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[Australian GT] Championship Heads To Mallala For Final Sprint |
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Tuesday, 20 June 2006 |
AUSTRALIAN GT CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO MALLALA FOR FINAL SPRINT
The biggest field of GT cars to descend on the Festival State in over four years will compete in the fifth round of the 2006 Speed Energy Drink Australian GT Championship at Mallala Motorsport Park this weekend.
A 19-car field of cars from Ferrari, Porsche, Dodge and Lotus will compete at the 2.6km Mallala circuit at the weekend as the championship series begins the second half of a year that has already seen three different overall winners from the first four rounds.
The Mallala hit out will also be the final round contested in a sprint-race format this season, the remaining three events following the trip to South Australia all set to be contested over one or two hour endurance events.
Point’s leader Greg Crick (Speed Energy Drink Dodge Viper GTS ACR) heads to Mallala with a stranglehold on the series’ lead, having escaped to a 51-point margin over his nearest rivals thanks to a consistent performance at Phillip Island three weeks ago.
Crick will take to the Mallala circuit for the first time in years aboard his V10-engined Viper, the Tasmanian star aiming to consolidate his point’s buffer at a circuit that rewards power-down ability and horsepower.
“Aside from the big stops I think that the track will really suit the Viper,” Crick explained.
“It will be hard on the brakes and that is where the Porsche’s should be stronger, but our car will grunt out of the corners very well.”
The Tasmanian driver will return to Mallala for the first time since competing at the circuit in the V8 Development Series in 2002, and will be looking to make amends for what he believed were sub-par performances at the past two championship rounds.
“I have been disappointed with my performance in the last two rounds and I’ll be looking to improve that situation at Mallala.
“We have been fortunate to come away from Phillip Island with the point’s lead that we have considering we cost ourselves a whole bag of points both there and at Oran Park.
“We need to do a better job at Mallala.” He said.
Crick’s nearest rival in the point’s race is South Australian Bryce Washington, who will race his ADRAD Radiator’s Porsche GT3 Cup Car for the first time at his home circuit.
Washington won the Oran Park round of the championship in early May, and rebounded from a last-minute engine change at Phillip Island to score sold championship points despite the team working through the night to get the 22-year-old South Australian in the race.
The local ace needs a strong home event to place him back into championship contention and close the margin to current leader Crick.
Washington will be joined at Mallala by fellow local Porsche driver Graeme Cook, who has significant experience at the circuit an hour north of Adelaide aboard his #91 Container Solutions Porsche GT3 Cup Car.
Cook has spent the last two years driving his Porsche in the South Australian Marque Sports Car Championship, racing more powerful Cars with strong results. Cook has also gathered a following on the local scene thanks to his exploits behind the wheel of a fire-breathing and spitting, Turbocharged Porsche GT2.
Looking to unsettle the balance of power will be the two exciting new Ferrari F430’s of Queenslander John Teulan (Industry Central) and New South Wales-based driver David Stevens (Brennan It / Secure Tel).
The pair made the Australian racing debut of the all new $500,000+ Ferrari at Phillip Island recently, Teulan using each and every one of the Italian’s 500hp to hold off the pack for a race two victory in wet conditions.
Following a third place result for Dave Stevens in the third race, the pair will be hoping to continue to build on the promising performances at Mallala.
Both cars will sport brand new aerodynamic appendages for the South Australian round, the drivers eagerly anticipating more performance from the svelte Italian supercars.
“The new rear wing will give us more grip at the back which will be a real help,” Stevens explained.
“I really like Mallala; it’s a great little circuit. It’s definitely a power track so I’m not sure how our car will go down the back straight but through the twisty stuff we won’t be giving anything away.
“Our results out of the box at Phillip Island were helped along by the wet conditions, in the try we were back in the top ten so obviously if it’s wet I’ll be happy.
“I’ll have to do a rain dance and get out there and give it a shot.” He said.
Mallala will also be notable for the racing return of Peter Lucas, the New South Wales-based driver returning to the series following a major shunt at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, in April this year.
Lucas’ Supercharged Lotus Elise GT3 sustained substantial damage in the crash at the top of the demanding mountain circuit, and will return to competition to a circuit expected to suit the nimble Lotus.
Lucas’ Elise, representing Great Britain, will join Ferrari (Italy), Porsche (Germany) and Dodge (USA) in what is a truly world cup-style field.
Unofficial practice gets underway this Friday, June 23rd, whilst three, 20-lap championship races will be held on Sunday.
The Speed Energy Drink Australian GT Championship is supported by drivetravel.com, Stand 21 Race wear, Michelin Tyres and Speed Energy Drinks.
For more information visit www.gtchampionship.com.au
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