New Zealand new ground for Pye
A number of drivers haven’t contested a race at the Pukekohe circuit in their V8 Supercars – Chaz Mostert, Nick Percat, Robert Dahlgren, Dale Wood. And even though he ran full-time in the main series last year, Scott Pye is the final name on that list.
Though he attended the New Zealand event last year, Pye was confined to the garage after his infamous accident in Tasmania meant his V8 Supercar could not be fixed and shipped overseas for the back-to-back race meeting. But he won't let that inexperience bother him, as he tackles the 2.91km circuit at the ITM 500 Auckland for the first time and hopes to put a deflating Winton weekend behind him.
“I did race there in 2009 in Formula Toyota, but not since (last year's) circuit amendment,” Pye told v8supercars.com.au.
“When I was in Europe I hadn’t been to the circuits – but I will play some video games for sure and then watch lots of onboard footage,” he said of his preparations.
“It’s the same when you go to any circuit – usually within three or four laps you pick it up pretty quickly.
“But we’ve only got a 30-minute practice session (before qualifying) so it will be a little bit tough, but we’ll do what we can. I’m sure we’ll be fine.
“Texas was new for everybody as well and we didn’t get on too bad there.
“I’m sure at ‘Puke’ in terms of learning the circuit we’ll see how I go… (Sunday at Winton) is hopefully the biggest low we have this year, because our speed wasn’t there.”
While Winton was good to David Wall in Saturday's second race, Pye and his Wilson Security-backed teammate were disheartened after Sunday’s performance saw them finish 19th and 22nd respectively.
However Pye is hopeful of getting Dick Johnson Racing back up the front, having already achieved three top 10 finishes with his new team this season, including seventh place at Tasmania, just one position shy of his career best V8 Supercar result, achieved at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 last year.
“We will come back punching above our weight again and we will be up the front,” Pye said.
"It’s not all bad, everyone’s going to have a bad weekend and hopefully this was our worst... Look at Jamie Whincup, it was a mirror image for us.
"We did score 12 and 14 on Saturday, so we need to move forward."
Champion team Red Bull Racing Australia wasn’t at its best at the Winton 400 – it was another team that impressed Pye in Sunday’s qualifying session, when crews had to quickly adapt to different conditions.
“Shane van Gisbergen probably did the best job out of everyone in that session,” he said.
“They made a change to the car in the middle of qualifying, I believe, and it seemed to work really well for him. That team reacted really well.
“For us, feedback probably could’ve been better.”
Pye has remained in Victoria after the Winton weekend to go off the beaten path with his trainer; instead of the usual gym time, swimming and cycling, Pye has been running up mountains and tackling the 1000 Steps Kokoda Walk at Mount Dandenong to be in tip top form for the ITM 500 Auckland. The event begins on April 24 and runs over ANZAC weekend until April 27.
Pye sits 21st in the Championship, just four points shy of his Dunlop Series rival Ford Pepsi Max Crew’s Chaz Mostert, also in his second year in the main series.
Tickets are available for the ITM 500 Auckland now.
