Webb Confident With Two Competitive Cars
TEKNO Autosports team owner and driver Jonathon Webb is surehe will have a strong season in 2013, despite new teammate Shane Van Gisbergen stealingthe headlines at the Clipsal 500 last month.
Twenty-nine year-old Webb said he wasn’t bothered if he wascalled the “forgotten man” so early in the season and was adamant this yearwould be his best yet in V8 Supercars.
Despite Van Gisbergen posting two pole positions and a racewin in Adelaide, it is Webb who holds bragging rights in the Championship sofar. Two top 10 finishes have left him in seventh place – three spots above histeammate, who had a DNF in the first race.
“I’m quite happy with that at the moment, to be honest,” Webbsaid.
Having described the beginning of last year’s season as“shocking”, Webb was keen to have a clean run in the new car at the Clipsal500.
“Thankfully we brought (the car) home in one piece this timeand I’m seventh in the championship, so it’s a good start.”
Webb said having a strong teammate in Van Gisbergen wasexactly what TEKNO needed to consistently challenge for honours throughout theyear – running two strong drivers had been a long-term goal for the team.
“This year we had the opportunity to put Shane on – someonefor me to chase and really work with – and have both cars at the front ratherthan just the one.”
Another goal achieved is both cars now running titlesponsors in VIP Petfoods and Darrell Lea. The latter appeared on Webb’s car forthe first time at the Australian Grand Prix, after the team conspicuously ran mostlyall-white cars last year.
“It was great in Adelaide to have a one car fully sponsoredand liveried, but a shame we didn’t have both,” Webb said. “Then we got talkingto (Darrell Lea owners) the Quinn family and they’re obviously happy with whatwe’re doing. We’re pretty keen to be involved in the new branding of DarrellLea instead of having a white car.
“We didn’t sell ourselves short last year, which is why wehad those white cars.
“We hung in there and knew what we were putting together wasworth waiting for and I think that’s shown now with the names we’ve got on ourcars.”
Webb said the team’s hard work, perseverance and self-beliefwas paying off.
“Everyone has been working hard on every aspect of thebusiness but we’ve still got to remember we’re only three years in,” he said. “We’restill really very young compared to what everyone else is doing but we’ve gotsome really good staff on board.
“Now we’re starting to get our name and our faces out there,so I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
Webb and Kiwi Van Gisbergen will be looking to continuetheir form at this weekend’s Tasmania Microsoft Office 365 at Symmons Plainsand the back-to-back ITM 400 Auckland in New Zealand.
The public can purchase tickets for the TasmaniaMicrosoft Office 365 at www.ticketek.com.au or visit www.v8supercars.com.au.
Tickets are also on sale for the ITM 400 V8 Supercars atPukekohe Park Raceway from April 12-14, through Ticketek for as little asNZ$30, with three-day general admission for NZ$110 and three-day grandstandsfrom NZ$145. Kids 12 years and under are free for general admission with aticket bearing adult. Visit www.v8supercars.co.nzfor more information.
