What do one promising New Zealand rookie, a revitalised veteran, and a German-born Brazilian all have in common? Well, not a lot. Only that they're all part of John Briggs' line-up for 2002.
Briggs' multi-national force - Kiwi Simon Wills, Brazilian Max Wilson and local Tony Longhurst - are worlds apart. But each brings their own unique abilities to the fledgling Ford operation, which blossomed into a three-car 'super-team' over the summer. It's an exciting squad, and the mix just might work.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Simon Wills has done everything right to get to this position, making his full-time V8 Supercar debut this year as one of the most promising youngsters to emerge in years.
He rarely loses. After dominating the open-wheeler classes in New Zealand, Wills racked up back-to-back Australian Drivers' Championships and the Konica V8 Supercar Series trophy over three sparkling years in Australia.
He emerged from the Konica Series looking like a genuine V8 Supercar racer. Displaying the poise and polish of a pro, he staved-off the sport's most exciting up-and-comers to win.
With the master, John Bowe, mysteriously leaving the Brisbane-based outfit, it is his apprentice, Wills, that must fill his shoes.
He has the nous and experience to do it. Expect to see his CAT Falcon amongst the front-running pigeons.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]For Tony Longhurst, piloting one of two Betta Electrical-sponsored Falcons, 2002 is a comeback year.
The weathered 44-year-old looked to be on the V8 Supercar scrap heap last year. But recognising you can't buy experience, the Holden Racing Team did exactly that, drafting Longhurst to their endurance team.
It gifted him an unlikely second Bathurst crown, to compliment his 1988 win, after a famous victory with Mark Skaife. As Skaife joked post-season, "it was nice being his (Longhurst's) co-driver."
He's still supremely fit, generally fast, and knows the Supercar circuit intimately. And he's making up for lost time.
Max Wilson brings an exotic flavour to the championship, a young man who left the bright lights of international single-seater racing behind to make a name for himself in Australia.
His resume makes for impressive reading: a test driver for the Williams F1 team, Formula 3000 front-runner and, most recently, a year on the CART World Series circuit. All before turning 29.
But past achievements mean little in the cut-and-thrust of V8 racing. He faces a steep learning curve, but has impressed Briggs enormously in pre-season testing by how quickly he has adapted to the foreign V8 muscle cars. Only time will tell.
