Fitness blitz helps Wood overcome cool suit, seat ordeals
Ryan Wood/Jayden Ojeda race from ninth to sixth at The Bend
Wood suffered cool suit failure, seat discomfort in final stints
WAU driver now eighth in championship heading to Bathurst
If not for a pre-event fitness blitz, Ryan Wood may have had an even more hot and bothered run home than the one he encountered at The Bend.
Wood and Jayden Ojeda combined to finish sixth — and lead Walkinshaw Andretti United car — in Sunday's AirTouch at The Bend.
Ojeda was muscled down the order early on, before Wood took over and raced to the finish.
The Kiwi’s run home included a spirited battle with Tickford Racing rival Thomas Randle, with Wood finishing ahead of star teammate Chaz Mostert, who was undone by a strategy gamble.
Wood undertook some training with former professional ironman triathlete Adam 'Adsy’ Gordon between rounds. Gordon has trained the likes of Will Davison and Nick Percat in recent years.
Gordon's work with Wood came in handy during Sunday's race; Wood suffered a cool suit failure midway through the race, and also struggled to find seat comfort.
The training could prove even more effective in Bathurst, should Wood be required to get his elbows out and try and either win the race, or protect his provisional Finals position.
“Body’s good, the cool suit failed,” Wood said post-race.
“Super long two stints there. All in all, pretty glad I did some training with Adsy before I came up here, and felt pretty good.
“Mentally and physically a little bit fatigued. I’m struggling with my shoulders, I think I need a bigger seat.
“I need to get something a bit bigger so I have a bit more room, I feel I’m getting caught in the seat.”
Wood started ninth after throwing away his Shootout lap, with a penalty for Mostert promoting the #2 up the starting order. It was Ojeda who weathered the storm in the opening laps, with Wood full of praise of his co-driver.
“I was more gutted with the Shootout, because I knew I gave harder position for Juice to start the race,” Wood said.
“He got hung out to dry through no fault of his own, and he did an awesome job to come back.“When I saw him picking off car by car and some really experienced guys… for him to control the way he did in his stints was really impressive.
“It just shows in spades why he’s one of the most talented guys in Australia."
