Thanks for the memories

Today marks the end of a 13-year career for Aaron McGill in the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series, retiring from the category at the close of the Coates Hire Sydney 500 this weekend.

McGill first appeared on the V8 Supercars landscape in 2000 at the Bathurst 1000, and has since become a constant in the Dunlop Series, holding the record for most round starts in the category.

He made his debut in the series in 2001 with the RPM squad, before taking some time away from the sport, returning in 2004 with Howard Racing.  

He then moved to Verdnick Racing the following year, before forming his own team in 2006.

76 round starts later, the curtain will drop on McGill’s colourful career in the Dunlop Series today, leaving as one of the few privateers left in the category. 

“The Dunlop Series gave us privateers the opportunity to teach engineers, teach mechanics… it was a training ground, and that’s how it started,” McGill told v8supercars.com.au .

“Over time I’ve seen it develop more into a satellite series for the main game. Next door we have Garry Rogers Motorsport, Prodrive, Brad Jones Racing, Renee Gracie has Paul Morris backing…

“It’s time for us to move on and leave it to the young kids.”

The streets of Sydney Olympic Park are a fitting place for McGill to take his final chequered flag in the series, having his most memorable career moment here in 2012.

“It’s really quite bittersweet,” he said of his final race at Homebush.

“This joint is either really good or it burns me, and that year, it rained here before our final race for the year.

“I made the decision to go out on slicks, and for four laps it was diabolical, I couldn’t drive the car, I was just trying to keep it off the walls.

“And then the dry line came through and off we went. Another three or four laps, we would have won the race.”

But after yesterday’s unfortunate incident with rookie Liam McAdam saw him fail to finish the race, the McGill Motorsport squad are working hard to make the grid for the 52-year-old’s final race.

His Battery World Commodore sustained significant damage to the fuel cell when McAdam sent it into the tyre barriers.

“Liam has been over and apologised, he just missed the brake marker going into turn two,” he said. 

“He must have missed it by a long way because he hit the back of the car and lifted me into the air which I think has torn the fuel tank out, spun me around and put me on the tyre barrier.

“It all got a bit ugly… but I’m looking forward to the last lap so I can wave to the crowd and disappear into the sunset.”

If the McGill Motorsport team can repair the car in time, they will qualify for their final race in the Dunlop Series at 9.55am, before the 17-lapper at 2.20pm.