Pre-Season Bathurst Miles For V8 Stars
V8 Supercars fans firstchance to see the 2013 drivers and cars will be at the official pre-season testday (at Sydney Motorsport Park) on February 16th – however, ardentfans will actually have a chance to catch them one week earlier.
A host of current full-timeand endurance-driving V8 Supercar stars will be in action at the Liqui-MolyBathurst 12 Hour across the February 8-10 weekend, one week before thepre-season kickoff.
Event promoters yesterdayreleased an entry list that includes 13 V8 Supercar ‘regulars’ amongst a 51-carfield.
For many, the 12-hour hit-outwill be an opportunity to get some pre-season Bathurst miles ahead of their moreserious duties commencing one week later. Some also use the event as anopportunity to learn the circuit – ex-F1 star Christian Klien using the race toget his eye in ahead of his work with Russell Ingall in the Enduro’s lastseason.
Five-time Supercheap AutoBathurst 1000 champion Craig Lowndes headlines the list, teaming with hisregular ‘Season of Endurance’ co-driver Warren Luff in an Audi R8 with carowner, Rod Salmon.
It will be Lowndes’ thirdcrack at 12-hour glory, the Queensland-based star expected to jet in straightfrom his current adventure in Europe on the Monte Carlo Rally revival (SeeV8supercars.com.au story here).
Erebus Motorsport driversTim Slade and Lee Holdsworth will get their first taste of Mercedes-Benz poweron the Mountain nice and early, when they team with Australian GT ace PeterHackett in one of two Erebus SLS AMG entries received.
Slade – who recently shookdown Erebus’ first COTF Mercedes Benz E-Class AMG at Queensland Raceway lastweek - made his debut in the race last year, helping the team finish second ontheir Mountain debut.
As reported earlier thisweek, Shane van Gisbergen’s first outing in the distinctive black and yellowcolours of VIP Petfoods will come at the 12 hour, driving with Tony and KlarkQuinn in a Porsche.
JELD-WEN Racing’s AlexDavison will combine with cousin James and US-based Australian DavidCalvert-Jones in a Class B Porsche, racing against Steven Johnson – who willteam with good friend Nathan Tinkler in an identical Porsche GT3.
Johnson, Tinker and SteveRichards combined to finish fourth in last year’s 12 hour, though Richards willthis year be driving a Class A Lamborghini Gallardo.
Peugeot today announced thatthey had secured much of the Brad Jones Racing line-up for their two-carcampaign, Jason Bright, David Wall and Dunlop Series regular Andrew Jones to drivea pair of RCZ Coupe’s amongst a trio of Peugeot drivers from France.
Regular endurance facesDavid Russell, Allan Simonsen, Craig Baird, Daniel Gaunt and Johnny Reid willalso feature amongst a classy field that includes German Touring Car legendBernd Schneider and World Champion Rob Huff.
Two-time Supercheap AutoBathurst 1000 winner and 1995 champion John Bowe is also entered, driving aFerrari.
