Dumbrell Plans for Two Cars in 2014

A challenging 2013 has not deterred Lucas Dumbrell from working toward running two cars again in next year’s V8 Supercars Championship.

Right now Dumbrell admits he isn’t sure who will be driving the team’s Holden Commodore VFs or much of the commercial structure that will underpin them.

Not that he’s alone among team owners in having a lot of balls in the air at this time of year!

“Two cars is the plan,” Dumbrell told v8supercars.com.au. “I think it is definitely the way to go, just to help performance and to help staff levels.”

Now into his fourth year in the championship as a team owner and his first running two cars, Dumbrell says he is keen to retain Dean Fiore as a driver while he continues to evaluate the form of rookie Scott Pye.

Gold Coast-based West Australian Dean Fiore is already on record declaring his desire to make his next deal in V8s his first multi-year one. However, achieving that will depend on his ability to re-sign his sponsor Dodo Insurance. 

“I am yet to sit down with Dean and have a really solid chat,” Dumbrell said. “But in a nutshell I have said to him I am keen to retain his services. I think he has done a really good job this year and his best race result of his career was the ninth he had in Tassie as well as being our team’s best result.

“I think it shows how much more potential is left in himself and especially the team. The team is as important as the driver and we have to make sure we do everything we can to make sure the rocket we prepare for him is 100 percent and the engineers make the right calls.

“So I am keen to retain Dean, but unfortunately as it is these days, commercial arrangements are a massive part of it all the way up to Formula One.”

Meanwhile, South Australian Pye has had a tough year that started strongly at the Clipsal 500, has been blighted by a series of accidents and finally seems to be getting back on track after some solid test days judging by his promising pace at the Winton 360.

Pye is managed by Triple Eight Race Engineering boss Roland Dane and brings with him parts and set-up information for LDM’s Triple Eight-built Holdens. 

“This is the time of year where you look back at your year so far and try and evaluate whether you want to keep someone or move them on,” Dumbrell said. “Scott is only a rookie, you evaluate damage, results, performance and attitude. Year one is make or break for them. 

Dumbrell has made it clear he also wants to retain Paul Morris as part of the LDM structure.

Queenslander Morris sold his #49 Nemo Racing REC to Dumbrell so LDM could expand to two cars in 2013 and also joined the team as strategist and Dunlop Series driver. He will co-drive with Pye in the ekol Commodore in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup.

“I would love for Paul to stay with us next year,” said Dumbrell. “He has been a massive asset, I can’t thank him enough, the amount of things I have learned from him and the amount of things he has taught me about the team as well.”

LDM tests at Winton Motor Raceway today ahead of the Wilson Security Sandown 500. It is the first time Fiore's co-driver Matt Halliday will have to sample the new generation V8 Supercar.