Hot Lap Spices up MKR's Craig's day

Who would’ve thought getting into thekitchen would get you into a V8 Supercar? My Kitchen Rules contestant andlong-time fan Craig was given the opportunity of a lifetime at Symmons Plains yesterday.

In the hot seat with rookie ScottMcLaughlin, Craig was excited about the lap – it didn’t hurt that the Fujitsu RacingGRM driver was fourth quickest overall in yesterday’s Practice and has come offthe back of his first race win at non-championship event, the Australian GrandPrix.

Husband and wife cooking team Craig andKerrie were both at the track, and while Kerrie had the chance to spend timewith Jack Daniel’s Racing and check out the food tent, it was Craig who hoppedin the passenger’s seat.

“It was just amazing,” he said after theride. “That car was so wickedly fast! I just had a ball, I couldn’t stoplaughing all the way around there, it was so good.”

He enjoyed the track’s signature hairpinturn and felt nothing but awe for the series drivers.

“I knew it’d be hard braking there, but youcan feel yourself going forward into your seatbelt.

“I can’t believe the force of the brakingand acceleration – those guys must be so fit and strong.”

Craig was full of praise for McLaughlin,who he believes has a great future in V8s. “Scotty’s a lovely guy and he madesure I got a good scare every now and then!”

Who would have thought a love for cookingwould lead to such opportunities?

“I’m really appreciative of it,” Craigsaid.

The MKR pair had a taste of what thedrivers experience every race weekend, with an autograph signing session thatmorning. “Today at the signing the kids were so excited! It was a really goodfeeling. The show touches a lot of people and we had fun.

“It’s quite funny (watching the show back).We don’t see anything beforehand, so anything people see on TV we are seeingfor the first time as well. You remember snippets, but it’s quite surreal…We’ll go shopping and see photos of us and as a normal punter that’s somethingyou don’t get, so we’re still adjusting and adapting.”

MKR airs on Channel 7 with a specialscreening on Sunday at 6.30pm.