 ORAR11 MALR12 MALR13 MALR14 BATR15 BATR16 PHIR17 PHIR18 4th 1567 2007 Ford Rising Stars Racing Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 WAKR3 WAKR4 WAKR5 WINR6 WINR7 WINR8 QLDR9 QLDR10 QLDR11 ORAR12 ORAR13 ORAR14 BATR15 BATR16 PHIR17 PHIR18 2nd 298
Supercars Championship results (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Supercars results Year Team No. Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Position Points 2006 Brad Jones Racing 12 Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 PUKR3 PUKR4 PUKR5 BARR6 BARR7 BARR8 WINR9 WINR10 WINR11 HDVR12 HDVR13 HDVR14 QLDR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 ORAR18 ORAR19 ORAR20 SANR21 BATR22 SURR23 SURR24 SURR25 SYMR26 SYMR27 SYMR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 PHIR32 PHIR33 PHIR34 NC 0 2007 WPS Racing 8 Ford BF Falcon ADER1 ADER2 BARR3 BARR4 BARR5 PUKR6 PUKR7 PUKR8 WINR9 WINR10 WINR11 EASR12 EASR13 EASR14 HDVR15 HDVR16 HDVR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 ORAR21 ORAR22 ORAR23 SANR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 SURR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 SYMR32 SYMR33 SYMR34 PHIR35 PHIR36 PHIR37 49th 6 2008 Garry Rogers Motorsport 34 Holden VE Commodore ADER1 ADER2 EASR3 EASR4 EASR5 HAMR6 HAMR7 HAMR8 BARR9 BARR10 BARR11 SANR12 SANR13 SANR14 HDVR15 HDVR16 HDVR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 WINR21 WINR22 WINR23 PHIQR PHIR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 SURR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 SYMR32 SYMR33 SYMR34 ORAR35 ORAR36 ORAR37 18th 1439 2009 ADER1 ADER2 HAMR3 HAMR4 WINR5 WINR6 SYMR7 SYMR8 HDVR9 HDVR10 TOWR11 TOWR12 SANR13 SANR14 QLDR15 QLDR16 PHIQR PHIR17 BATR18 SURR19 SURR20 SURR21 SURR22 PHIR23 PHIR24 BARR25 BARR26 SYDR27 SYDR28 11th 1977 2010 YMCR1 YMCR2 BHRR3 BHRR4 ADER5 ADER6 HAMR7 HAMR8 QLDR9 QLDR10 WINR11 WINR12 HDVR13 HDVR14 TOWR15 TOWR16 PHIQR PHIR17 BATR18 SURR19 SURR20 SYMR21 SYMR22 SANR23 SANR24 SYDR25 SYDR26 11th 2004 2011 YMCR1 YMCR2 ADER3 ADER4 HAMR5 HAMR6 BARR7 BARR8 BARR9 WINR10 WINR11 HIDR12 HIDR13 TOWR14 TOWR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 QLDR18 PHIQR PHIR19 BATR20 SURR21 SURR22 SYMR23 SYMR24 SANR25 SANR26 SYDR27 SYDR28 14th 1729 2012 ADER1 ADER2 SYMR3 SYMR4 HAMR5 HAMR6 BARR7 BARR8 BARR9 PHIR10 PHIR11 HIDR12 HIDR13 TOWR14 TOWR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 SMPR18 SMPR19 SANQR SANR20 BATR21 SURR22 SURR23 YMCR24 YMCR25 YMCR26 WINR27 WINR28 SYDR29 SYDR30 15th 1770 2013 Nissan Motorsport 36 Nissan Altima L33 ADER1 ADER2 SYMR3 SYMR4 SYMR5 PUKR6 PUKR7 PUKR8 PUKR9 BARR10 BARR11 BARR12 COAR13 COAR14 COAR15 COAR16 HIDR17 HIDR18 HIDR19 TOWR20 TOWR21 QLDR22 QLDR23 QLDR24 WINR25 WINR26 WINR27 SANQR SANR28 BATR29 SURR30 SURR31 PHIR32 PHIR33 PHIR34 SYDR35 SYDR36 23rd 1233 2014 ADER1 ADER2 ADER3 SYMR4 SYMR5 SYMR6 WINR7 WINR8 WINR9 