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Team VIP Petfoods Takes Win In Home-Track Shakedown |
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Sunday, 03 June 2007 |
It’s game time for Australian Nürburgring campaigners Team VIP Petfoods of Queensland, as they make final preparations towards next weekend’s international event.
Winning this evening's four hour shakedown during the Queensland 500 Club enduro at Willowbank had team boss Tony Quinn brimming with confidence, with his teaming with driver Craig Baird again proving as potent a combination as during last year’s ninth placing at Germany’s famous Nürburgring.
“With the new car (the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR launched last Thursday at QR
ahead of its German race debut) there was limited time to practice, and
so it was valuable to get in some extra miles with the similar
componentry of the cup car we ran today,” said Quinn.
“Although not the same car, elements such as the gear box are nearly
the same, so it was good to be just that little bit more prepared ahead
of next weekend.”
Baird and Quinn will be joined by the chief’s talented son and regular
Carrera Cup campaigner Klark Quinn, along with New Zealand stalwart,
and Nürburgring veteran, Kevin Bell.
The Gold Coast based Team VIP Petfoods is rated a strong chance next
weekend and that was further supported by Kiwi Baird’s summation of the
team’s build up.
“Today went really well, it was great to do well at our home track, and
it seems just like yesterday we were here with the RSR,” said Baird.
“We started off the front row and we went in with a strategy developed from our 24 hour experience which worked well.
“I guess the best thing is to come away from today and go into next
weekend seeing Tony and Christina (Quinn) being rewarded for all the
investment and effort they are putting in.
“Going into next week we are certainly positive, there will be a lot to
do once we arrive with final preparations for the car including
installing a new 120L fuel cell, some upgrades, gearboxes and clutches
and the like, so it will be all hands on deck heading towards our top
five goal.”
Just last Thursday Queensland Raceway played host to the team’s
official unveiling of their new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Type 997) – the
only one of its kind in Australia - with it’s full driver line-up of
Baird, Quinn, Klark Quinn and Kevin Bell steering the sleek machine
around the Ipswich circuit for the first time.
Quinn and Baird will depart for Germany tomorrow morning to begin final
on-circuit preparations for the great race in the “Green Hell”, with
the 24 hour endurance race kicking off at 3.00pm local time on the 9th
of June, 2007 (11.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time). At the same
time, fellow Team VIP Petfoods racer Paul Kemal will be continuing his
Championship defence in the Aussie Racing Cars Series. The Sydney-sider
will be looking to maintain his 2007 Series lead during Eastern Creek’s
fourth round.
Team VIP Petfoods’ Nürburgring 24 hour schedule
Friday 8th June, 2007
9.50am – 11.50am Local German Time – 1st Time Training Session
(Australian Eastern Standard Time: 8th June 2007, 5.50pm – 7.50pm)
7.30pm – 11.30pm Local German Time – 2nd Time Training Session
(Australian Eastern Standard Time: 9th June 2007, 3.30am – 7.30am)
Saturday 9th June, 2007
3.00pm Local German Time – Start of the Nürburgring 24 hour
(Australian Eastern Standard Time: 9th June, 2007 – 11.00pm)
Sunday 10th June, 2007
3.00pm Local German Time – Finish of the Nürburgring 24 hour
(Australian Eastern Standard Time: 10th June, 2007 – 11.00pm)
Team VIP Petfoods’ Eastern Creek round schedule
Saturday 9th June, 2007
10.40am – 11.00am: Aussie Racing Cars - Practice
Sunday 10th June, 2007
9.00am – 9.20am: Aussie Racing Cars - Qualifying
12.10pm – 12.30pm: Aussie Racing Cars - Race One
4.40pm – 5.00pm: Aussie Racing Cars - Race Two
Monday 11th June, 2007
9.00am – 9.20am: Aussie Racing Cars – Race Three
11.15am – 11.35am: Aussie Racing Cars – Race Four
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