Drivers' Quoteboard: Wilson Security Sandown 500 preview
11 Sep 2014
"I always enjoy going to Sandown, I've got a lot of respect for the place. It absolutely reeks with history, there's been so much motorsport there over so many years. It's just a really iconic place that's a really important part of our Championship.
"It's a 500km race and I cringe when people say it's a warm-up for Bathurst. It's a standalone, awesome event over a gruelling three and a half hours, generally with variable weather. It was the highlight of my year last year and, with the new car, it was part of one of the best stories I've been involved with.
"I've got great memories but that means nothing rolling into this weekend. We'll just put our best foot forward and if we can stay out of trouble I feel that's the most critical thing this weekend and surviving to the end. If can we can do that then we'll do well to get a top five finish."
"I am really looking forward to Sandown as there is history there for me as I had my first race there. It is good to be back in Enduro mode as they were pretty good for us last year though a few things have changed as I am now with Steve (Owen). It is good to have a new partner as while I had the same thing for years, a different input and perspective is positive. I like Sandown as a track, the racing is always good and the endurance races suit me. We need to be strong this weekend and then head back to defend our crown at the big one. We want to win the Enduro Cup, get our winning ways back and be back in the series lead. It all starts this weekend and we're ready for it."
"I'm really looking forward to Sandown. It's a time of the year that I thoroughly enjoy. We had a good test and we ended up reasonably on top of things. I think that Steve (Richards) and I are very comfortable in the car. The way he drives it and reads the car is very similar to me.
"When we get to Sandown, we've obviously got to look at the conditions of the weather and the circuit and really make sure that we get the car set up to what we really need. Sandown is a high attrition rate circuit, it's very hard on brakes, but we know how to win there.
"I'm really looking forward to the challenge and then of course that leads into what I classify as the biggest race of the year, which is the Bathurst 1000, but first I'm looking forward to debuting the brand new car at Sandown."
"The last round was good.
"We haven't been that strong on Sunday's (longer races) in previous rounds so for us to tune the car up and make it strong on a Sunday is a good indication that we're getting on top of things. It's a good lead in to Sandown and I'm looking forward to a strong race.
"Luke (Youlden, co-driver) knows exactly what to do.
"We understand each other, he likes the same things from the car as I do, we have to do minimal adjustments in the car when he jumps in too and vice versa so that in itself makes it a little bit easier."
"I think if you try harder at these rounds than you do at the other ones you need to have a long, hard look at what you do.
"The Championship is about putting a season together - and so every round is as equally important. I don't do anything different to what I would normally do. It's a race I want to win, and I'll try just as hard at Sandown as I do all the others."
"Heading to Sandown this year we've been struggling in qualifying so the fact we did such a good job there last year gives me confidence. Saying that, the race is so long that strong race pace can bring you through the field no matter where you start. I really enjoy the circuit - I really click with it. It is a simple layout on paper but it is quite technical in the sections where you can gain time on your rivals so I enjoy that challenge. Teaming up with Paul is fantastic. The last test day was really good, he was right on song and I am keen to get out there and get going. It's my first year in the endurance races with Pepsi Max and as part of the Factory Ford squad. That's a bit daunting but as a team we've always been strong at this time of year so hopefully we can continue that."
"The endurance races brings a whole new element to the racing with longer races and a co-driver, something I really look forward to. I think we are going to be strong, especially at Sandown which is a track that will suit us with fast turns and long straights.
"The test went pretty well and we have made a couple of improvements. It was also about getting our co-drivers comfortable in the car. They were reasonably fast and got plenty of time in the cars. I am looking forward to race together with my mate Alex (Premat) again."
"I think we're looking good.
"In last year's enduros the car was pretty strong, particularly at Bathurst, so I'm really looking forward to these races. We had a good test the other day and Andy (Jones) is going well in the Dunlop series. I think we've learnt a lot since last year's Sandown about what will actually make the car work on that particular circuit so we should be pretty strong.
"Our test day last week went really well, going off what we did the last couple of years that should bode well.
"Sandown though has been a bit of a bogey track for us in the past but we worked on some stuff solely around Sandown at the test day and hopefully some of that will bear some fruit for us. It would be great to be hovering around the top 5 or top 3."
"Dean is a great addition to the team, he has a wealth of experience and has been here way longer than I have so he fits in well, knows everyone and how everything works which make things easy. Our driver changes have been strong and everything is enjoyable and when we enjoy it we go well which has generally been the case. We were strong at Sandown last year until some brake issues crept in during the race so we are more on top of the setup this year. We haven't been quite as competitive of late but we've been making progress. Strategy will be quite open, Saturday is a busy and intense but Sunday is quite enjoyable."
"I always look forward to racing at Sandown - it's close to home, plus it's one of the events that the fans can see virtually the whole track at any point.
"I'm looking forward to driving with Dean. He has settled in really well. He is easy to work with and I have a feeling he's going to do a good job for us.
"This is the start to the Pirtek Enduro Cup, so we want some good consistent results, and it would be nice to get off to a good start at Sandown."
"I'm looking forward to the event. For me, the Sandown 500 is the second biggest race of the year.
"It's an event that has a huge amount of history in our sport and it's one of those races that everyone wants to win.
