Co-drivers' Quoteboard: Race 31
Dean Canto, The Bottle-O FPR #55, p1:
“Today is very special and I am a bit emotional as I won’t work with Dave (Reynolds) until this time of year next season but it was a tough day and I am really proud of my little mate. When Dave is in the car I know he is capable of keeping it straight and off the walls but I had full faith in Dave and we’ve had the pace in every Enduro Cup race so it is great to finally get a win. Yesterday I made a mistake when I hit the pit limiter so I wanted to make it up to him today. The team did a great job, Dave putting it on pole helped and the strategy calls were the right ones all the way through the race.”
Luke Youlden, Lockwood Racing #14, p2:
"I was trying to keep a cool head but I was frustrated to be fair. The car had more pace than we could show stuck in traffic. I wasn't sure how the strategy was going but obviously the boys made a really good call and I got some clear laps and pushed on."
Ryan Briscoe, Supercheap Auto Racing #66, p3:
“These three endurance races have been a blast.
“I’ve been able to really get to know everybody and become a part of the sport, which has been really enjoyable.
“In today’s race, the car was very stable all day; the track was breaking up at turns 12 and 13 and it became rough – I had to make sure I kept a tight line.
“I was able to maintain my position to the cars in front during my stint, and the team’s great strategy delivered us a podium finish, which is a great way to end my season.”
Craig Baird, IRWIN Racing #4, p5:
“When I drove the car first on Friday, it was so aggressive and I really struggled, especially with the driving style you need for these cars as opposed to the Carrera Cup car on the curbs.
“It has been an enjoyable endurance series with Lee (Holdsworth) and Erebus Motorsport. The team structure was similar to what I joined last year, so I knew many of the guys walking in, but with a different manufacturer.
“Lee and I work well together, we have a similar sense of humour and enjoy our racing, but get on with it when it counts.”
Karl Reindler, Jack Daniel’s Racing #15, p6:
"I'm really happy, especially after yesterday, having led 21 laps it was nice to be up the grid further today.
“We played it very differently with the strategy today and it worked out in the end and I think sixth is a great result after a long day."
Daniel Gaunt, Norton Hornets #36, p10:
“I wasn’t happy with my stint. I was defending from one of the FPR cars and I pushed too deep into Turn 11 and torched a right front tyre.
“It hurt the stopping power of the car and hurt my speed for the rest of the stint.
“To come away with a top 10 is great. Caruso drove fantastic all weekend. We were unlucky yesterday with the upright failure, but this top 10 makes up for it.”
Dale Wood, Wilson Security Racing #12, p11:
“It was a very different race from yesterday. A lack of carnage! It was a pretty clean race. I got stuck behind Daniel Gaunt (Nissan) for too long. I reckon he should have been pinged for cutting turn one on each lap as it did hurt us. The pit stops were OK, but I did not gain any track position. Giving the car back to Chaz (Mostert) I knew he would push on and we just missed the Top 10.
“I have really enjoyed the enduros with DJR. They are a great bunch of guys to work with.”
Ash Walsh, Wilson Security Racing #17, p16:
“We didn’t quite have the car we had yesterday. The start went well and I just wanted to keep out of trouble in those early laps. Our strategy just missed the opportunity to pit at the first Safety Car and I had to run another lap. It cost us track position but staying out longer in the second stint did give us back quite a few positions. We just didn’t have the pace at the end when everyone was on the same strategy.
“It has been a great experience to race the #17 DJR Falcon with Tim. To get good results at Bathurst and here made up for the Sandown hiccup!”
Marc Lieb, Team TEKNO Darrell Lea #19, p17:
“It was another tough day in the office. I had a pretty good start, but Brabham had a spin, and he was right in the way. I couldn’t go anywhere. There was a car left, a car right and he was straight in front of me, so I had to stop, and reverse back. Then driving to catch the pack was good, fighting for position and I passed a few people. Then we pitted under safety car, and we had an issue with the car. Maybe something broke when I hit Brabham, I’m not sure, but it was our main problem for the day. It was a disappointing day.
“I enjoyed the experience with TEKNO a lot, it’s just a shame we couldn’t get the results we wanted. This is the disappointing thing. Hopefully I will be able to come back, we’ll make it better, and get better results. I definitely enjoyed the three races, it was a wonderful experience, probably one of the best I’ve had in my racing career. Especially Bathurst, and the Gold Coast again too. I’m very familiar with the team, and it’s always nice to come to Australia.”
David Brabham, Heavy Haulage Australia Racing #47, p20:
“We made some setup changes to be the same as Lee’s and the car was a lot better.
“I brought the car in to hand over to Tim in a good position, then I couldn’t get out the door. I’ve never had to get out the wrong side of the car before!
“We lost a lap, got it back then had a problem with the front which saw us lose a few laps and become a non-event really!
“It was a real shame as I feel we could have got through for a top 10 finish, but fair play to Lee (Holdsworth) and Craig (Baird) they did a great job.”
Jonny Reid, Team HIFLEX #3, p21:
“It was great to have some good results with the team, especially after the Sandown and Bathurst dramas we had.
“The boys worked hard all weekend and it finally paid off on Saturday. Our demons returned to haunt us on Sunday but all up it was a great weekend. Team HIFLEX have been great to me, I can’t say enough how grateful I am to Tony (and) Al (D’Alberto) and all the boys.”
Steven Johnson, SP Tools Racing #9, p22:
“I’m very lucky I didn’t go into the fence when the shock broke, it was so difficult to pull up at turn four and I was even more lucky I didn’t collect the car in front of me. It is really weird how yesterday it was the back chicane it happened and today the front chicane.
“It is really disappointing. We had a car that was capable of two really good results this weekend – I’m not talking top 10, I’m talking top five or better, but I guess that is the way it goes. It has been character building - it’s not like we don’t have the pace and then jag a result - we had the pace and some good results have probably gone begging.
“I’m so happy to have been part of this SP Tools Racing/Erebus Motorsport team and feel so welcome – they say they are happy to have me around, but the pleasure is all mine. It’s been an awesome three months. I’ve got a new lease of life on racing again."
Taz Douglas, Norton Hornets #360, DNF:
“It was very disappointing.
“We had speed in the car. James (Moffat) did an awesome job, qualifying second, so it’s disappointing for all of the Norton team.
“I made an average start and dropped back a bit. I didn’t have the tyres up. I trucked on OK, and we were in P6, but something failed. Again, disappointing, and no good for James’ Championship because we got no points.”
Jeroen Bleekemolen, TEKNO Team VIP Petfoods, #97, DNF:
“I had a really good time today, I had really good pace on old tyres, which I didn’t know at the time, but found out later! So I was happy with that. It was a tough race, for sure, one of the toughest I’ve been involved in. This place is very hard on cars, and I felt that we would have a good result again, as Shane (van Gisbegen) was driving very fast. But, it wasn’t to be and he got caught up with another driver and had a crash. But we had a great result yesterday, and I get to go home with a beautiful surfboard! I’ve really enjoyed my time in Australia, driving for TEKNO with Shane. The highlight is certainly the 2nd place yesterday, but Bathurst is spectacular. For sure, I would love to come back. Hopefully next year!”
David Russell, Jack Daniel’s Racing #7, DNF:
"We had a really strong car, it was really looking after its tyres, so we made our way forward and we were in the top five when we had an engine drama.
“I'm disappointed for Todd (Kelly), because he didn't get a change to jump in the car and we would have been running very strongly."
