Update: Damage Diary BJR 21
David Wall’s Wilson Security HoldenCommodore was just one of the cars caught up in the pile-up in Race 19 at the SKYCITY Triple Crown.
Plenty of damage was sustained down pitlane and now it’s a race for many to have the cars ready for the next event,the Sucrogen Townsville 400.
While cars don’t need to be on track untilFriday July 5, the timeline is quite tight given travel time required to get from the NorthernTerritory back to Melbourne workshops (for Melbourne-based teams) and then up to Queensland in time for the next event.
Wall’s team Brad Jones Racing is providingv8supercars.com.au regular updates on the repair of the Commodore, to give aninsight into the analysis, processes and work required to turn around a damagedcar between events.
The accident Wall was involved in was pure chaos on track– it began in the mid-field and transpired all the way down to the back ofthe pack, leaving seven cars unable to finish, and others with a range ofdamage.
But what was Wall’s story in Race 19?
“It comes back to the start,” Wall said.
“I had a good start, went around theoutside of (Shane) van Gisbergen and went around the high line, if you like, ofturn one – so I was on the outside of the track.
“Something happened in front of me – Icould see (Tim) Slade moving around a fair bit and then shoot across my side ofthe track.
“I was waiting for him to keep comingacross … the next thing I got hit fairly hard from I think it was (Chaz)Mostert behind and went into the fence.
“It was a bit of a chain reaction– almost two accidents, one ahead and one happening in the midfield.
“It’s just one of those things I think, butit was very disappointing. I was trying to keep away from what happened infront, to get hit heavily from behind and sent around.”
Wall said the hit was estimated around5.7Gs. And while he described the crash as “reasonably sizeable” he believed itwould have been much worse had he gone into the tyre bundles on the other sideof the track, as Dean Fiore did.
Other than being winded, fortunately, Wallwas fine and back at training within a couple of days.
Another positive for the team is damage isnot as serious as originally expected. However there is still a fair amountahead of them before the Sucrogen Townsville 400. The car must be ready to be loaded into the truck on Friday.
Here is the team’s diary, deconstructingthe work put in to allow the Wilson Security Racing Commodore to be ready to hit the track in Townsville.
DayOne: Thursday June 20, 7.30am
The Wilson Security Racing transporterarrives back from Darwin. The team unloads the car, and the Wilson SecurityRacing VF Commodore is extensively damaged.
There’s rear end damage from contact fromanother car, which sent it off track and head on into the tyre bundle causingmassive damage to the front of the car.
The crew commences the dismantle – untilthe car is dismantled, the team cannot accurately determine the extent of thedamage.
At first glance the impact of the car intothe tyre bundle on Sunday during race three looked to have damaged the car’srails and possible mounting points for the suspension.
The crew continued to unbolt and remove theengine ancillaries, engine, hubs, axle and front suspension. They also unboltand remove the transaxle.
The work continues with rear hubs, axel,suspension also removed. The object of the job is to strip the car back to achassis where it will then head to the team’s fabrication department for acheck of the positioning of the car’s pick up points and then straighten,repair or replace the damage.
By the day’s end, the Wilson SecurityRacing No 21 Commodore is totally stripped and headed for the Fab shop.
Totaltime: 2 crew – 12 hours = 24 hrs
DayTwo: Friday June 21, 7.30am
Car 21 is in the Fab shop. After inspectingthe chassis, it was determined the car would not be required to be put onto theChassis jig.
The Fabrication department uses the frontrail weld assembly jig to check the front end suspension mounting points.
The Fab shop repaired the parcel shelf andthe left rear internal panel. The crew also repaired the minor front right handrail damage and finally checked the TEGA pick up points.
The repairs were finished Friday lunchtime.The chassis was then sent to the paint and panel shop for a respray/touch up tobe ready for the crew to start re assembly on Saturday morning.
According to Brad Jones Racing ProductionManager Dave Morris-Fontes, the team’s first impressions of the accident wereworse than the reality of it.
“At first sight the damage to car 21 lookedsubstantial, however once we were able to get our hands on the chassis,although the impact looked massive, the damage was far less than what we expectedto see,” Morris-Fontes said.
“We were able to have it back to the car’screw the same day.
“With the trucks leaving for Townsvillenext weekend it was good to get the car back into the crew hands quickly.”
Totaltime: 2 crew – 9 hours = 18 hrs
DayThree: Saturday June 22
Wilson Security Racing mechanics MikeElkington (pictured) and Samantha Hart commence work on Saturday morning. Car 21 is boughtback into the workshop from the paint and panel department.
The crew commences the chassis refit.
Totaltime: 2 crew – 6 hours = 12 hrs
Day Four: Monday June 24
Wilson Security Racing mechanics Elkington and Hartcontinued to re assemble car 21. Thework today centred on fitting the sub assembly parts. These parts were removedand sent to the sub assembly department to check for damage and to be servicedprior to going back onto the car. This is the process between all V8 supercar eventsand not just when the cars are damaged.
The NRE race engine, after being checked for damage, was reinstalled.A brand new front suspension set up was fitted.
Work on the repaired rear end of the car was also started.The transaxel and ancillaries and new rear quarter panels were fitted. Frontdoor hinges were also fitted.
Total time: 2 crew –10 hrs = 20hrs
Day Five: Tuesday June 25
The Wilson Security Racing crew continued the rebuild today.Both the front and rear is now taking shape and starting to look like a racecar again.
Work on the front end of the car included fitting theradiator support, mounts and radiator. It’s a new front anti roll bar androcker assembly and brand new front guards and front bar. The crew fittedheadlight support panels and headlights and the car also had front and rearhubs fitted and a new bonnet.
On the rear of the car, work centred on new rear quarter panels,new boot, tail light support panels and tail lights. Inside the boot new sidepanels and new inner guards were reinstalled as well as new rear bumper bar.The fuel refilling system was fitted for the Townsville round.
Total time: 3 crew – 10 hrs = 30hrs
Day Six: Wednesday June 26
Today's focus was on completing thefitting of components and the continuation of the new panelling.
Work included number one mechanic Mike Elkington fitting thefront shock potentiometer and team data engineer Tom Wettenhall calibrating thesame (pictured).
Total time: 2 crew – 10 hours = 20hrs
Day Seven: Thursday June 27
With the rebuild almost complete and time running out beforethe Saturday departure, the crew are now focusing on the cars set up for theupcoming Townsville race.
Work included checking the car's wing pivot position usingthe plum bob. The car was also placed on the TEGA jig to check front splitterheight and rear wing height.
Sticker man Brad Norman got to work on the new vinyl wrap.The team has the ability to design, print and then wrap the race cars in-house.The vinyl side is one large sticker covering the area tail lights to headlights.
Total time: 3 crew – 10 hours = 30 hrs
Day Eight: Friday June 28
The rebuild of the Wilson Security Racing Car 21 is almostcomplete.
The final day's work included finishing touches to the vinyl wrappingand restickering. Meanwhile Car 21crew Elkington and Hart received the car's race set upinstructions for the Townsville weekend from engineer Julian Stannard. The dayis spent making the changes and checking set-up instructions. Once the changeswere made they set the race car down on the set-up patch to check toe andcamber positions.
After a big weeks work finally, early on Saturday morningthe car is rolled outside to be loaded on to the Wilson Security RacingTransporter for the four day journey from the teams Albury workshop to farnorth Queensland.
Total time: 3 crew – 10 hours = 30 hrs
Running total time spent: 184 hours
See the #21 Wilson Security Holden Commodore on-track at the Sucrogen Townsville 400 this weekend – tickets through Ticketek.
