Rogers explains Wall's wheel

New Volvo recruit David Wall was happy with his first taste of his S60 across the sydney.com SuperTest, but his progress was marred by one incident late Saturday afternoon.

During the day's final test session, the front right wheel came loose and flew from the car, leaving Wall to nurse his Wilson Security sponsored V8 Supercar into the pit lane.

While his GRM team was initially unsure of the cause, team boss Garry Rogers has confirmed it was related to testing new options to gain time during pit stops.

"One of the things outside of the car we had been experimenting with was the wheel guns and the variable air pressure required to remove and replace a wheel nut in an attempt to speed up this operation," Rogers wrote in a post-testing article.

"Unfortunately this led to David Wall losing a wheel and causing some minor under car damage.

"Apart from this, the weekend ran smoothly and we certainly achieved what we set out to."

The highlight of the testing weekend was Sunday afternoon's ARMOR ALL SuperShootout, where each car had the opportunity to push for the fastest lap around Sydney Motorsport Park.

While Wall finished 21st in the field, 2014's top five finisher Scott McLaughlin placed fifth in his Volvo, just 0.2sec from eventual winner and fellow young gun Chaz Mostert.

With all drivers on green (new) hard tyres, the Shootout was the form guide from the sydney.com SuperTest, and while Rogers does give it merit as an indicator of what is to come at the season opening Clipsal 500, it dependson what each team was aiming to achieve across the testing weekend.

"In regards to times, it is often asked how much can you take from practice times - the answer is two part,' he explained.

"If it is a practice session that you are using to set yourself up for an upcoming qualifying session, then there is no doubt that practice form is in most instances consistent with qualifying form.

"On the other hand if the practice session that you are taking part in is focused on testing and development, on the whole lap times are irrelevant."

Rogers - who is entering his 52nd year of motorsport this season - believes his Wilson Security GRM team has made progress from the opportunity to test, though the increased coverage and TV cameras was an added pressure this time around.

"The Sydney test does provide a mental challenge.

"To be a race car driver you need to be extremely competitive and the natural thing to do is go as quick as possible, but we believe we handled this well and are in a good position heading to Clipsal in three weeks."

Wall believed the and his crew made progress with the #34 S60, and McLaughlin - whose stocks increased hugely at last year's Clipsal 500, when 'jandal' become a household term in Australia - is hungry to stand on top of the podium at the street track this season, after second in Race Two in 2014.

Read more of Rogers' musings here.