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GRM switches test to Tuesday

27 Aug 2014
As crew hurriedly repairs #34 after huge Sydney shunt.
3 mins by James Pavey
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Valvoline Garry Rogers Motorsport has shifted its pre-enduro test back a day to ensure the team gets the most out of the Winton excursion.

Fresh off an overwhelming weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park - which saw both Volvos out on Saturday after Robert Dahlgren's heavy crash and Scott McLaughlin's engine and wheel dramas, before an emotional 200km victory Sunday - the team is limited on time to repair the #34.

While team boss Garry Rogers didn't put the date change down to the completion of the repairs, he said it did suit the team to push back a day, because of the time limitations. A number of Victorian teams are testing across Monday and Tuesday, so rescheduling is not an issue in terms of track availability.

"It's coming along good," he said of the S60 repair work.

"We've been through this before, we've got a competent bunch of people who know what to do and we were keen to get the car out of there (Sydney) straight away because we were very, very severely damaged. But anyway, we're underway and we will be ready."

He said there were no big surprises once the team started work, but having to jig the car was the least of it.

Having the opportunity to give the repaired car a run at the test day is welcomed.

"it's important we give that car a really good shakedown and make sure everything's alright," Rogers said.

"As I say this isn't the first time this has happened to us and we will take every day as it comes."

While giving Pirtek Enduro Cup co-drivers Greg Ritter and Alex Premat seat time in the New Generation V8 Supercars is one of the priorities on Tuesday, Rogers said there was more the team wanted to achieve on the day.

The team boss insisted the pairings were still not finalised.

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"We'll address all that as we get closer.

"The main plan is to make sure the cars are all right and we've got four capable drivers and then we'll work it out as we get there."

Having tested prior to the Sydney Motorsport Park weekend, McLaughlin felt the team made huge gains - and while he didn't get an opportunity to show that across the 100km races, he certainly did on Sunday and seemed emotional after crossing the line.

"It was great wasn't it, particularly after we mucked it up so badly on Saturday," Rogers said of the win.

After a drama with McLaughlin's car in the first race, the crew had to replace the Volvo's engine between sessions. Fighting the clock, they managed to roll the S60 out to ARMOR ALL Pole Position without a minute to spare. But a wheel came lose and parted with the car during the race, meaning no result andthat the team was slapped with a fine from the stewards.

"Those things, yes the engine you can't avoid but the wheel coming off you can avoid. It was a bad mistake on our part."

Rogers felt McLaughlin's reaction to the 200km win waspartly because of the huge effort of turning the results around for Sunday.

"Everyone forgets that Scott works in the workshop with those boys. They have morning tea and lunch together... and I think he feels as much for them as he does for himself.

"I personally thought, yes it was great, he drove really well, and certainly he had a stiff upper lip after what happened Saturday but he also understood well and truly the effort and the energy those boys put in to get the engine in that car.

"So I think he really is extremely grateful to have those blokes around him - and we're extremely grateful to have him around us too!"

Despite the Sunday win, McLaughlin has fallen to eighth in the Championship standings - but will surely be looking to repeat the feat at the Wilson Security Sandown 500, which runs from September 12-14.

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