"I enjoy the track. It's unique with the grandstand down the front straight and the atmosphere it creates. I'm just looking forward to getting stuck into it because I love the endurance races - it's the best time of our season.
"It's also very important for us to get the Enduro Cup off to the best possible start.
"My co-driver Taz (Douglas) has slotted back into the team without a problem. He drove with us last year so it's great to have some continuity. We just need to go there, put our heads down and do the best we can."
"Being my birthday I am expecting the boys to put on something special on Sunday night (laughs). Most years I end up having a quiet dinner with my family and friends but if we can get a good result on Sunday, it will be an awesome present.
"Sandown is a local event for us and I have usually gone quite well there and finished fourth with Garth in 2012. I am really looking forward to Sandown, which will be a good warm up for Oliver ahead of the Bathurst 1000. On Friday I will base line the car set up for him in the morning and he will spend the rest of the day getting used to it and then we go into qualifying on Saturday.
"We had a great result in Sydney and we all have a spring in our step - the boys did a great job in the pit stops and with the car preparation. All the information they have been giving me about running on soft tyres made the strategy work and I managed to hold onto the soft compound tyre a lot better than I did in Darwin.
"We are going onto the hard tyre at Sandown and with the way we have the car set up I am sure we will be very competitive."
"It's great to have Dave (Russell) in the car, it's really good consistency for us.
"He has been with Jack Daniel's Racing now for a number of years, which is great.
"He's an absolute pleasure to work with, and very handy in the car as well.
"It's an exciting time of year, I'm a big fan of the endurance season, our Championship really is quite diverse.
"We're heading into three very different rounds now, in particular the Sandown event is an exciting one.
"500km these days goes pretty quick, so you need to be on your toes to get a result."
"I am looking forward to the endurance races and there is no reason why Ash (Walsh) and I can't be challenging for a podium at the Wilson Security Sandown 500 this weekend. The car has been great since Townsville and the results have come. I think we have one of the stronger driver line-ups and Ash has proved he is in the top group of co-drivers.
"Friday will be critical as there is minimal running time for the main driver so we need to get the car right straight out of the truck. The format will give the co drivers a good run and then having their own race on Saturday will sharpen them up.
"The DJR boys have done a fantastic job getting the car back in shape after the Sydney accident. DJR were very quick here last year but did not get the results they deserved so we are hoping to really deliver a result to the team on Sunday."
"Sandown almost feels like a second home with the amount of races I've done there from the early Perkins days and by the statistics, I've had very good success there.
"I really enjoy the three enduros that are coming up and obviously, qualifying isn't as big of an issue as the sprint format races.
"We are continuing to make upgrades to the car and quite a major one just recently which I'm sure will translate into more speed.
"The team has invested in additional support to make sure we are going to be in the strongest possible position to challenge in the three endurance races with Sandown the first out of the gate.
"All this is with a long term view of ensuring the success of the team and the category, not only now but in future years."
"After a weekend at the Muscle Car Masters with some of our lovely old Touring Cars it is back to business at Sandown. It is great to be racing in our main sponsors event and I'm sure the Wilson Security Falcon will continue the good form of late. The DJR cars were right on the pace at Sandown in 2013 so we are confident of a strong showing.
"Steve (Johnson) and I have arrived at a very similar set up for the car after our test day and it will be great to have him on board. He has huge experience and is always very fast come endurance race time. Steve will also have a lot of the Friday running as the co drivers have two sessions."
"I'm really looking forward to the enduro cup. After a disappointing year so far the enduros give us a great opportunity as a team to still push on and get some great results that we can be proud of. The enduros have been my specialty for the last couple of years so I had always penciled these races in as what should be our strongest for 2014.
"Cam (Waters) is a great young talent and I'm looking forward to pairing up with him. He's at a similar age when I first started racing V8s so I'll help him as much as I can with the whole experience and I'm sure he will do just fine.
"The Sandown 500 is a great event with lots of history. It's the traditional warm-up event for Bathurst and it's great for us based in Melbourne because we get to stay at home. The circuit is good fun, I've had great success there over the years in DVS and Formula Ford and hopefully both Cam and I can stay out of trouble early in the race and be there at the end. Somewhere in the top 10 would be a great result for us."
"There are a lot of positives in having Alex (Buncombe) on board, it's a fresh approach to teaming up with someone who hasn't had a lot of miles in our cars.
"He's a perfect size as far as seat fit is concerned, we haven't really had to modify anything, the driver changes are good, and all of those things are shaping up well.
"Following our test day at Winton, where he had a little bit of dry and a little bit of wet running, practice starts and pit stops, all of the things he needs to know, he had a good run at.
"He got to the point where he was pretty comfortable in the car.
"I'm looking forward to Sandown, it's a good home event, it's close to home and close to the race shop.
"Hopefully we can have a good clean weekend, the cars should be pretty good around that place, over the curbs and over the different sections of track, whether it's wet or dry. "We're looking forward to it."
"The test at Winton was productive and if we can utilise the improvements from the test, then it looks really promising for us. I look forward to race with Greg (Ritter), it feels really good for me as a rookie to pair up with an experienced co-driver."
