Mallee boys ready to tackle Pirtek Enduro Cup

Team JELD-WEN drivers Jack Perkins and Pirtek Enduro Cupco-driver Cameron Waters are looking to do the Mallee proud when they take to the track at the Wilson Security Sandown 500 this weekend.

For Perkins, the Mallee is rich in family history.

"Dad is from Cowangie, and so was Grandpa," the 28-year old said.

"We've still got the family farm and I get up there at any opportunity I can. Dad and I play an active role during harvest too. It's a great part of Victoria, maybe one day I can retire up there full time."

Perkins will be joined by 20-year-old Waters, hailing from Mildura in north-west Victoria, who has spent 2014 competing in the Ford Performance Racing Dunlop Series entry.

"Growing up in the Mallee was great," said Waters.

"The region reallygets behindmotorsport, and has produced a lot of people that have gone on to dobig things. It's great to be driving with Jack, as the Perkins family also have a lot of history in the Mallee, hopefully we can put on a good showing for everyone!"

The pair will combine for the 500km classic at the suburban Melbourne circuit, alongside the traditional Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 next month.

Perkins says he is looking forward to the endurance section of the season, as it is a great opportunity to get some results to be proud of in what has been a difficult year.

"The enduros have been my specialty for the last couple of years so I always had these races penciled in as what should be our strongest for 2014," Perkins said.

"Cam is a great young talent and I'm looking forward to pairing up with him. He's at a similar age to 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. We gave him over 85 per cent of the driving at the test day last week, so he's feeling confident and comfortable in car 18."

Perkins is also looking to capitalise on a Ford Performance Racing strength, where the cars are easy on their tyres, a major benefit over the longer distance events.

"Tyre life is always a big part of any V8 Supercar race, and this year it will be interesting. Traditionally Sandown is hard on rear tyres, so hopefully the FPR strength works in our favour," Perkins said.

"Bathurst is a big unknown this year as the track has a brand new surface, so it will be a different track for everyone this year. The Gold Coast is different again as it's the only enduro where we use soft tyres. FPR were strong there last year and hopefully that carries through to this year, as our strength this year has been on the soft compound tyre."

Waters has demonstrated his speed across the year, and will look to harness it to get the most out of himself and the Team JELD-WEN Ford during these critical races.

He says that a good test last week, where he completed over 100 laps of the Winton Raceway circuit has left him feeling comfortable in the car, and confident leading into the Sandown 500.

"I'm feeling pretty confident that we can get a few good results during the enduros. Jack and I are a similar size, so it makes driver changes a lot easier and we both like the car handling in a similar way, so car set-up is less of a compromise," Waters said.

"It will be good to go back to Sandown. The last time I raced there was in 2011 in the Development Series, but I have done plenty of laps there from my days in Formula Vee and Formula Ford. I really like the track, and it's my first time doing the 500 as a co-driver, so it should be interesting," Waters concluded.

The Pirtek Enduro Cup begins this weekend at the Wilson Security Sandown 500, with the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 over the weekend of October 9-12 and the Castrol ESGE Gold Coast 600 from October 24-26.Tickets are available to all three events now.