Gentlemen Take Your Partners for the Queensland 500

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Aug 17, 2001

The big one at Bathurst is getting closer and teams are gearing up for the 500K warm up race at Queensland's Willowbank raceway. This will give the teams a chance to try their cars out in enduro mode before the trek to the Mountain.

This warmup race is vital experience for co-drivers who only race V8 Supercars for the team in the two endurance races. All are usually active in some other form of motor sport, but it is not the same as driving the actual V8's they will using in the races. With the current testing restrictions in V8 Supercars, even the best of funded teams have to choose between allocating precious testing time to the co-drivers or working on developing the car with the regular driver. So for many drivers this race will be their best chance to become familiar with a current V8 Supercar.

Two car teams have to make a decision; combine the regular drivers to maximise driving talent or spread them over the two cars as an insurance against some of the misfortunes that can strike any team in a long distance race. Driver's championship positions will also come into consideration.

HRT announced their intentions this week to put leading championship contenders Skaife and Bright in the same car. "We've split our lead drivers once before and that was in 1999" HRT General Manager Jeff Grech said this week, "but the Team's policy since then has been to put your two lead drivers together and to attempt - whenever possible - to win the race. By winning the event, the Shell Series outcome will then look after itself. "This year's a little different in that there's another 'regular' round before Bathurst and another two after the 1000k event so, we will evaluate our position again post Queensland and Winton." Grech explained. "Mark and Jason still will have at least three regular rounds to (hopefully) have their own personal battle for the Championship."

Drivers I will be watching

Top of the list are the Holden Racing Team drivers. HRT have two experienced former winners signed as part of the team, Tony Longhurst and Tomas Mezera, they won the 1988 event in Ford Sierra. Unless Jeff Grech has a change of heart they will attempt to make history at Bathurst this year by becoming the first driving combination to win in both a Holden and a Ford.

Longhurst has been a regular recent competitor despite being dumped by the Stone Bros while Tomas has

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