Besnard to return for Betta Electrical Sandown 500
6/9/2004 13:04 (Press Release) -
WPS Racing’s V8 Supercar driver David Besnard is due to fly in from the US to Melbourne on Friday morning just hours ahead of the first practice session for the ninth round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Besnard took off on Saturday morning for a flying visit to Arizona to test in a Champ Car ahead of his possible inclusion on the starting grid in the Lexmark Indy 300 on the Gold Coast next month.
If Besnard performs well in the test he will surrender his drive in the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge at Indy to take up a one-off drive in a Champ Car under a deal between WPS Racing owner Craig Gore and Champ Car series owner Kevin Kalkhoven.
“(Craig Gore) Gory is a bit of a stirrer and I didn’t believe him when he first talked to me about it,” said Besnard, who is a former ambassador for the Gold Coast event.
“He said he wanted to talk about Indy and I thought he was getting ahead of himself as it was still three races away in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
“Then the penny dropped that he was talking about a Champ Car drive and I was gob smacked. I’ve spent a long time in the US and have won eight races over there and I always dreamed of coming home to Australia and driving a Champ Car at Indy.”
Besnard’s test session in Arizona takes place on Tuesday (US time).
The following morning he will start the long journey back to Australia, with his plane due to touch down in Melbourne at 7.30am on Friday.
Besnard will then have to clear customs before being rushed to Sandown to join endurance race partner Neil McFadyen for the first practice session at 10.30am.
“It isn’t an ideal preparation but I know my car inside out so I’m sure the transition will be relatively easy,” said Besnard.
“The team has also been undergoing some intensive training over the past few weeks so we are well prepared for the race.
“The guys will have the car ready and all I have to do is make sure I arrive and that I’m mentally prepared for the session.”
Besnard and McFadyen, driving Car 23, make up one of the two WPS Racing teams in the Sandown event.
New signing Alex Yoong and New Zealand’s John McIntyre will be in Car 48, the second of the WPS Racing Ford Falcons.
It is Yoong’s debut drive in the category, while McIntyre has had one previous start in a V8 Supercar round.
Yoong will be driving in the remaining five rounds for WPS Racing, while McIntyre will drive at Sandown and then the following endurance race at Bathurst.
Assuming Besnard drives the Champ Car at Indy, McFadyen will take over Car 23 for the V8 race on the streets of Surfers Paradise.
That will mean McFadyen will drive in three consecutive races – the Betta Electrical Sandown 500, the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst and the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge at Surfers Paradise – for WPS Racing.
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