Casey Misses Chaz

Ahead of the Dunlop Series' second event atBarbagallo Raceway this weekend, Red Bull Racing’s Casey Stoner expressed hisenthusiasm racing on four wheels and within the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series.

The two-time MotoGP Champion said the competitionin the series was good and was encouraged to see many of the drivers elevatedto the main series this year.

However, Stoner will miss Chaz Mostert, whois debuting with Dick Johnson Racing in a Wilson Security Ford Falcon thisweekend in the main series at the Chill Perth 360.

“(The competition in the series) is pretty good, especially with thedrivers who came out of there last year and are in the main series now,” Stonersaid.

“It’s a little bit disappointing Chaz hasgone into the main series.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for him,but for the DVS Series it was good to have him there as a bit of a benchmark towhere the pace needs to be.

“But I think honestly, the front runners ofDVS are more than competitive.

“(What) we’ve seen with (last year’s DunlopSeries winner) Scott McLaughlin this year – he’s done a fantastic jobalready; he’s won a race and had a lot of very handy results, so the DVS seriesis very competitive at this point.”

Stoner insisted he didn’t have any realaims or goals this early in his debut season and still has so much to learn– not just perfecting his driving style, but learning the circuits, how towork with his technician and engineer, and to get the most out of his Red BullCommodore.

“I’m still learning a heck of a lot– we’ve got an advantage in a lot of ways with the cars… ours isn’t one ofthe newest cars, but it’s definitely – I think – one of the best.”

Stoner doesn’t let his success in MotoGPchange anything on-track – as he said, four wheels are very different totwo. 

“For me, I’m just another racer out there.

“We’re all giving our best and my best is abit less sometimes – I made a few mistakes in Adelaide (at first event theClipsal 500) but it was a lot of fun.

“It’s a great bunch of guys in the DVSseries and I’d like to spend a bit more time getting to know some of them, butI’m pretty busy at the weekends."

While Stoner admitted he missed riding bikes, he's not having second thoughts about leaving MotoGP and is happy with his decision to race a Supercar.

“You don’t start off at the top, you haveto work your way up there.

“I’m honestly just trying to enjoy it. I’mnot really worried about results or anything like that at the moment.

“I had a ball in Adelaide in Race Two. RaceOne wasn’t great – on the fourth lap I flat-spotted a tyre and it just gotworse.

“Race Two I got to have a lot of fun, I gotto feel a little bit and enjoyed driving on a street circuit. So this weekend’smore of a normal situation, on a normal circuit.”

Stoner sits 22nd in the Dunlop Seriespoints (with Mostert, who was leading, no longer contesting the series) headinginto the Chill Perth 360.

Tickets are available through Ticketek andthe Dunlop Series and V8 Supercars main series will be on track tomorrow atBarbagallo Raceway.