PUKR10 PUKR11 PUKR12 PUKR13 BARR14 BARR15 BARR16 HIDR17 HIDR18 HIDR19 TOWR20 TOWR21 TOWR22 QLDR23 QLDR24 QLDR25 SMPR26 SMPR27 SMPR28 SANQR SANR29 BATR30 SURR31 SURR32 PHIR33 PHIR34 PHIR35 SYDR36 SYDR37 SYDR38 10th 1939 2015 23 ADER1 ADER2 ADER3 SYMR4 SYMR5 SYMR6 BARR7 BARR8 BARR9 WINR10 WINR11 WINR12 HIDR13 HIDR14 HIDR15 TOWR16 TOWR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 SMPR21 SMPR22 SMPR23 SANQR SANR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 PUKR28 PUKR29 PUKR30 PHIR31 PHIR32 PHIR33 SYDR34 SYDR35 SYDR36 12th 1898 2016 ADER1 ADER2 ADER3 SYMR4 SYMR5 PHIR6 PHIR7 BARR8 BARR9 WINR10 WINR11 HIDR12 HIDR13 TOWR14 TOWR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 SMPR18 SMPR19 SANQR SANR20 BATR21 SURR22 SURR23 PUKR24 PUKR25 PUKR26 PUKR27 SYDR28 SYDR29 10th 2239 2017 ADER1 ADER2 SYMR3 SYMR4 PHIR5 PHIR6 BARR7 BARR8 WINR9 WINR10 HIDR11 HIDR12 TOWR13 TOWR14 QLDR15 QLDR16 SMPR17 SMPR18 SANQR SANR19 BATR20 SURR21 SURR22 PUKR23 PUKR24 NEWR25 NEWR26 13th 1776 2018 ADER1 ADER2 MELR3 MELR4 MELR5 MELR6 SYMR7 SYMR8 PHIR9 PHIR10 BARR11 BARR12 WINR13 WINR14 HIDR15 HIDR16 TOWR17 TOWR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 SMPR21 BENR22 BENR23 SANQR SANR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 PUKR28 PUKR29 NEWR30 NEWR31 18th 1765 2019 Garry Rogers Motorsport 33 Holden ZB Commodore ADER1 ADER2 MELR3 MELR4 MELR5 MELR6 SYMR7 SYMR8 PHIR9 PHIR10 BARR11 BARR12 WINR13 WINR14 HIDR15 HIDR16 TOWR17 TOWR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 BENR21 BENR22 PUKR23 PUKR24 28th 643 Tickford Racing 6 Ford Mustang S550 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 SANQR SANR28 NEWR29 NEWR30 2020 5 ADER1 ADER2 MELR3 MELR4 MELR5 MELR6 SMP1R7 SMP1R8 SMP1R9 SMP2R10 SMP2R11 SMP2R12 HID1R13 HID1R14 HID1R15 HID2R16 HID2R17 HID2R18 TOW1R19 TOW1R20 TOW1R21 TOW2R22 TOW2R23 TOW2R24 BEN1R25 BEN1R26 BEN1R27 BEN2R28 BEN2R29 BEN2R30 BATR31 32nd 192 2021 Team 18 18 Holden ZB Commodore BAT1R1 BAT1R2 SANR3 SANR4 SANR5 SYMR6 SYMR7 SYMR8 BENR9 BENR10 BENR11 HIDR12 HIDR13 HIDR14 TOW1R15 TOW1R16 TOW2R17 TOW2R18 TOW2R19 SMP1R20 SMP1R21 SMP1R22 SMP2R23 SMP2R24 SMP2R25 SMP3R26 SMP3R27 SMP3R28 SMP4R29 SMP4R30 BAT2R31 40th 114 2022 SMPR1 SMPR2 SYMR3 SYMR4 SYMR5 MELR6 MELR7 MELR8 MELR9 BARR10 BARR11 BARR12 WINR13 WINR14 WINR15 HIDR16 HIDR17 HIDR18 TOWR19 TOWR20 BENR21 BENR22 BENR23 SANR24 SANR25 SANR26 PUKR27 PUKR28 PUKR29 BATR30 SURR31 SURR32 ADER33 ADER34 45th 120 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ML1 NEWR1 NEWR2 MELR3 MELR4 MELR5 MELR6 BARR7 BARR8 BARR9 SYMR10 SYMR11 SYMR12 HIDR13 HIDR14 HIDR15 TOWR16 TOWR17 SMPR18 SMPR19 BENR20 BENR21 BENR22 SANR23 BATR24 SURR25 SURR26 ADER27 ADER28 51st 144 2024 BAT1R1 BAT1R2 MELR3 MELR4 MELR5 MELR6 TAUR7 TAUR8 BARR9 BARR10 HIDR11 HIDR12 TOWR13 TOWR14 SMPR15 SMPR16 BENR17 BENR18 SANR19 BATR20 SURR21 SURR22 ADER23 ADER24 45th 216
Bathurst 1000 results