White set for another top finish
14/8/2004 15:20 (Press Release) -
As the final race of the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar series looms, Mathew White is busy ensuring everything is in place for him to take the Gulf Western Oils/Jayco Caravans Ford to victory at South Australia’s Mallala Raceway on August 22.
"We’ve changed a couple of things in the car, particularly in the breaking area and the shocks. That’s the approach we’re taking into the test day. (At Winton in Victoria next week.) To my mind we’re about three tenths of a second per lap off where we need to be pace wise. It’s probably easier to pick that up in those areas if they’re not spot on,"
But White admits, finding the sweet spot can be fraught with danger. "Certainly it’s very to easy to go backwards if you don’t get it right within the window. I’m pretty confident we can find it."
Although conceding his championship chances are minimal, White is convinced a top three in the series is well within his grasp.
He still has a mathematical chance to win the series but his approach is more pragmatic.
"Realistically I would say there is no chance of winning the series. I would have thought third is well achievable. Given that both Owen Kelly and Andrew Jones have put in god performances all year and their reliability has picked up, it will be tough. And don’t forget Luke Youlden has had DNFs.
"It will only take one DNF for the top two cars and suddenly they slip to fourth or fifth. So there’s a lot on the line."
White who has twice been Konica Minolta series runner-up currently sits in fifth position in the standings.
The one-off inclusion of several drivers not in the championship fight is guaranteed to add further spice to what will already be an intriguing event according to White.
"Greg Ritter will be strong in a car with Stone Brothers Racing involvement. If anyone knows how to make them go they do. Alex Davison I have my reservations about, he hasn’t done a lot of miles in Supercars but he’ll be in one of Larry Perkins cars so he’ll have top gear."
The sixth and final round of the Konica Minolta series is at Mallala raceway on August 21 and 22 before the non-championship race on the support program for the Bathurst 1000 in October.
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