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Round 2 of the 2009 Australian SuperTruck Championships


Action on the circuit at Winton

With the Builder busy racing Biante cars since the last round of the SuperTrucks, work refocused on getting the Aust 1, CAT Freightliner ready for her next round at Winton.

Mark carried out a fair bit of work pre race which included the redesign and manufacture of the front wheel bearing spacers to make it simpler and quicker to get wheel bearing setup correct when changing rotors. Given the regularity of this, I see this as an important modification!

Replaced the steering box, repaired the angle drive unit in steering column to change direction and repairs to steering column itself to eliminate free play. Replaced draglink, which was a precautionary measure as it was showing wear. Replaced steering damper with a more heavy duty type imported from New Zealand. Repairs to gas strut for the bonnet in the interests of our crew’s safety! Rebuilt left front shocker and modified set up from Oran Park which is a left hand turn track, to Winton which is right hand turn track.

Onto the crew – The Builder and Mark ‘Birdman’ Peacock headed off in the b-double very early Thursday a.m. In the meantime Jeff ‘Sticks’ and Terry Honey Bee flew in from Auckland.

From there Skitzo picked the boys up from the airport to head over to Mercedes Benz to collect the people mover to get us crew around. For me, I flew to Melbourne Friday arvo and headed to Southern Cross the rural train station, boarded for Seymour and the guys collected me from there rather than another trip from Seymour to Benella. We had some tea at the local Seymour pub.

Through the day, we had taken part in three practices and a media rides session.

First session, the guys put new bearings in the front turbo. The track was cold and damp – the SuperTruck had a bad understeering problem which is the opposite to normal. Understeering creates push. The team adjusted the bar settings and clocked a 1. 16.3 – not bad for first run.

Second run out, the push was still there, further adjustments to suspension settings and tyre pressures resulted in a slower lap time and blue smoke out of one exhaust was found to be a cactus turbo, so this was changed over, so too the oil and the previous settings of practice one were reset.

Media rides were brief – only three laps.

Practice three whilst set up as for Practice one still saw us slower, further bar changes saw the return of quick laps so we were set up for Saturday’s all important qualifying session.

The guys did have a rotor to change, but this was caused through Bob not putting the water onto the brakes for three laps.

By the time we got back to Winton, where we like most teams stayed at the Leisure Park in mini Jayco houses close to the track, we were puffed out and had an early night. The guys had had a pretty full on day at the track.

Saturday would see us practice once and take part in our qualifying session.


Bob and Beau on the pace at Winton.

Practice one was held at 10.30 we would complete 9 laps for the session with the quickest on lap 9 with a 1.17 so again a bit slower than yesterday. Mind you, the rest of the field was slightly slower also. Given this no radical changes were made.

Qualifying was at 1.53, we completed 8 laps clocking our fastest lap in the second lap with a 1.16.5. This would give us Pole position for Sunday. Totally happy with the set up it was left unchanged.

I did our tea at the track so we headed back to the accommodation and had an early one. 2.30 a.m. I woke up to hear the start of the rain – this would intensify to the point the conditions were a nightmare.

Our warm up was at 9.00 a.m. conditions very slippery making it difficult to determine anything from this first run. On return the team adjusted tyre pressures to hopefully counter some of the rain issues.

In the meantime, due to the weather the program was changed – we dropped from 4 races back to 3 with the first now for midday instead of 10.30 a.m. with any luck the rain would hold off and the track dry out.

As luck would have it, the rain whilst looking threatening did stay away and some of the water had run off, although the track was still greasy and slippery. The midday race (Race 1) was over 6 x laps – after a couple of warm up laps they were racing – all got a clean start out of turn one with Bob the Builder leading the pack.

The race positions remained virtually unchanged apart from some tussles towards the middle and back of the field between Fletch (55) and Amoroso (96) and a bit of action with the 18 De Gee entry which went paddock bashing in the first lap but managed to get it back on the track without triggering a safety car. Lap times significantly down on qualifying but in keeping with the conditions.

So Race 1 would see 1st to No. 1 the Builder, followed by 40 Zammit, Hewat 3rd, Falk 4th Waters 5th the first 5 home.

Race 2 was over 8 laps, and like the first race was relatively clean into turn one with Bob the Builder emerging in the lead, followed by Zammit Hewat, Falk and Amoroso. Fletch in 55 was the only casualty on lap one retiring infield. Positions would remain a constant with Amoroso and Waters enjoying a good battle for 5th. Falky went off in turn one at the start of the final lap which allowed Waters to move up into 4th behind Bob, Zammit and Hewat 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

Bob did his quickest lap for the weekend to this point with a 16.1 which in race conditions is excellent, quicker than his qualifying time. Only damage was to a tail light, which he got in the turn 1, lap 1 bunch up at the start.

