O'Brien To Take Back Seat Role
12/3/2004 16:31 (Press Release) -
Motor racing veteran Charlie O’Brien today announced his withdrawal from the Porsche Carrera Cup series to take up a new challenge as co-team manager and head strategist with businessman Craig Gore’s exciting new V8 Supercar team WPS Racing.
The move begins a new chapter in O’Brien’s 35-year driving career that began in speedway racing and has earned him 10 top-10 finishes and five top-five finishes at Bathurst.
O’Brien made the announcement today after competing in his Porsche in the curtain raiser to today’s Foster’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
“I was ready to do the Carrera Cup series and I have been over in New Zealand sharpening my racing in preparation for the new season,” said O’Brien.
“Just before I left Craig made me an offer to join WPS Racing and after some discussion with his team manager, Keith Evers, I decided the timing was right and the challenge was one that I wanted to pursue.
“WPS Racing is a new team and it has an enthusiasm and commitment that will test some of the more established names in the business.”
O’Brien brings great race-hardened experience to WPS Racing.
He has competed in a range of classes over the past 35 years and has an enviable record around street circuits such as Bathurst and the Gold Coast.
He has recorded 14 podium finishes in 18 support races for the Gold Coast Indy series, been a consistent top 10 finishers at Bathurst, won the Tasman Cup open wheel series in 1993, won the National Panasonic open wheel series in the early 1980s and is still holds the record as the youngest ever winner of a touring car round.
His role at WPS Racing will see him share team management with Keith Evers, whose 20 years in motorsport includes roles as chief mechanic for 00 Motorsport and Toll Racing, as well work in the Nascar series in the United States.
O’Brien will also coordinate team strategy for the two-car Ford team.
Team owner Craig Gore said the appointment of O’Brien will be controversial.
“Nothing we have done to this point has been conventional so, while his appointment is the right move for our team, it will raise some eyebrows,” said Gore.
Meanwhile, he said it was a great achievement to get Mark Noske on the track at Melbourne over the weekend.
“Our attendance was all about testing and we certainly didn’t have any illusions about placing in Melbourne,” he said.
“We only decided six weeks ago to set up a team so we did a great job just to get here.
“For us, Melbourne was about testing the car and keeping it out of trouble. It hasn’t been incident free, however, it has been enlightening.”
Release Date: 7/03/2004
WPS Racing
|
|
