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Slade rehydrated and ready to go

25 Oct 2014
Supercheap Auto star aims for the podium again after heroic drive.
4 mins by James Pavey
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Tim Slade will be fully recovered from heat exhaustion and ready to race for another podium today at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600.

In the feel good story of the day, Slade and co-driver Tony D'Alberto finished third in the Race 31 of the V8 Supercars Championship, but only after the stewards demoted Mark Winterbottom to fourth because he pushed the Supercheap Auto Commodore out of the way at the last corner and won a sprint to the chequered flag.

Slade staggered from the car post-race and was clearly distressed on the podium. He also missed the press conference as he received attention and took and ice bath to reduce his core temperature.

"Now two hours after the race I am excited to go again, but before I wasn't that interested about stepping back in the car tomorrow," Slade told v8supercars.com.au on Saturday evening.

"I was the worst I have ever been."

It was only the second podium of the year for Slade in a difficult first year at Walkinshaw Racing and came only after the car was rebuilt after his huge Bathurst shunt.

Memorably, it was also D'Alberto's first ever podium in V8 Supercars after debuting in the main game in 2005.

Slade raced his double stint without a functional cool suit because the front passenger door was damaged and the team could not add dry ice at the pit stop. His helmet fan and drink bottle lasted for only a few laps.

It was the third straight race Slade has raced without a cool suit.

"All I cared about on the in-lap was getting into pitlane and getting out of the car," Slade said. "You get to the point where you feel claustrophobic because you are that hot.

"I really felt the effects. At least the last 20 laps I was thinking 'I don't want to be in this thing'. I knew we were in a position for a podium but I just kept getting hotter and hotter and I was just talking myself through it lap after lap and just trying my hardest not to make any mistakes."

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Slade said he was conscious that Winterbottom was charging towards him on fresher tyres in his Ford Performance Racing Falcon and defended as hard as he could on the last lap to hold on to his rostrum position. But he was slow off the last corner because of his shagged rear tyres.

"I just got a nudge and that pushed me wide and I was 'oh shit, now he is going to sneak up the inside'. I was wheel-spinning and sliding all the way to the fence," he said.

"I just pictured in my head what was going to happen and it did happen. I kept looking at the left front and I was sure he was going to poke his nose past and sure enough he did.

"I went over the line and pretty disappointed because I through we were fourth."

Slade was only just coming to terms with the podium result a couple hours after the race, praising the efforts of the Walkinshaw crew to get the car rebuilt as well as getting the Holden Racing Team #2 prepared for the Gold Coast.

"I am really, really happy for all the guys having this result after how-ever many races, which was topped off by Bathurst," he said. "They worked extremely hard the people back at the workshop - and some of them don't come to the race track so they can't be forgotten about - and it's awesome for them.

"It's also great for Supercheap Auto too, who have re-signed for next year."

Slade admitted it was also a confidence booster for him after a challenging year.

"It doesn't take much to not be where you should be, so it is good to get this result. It's really, really pleasing knowing the car is speedy and that you as a driver just have to get your bit right and you should be somewhere near the front."

Slade, who is an elite standard athlete, said he was confident that he would recover fully in time for today's ARMOR ALL qualifying at 11.55am and the race at 1.55pm local time.

"I just have to pump the fluids back in. the water and the electrolytes ... basically anything that is in an electrolyte sport drink and also a protein drink because it is a workout in the car, then get a good feed and good sleep and go again."

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