On return to the pit, the Builder was raving about his Cat Freightliner he said it ‘was honking’ really at ease with it – felt good. As the meeting had run to time due to the rain holding off the original program was re instated. So this next race would be Race 3, reverse grid and over 8 laps. Reverse grid races are always interesting!

After the two lap warm up, the race was on, the scramble into turn 1 was ensuing, resulting in a dominos effect with Seton, into the back of Coulter the result for us was this was happening to our immediate front and Falky was able to capitalize on this getting around Bob while he waited for the drama to sort itself. By the start of lap two the order was 8 Vardy, 96 Amoroso, 81 Hewat, 40 Zammit, 3 Coulter, 2 Waters, 87 Falk then Bob with the balance following.


Terry bee-lieves in having a good time when the racing is done

In lap 3 Bob made up 1 spot, when Coulter lost position. Positions remained unchanged until lap 6 when Hewat in the 81 entry made a good move on Amoroso to move into 2nd, which would then create the finishing positions, 8 Vardy, 81, Hewat, 40 Zammit, 96 Amoroso, 2 Waters, 87 Falk then Bob in 7th.

On 2nd lap the engine light came on temp 135 degrees, bit warm and on return to the pit both front rotors cracked, driver error due to leaving water spray on them. Now the mad rush to repair prior to the super prix with the rain clouds ever present.

The Super Prix was over 10 laps, reverse grid and handicapped start. The light trucks got away cleanly, however, No. 55 Fletch who lead the 2nd group of trucks, the SuperTrucks came undone in turn 1. The rest of the field got through and Fletch did manage to re enter the track once clear.

By the start of the 2nd lap, the order was 8 Vardy, 3 Coulter, 18 Dee Gee, 30 Seton, 96 Amoroso, 87 Falk, 81 Hewatt, 40 Zammit, 1 The Builder and 2 Waters. By lap three the SuperTrucks had started to lap the light trucks with the order by lap 7 81 Hewat, 96 Amoroso, 40 Zammit, 87 Falk, 1 the builder, 2 Waters, however coming into the straight for the 8th lap Falk would run off the track making the final top 4 placings, Hewatt, Zammit, Middleton and Waters 1,2,3 & 4 respectively.

For the weekend with pole, 2 x wins, 7th, 3rd the points tally leveled us with Beau Hewat in the 81 entry, however, as we had the most wins were deemed the winners for the weekend. At the presentation, however, Bob swapped his first trophy with Beau because Beau really had driven extremely well all weekend. There is no doubt Beau was wanting to win and provided spectacular driving skills with the back sliding out speedway style on numerous occasions, thrilling all those watching.

The scramble was then on to pack up the road show with the presentation in between.

It was pretty late Sunday night before packing up in the dark was complete. Most of the teams headed off home after the event, we were scheduled to leave early the next morning. Apart from the racing, the camaraderie between the teams was at its all time best – a lot of fun was had with everyone pitching in to help one another which is how it should be.

Also good to see was Chris Templar and Fiance Merrin who made the journey to Winton to support Bob. Those of you associated with Whiteline Racing for the long haul will remember Chris was very successful in our Nascar team and earlier this year was involved in a nasty road accident, so great to see him on his feet.

Special thanks to John Meloury from Beaurepaires Shepparton for his hard work and assistance all weekend.

Special thanks to Mercedes Benz for again providing us with our very essential Vito Van to get the team around.

Bob the Builder and Birdman arrived home late Monday night with the transporter.

The next morning a change over of truck and parts to car and parts took place, in readiness for the transporter to leave with Singo in the pilot’s seat for the journey north to Queensland where Bob will compete in the Biante Series.

Will touch base soon.
Kind regards,
Shaz

THE RACING CALENDAR FOR 09…

2009 Australian SuperTruck Series
Round 1 – Oran Park (Sydney, NSW) – Fri 15, Sat 16 May *
Round 2 – Winton (Benalla, VIC) – Sat 15, Sun 16 August
Round 3 – Barbagallo (Perth, WA) – Sat 19, Sun 20 September
Round 4 – Barbagallo (Perth, WA) – Sun 18 October **
Round 5 – Mallala (Adelaide, SA) – Sat 31 October, Sun 1 November

Notes:
* The round is being conducted on the Fri & Sat.
** This round will be a Day/Night round. The date is still subject to change to Sat 17 October

2009 BIANTE Touring Car Masters:
Clipsal 500, SA – March 19-22
Winton, Vic – May 1-3
Darwin, NT – June 19-21
Qld Raceway, Qld – August 21-23
MCM Eastern Creek, NSW – September 4-6
Bathurst 1000, NSW – October 8-11
Sandown Historics, Vic – November 6-8


Skitz and the boys pinch the ‘pitmobile'		Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.

Shaz and Skitz – the sign reads “give me back my Bob”		Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.

Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.		Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.

Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.		Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.

Courtesy of Natasha from the Daynite Towing Racing Team.

The boys definitely have an aversion to making their beds..!