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Trimble prepared for tough Adelaide V8debut |
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
Michael Trimble has declared himself ready for his V8 Supercar debut while
admitting that this weekend’s Clipsal 500 is arguiably the toughest race on the
V8 Supercar calendar.
The Gold Coast-based driver has moved into the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series in
2008 and will jump straight into the deep end with his first race around the
tortuous Adelaide street circuit.
Trimble raced in the Carrera Cup series in 2007 and along with major sponsor
Global Jet, has joined Marty Brant’s Independent Race Cars team in V8 Supercar
racing’s development series for 2008.
”Adelaide is an awesome place and
an amazing event,” said Trimble.
”The track itself is probably the equal
to Bathurst as being the toughest we race at all year. There isn’t one section
of the track that is easy, you need to be aggressive and also be very fit.
“Fitness is something I have really focused on over the summer that
should help me towards achieving a strong result this weekend.”
 Trimble
has raced at the Adelaide street circuit in the past in other categories, most
recently qualifying ninth in his debut in the Carrera Cup at Adelaide in March
last year.
“Last year was a very special experience and it will be even
more memorable this year in a V8 Supercar,” said Trimble.
“It’s going to
be another step up but I’m with a great team and I’m confident we can start the
season on a positive note.”
The Independent Race Cars team is one of the
most professional in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, taking the series crown in
2002 with driver Paul Dumbrell.
After running the Autobarn Commodore of
Steve Owen in the V8 Supercar Championship Series last season, highlighted by
sixth in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, the team has moved to a two-car
operation in 2008, running Trimble’s #64 Global Jet Commodore and the #500 Mack
Commodore of Jack Perkins, both in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.
“I’m
new to the team but everything is working exceptionally well at this stage,”
said Trimble.
“While it is pretty early to develop a strong working
relationship I believe we have all the right ingredients to be successful
throughout the year.
“I’ve got a steep learning curve ahead of me given
the fact that I have only had one day in a V8 Supercar prior to the start of the
year but if it was easy everyone would be racing and being successful.”
Trimble will benefit from the experience of renowned race engineer Oscar
Fiorinotto in 2008, the same engineer that steered Dumbrell to his Fujitsu
Series title in 2002 and guided Owen and Tony D’Alberto to sixth at Mount
Panorama last October. He has also worked with the likes of Craig Lowndes and
Neil Crompton at 00 Motorsport and Simon Wills and Max Wilson at Team Dynamik.
“Oscar Fiorinotto is my engineer for 2008, he is very switched on and
has been around for many years,” said Trimble.
“In 2007, he was
responsible for assisting Steve Owen to some impressive results in the main
game. He has got a lot of good ideas and I’m looking forward to working with him
throughout the year.”
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