V8 Supercars stars switch Commodore for Sprintcar
TEKNO Autosports' Shane van Gisbergen and Jonathon Webb have traded in their Darrell Lea STIX Holden Commodore V8 Supercar for a Lucas Oil Sprintcar, taking to Brisbane's Ausdeck Archerfield Speedway.
Van Gisbergen and Webb got behind the wheel of Queensland champion Andrew Scheuerle's brand new 900 horsepower #Q1 Ausdeck/Ian Boettcher Race Parts/Lucas Oil Sprintcar, fulfilling dreams of driving of Speedway's most powerful cars.
Both drivers agreed the Sprintcar was a unique beast, with a greater power to weight ratio than a Formula 1 car, but took no time getting up to speed.
"I grew up racing Speedway from when I was 10 till 15, but never anything this quick," van Gisbergen said.
"I was a bit intimidated initially because it's tight in the cockpit, the walls are close and Sprintcars have so much power, but I got more and more comfortable and the speed came with it.
"When you sit in it, it doesn't feel comfortable because you're so upright and driving it like a bus, but when you get going the rush takes over. The power these cars have is just awesome."
It was the first time Webb has strapped himself into a Sprintcar and was amazed by its distinctive characteristics.
"They are so different to anything I've ever driven. Sprintcars are wild and out there, but a lot of fun. I definitely want to do it again," Webb said.
"It's a bit overwhelming at first because everything is just so unnatural. I thought it was going to kill me because if you're not careful it wants to tip you into the wall.
"After I eased into, and stopped wobbling around the bottom it wasn't as daunting as I first thought. The Lucas Oil boys gave us a brand new car, so I had to make sure I brought it back in one piece!"
Scheuerle said the V8 Supercars drivers could easily compete in dirt track racing's premier category.
"It was a great opportunity to show them what Speedway is all about. They both did a good job once they settled the nerves and got up to speed. Give them a few more laps and you'd throw them in a car for race night," Scheurele said.
"Shane is good in anything he sits in, but Jono surprised me at how quick he was having never driven a Sprintcar before.
"I got a taste of V8 Supercars a couple of weeks ago when Shane took me around Queensland Raceway, so it was great to show them other categories Lucas Oil is involved in."
Van Gisbergen and Webb will get back into the Darrell Lea STIX Commodore at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend for Round 8 of the V8 Supercars Championship, where the flying Kiwi won twice last year.
Today marks the anniversary of van Gisbergen's V8 Supercars race debut, in a Team Kiwi Falcon prepped by Stone Brothers Racing. He qualified 29th and finished 20th on debut at Oran Park in Race 1 before backing up in two more races the following day.
The Sydney Motorsport Park SuperSprint is the final event before the season of endurance begins, with Webb taking up co-driving duties for the Wilson Security Sandown 500, Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600.
