Canto shows Championship winning form
7/4/2005 18:28 (Press Release) -
Dean Canto won the first ever HPDC V8 Supercar Series and returns to the series this year showing the fine form that landed him the Championship title in 2000. Canto was fastest in both practice sessions of the day and backed up with a fastest qualifying time ahead of Adam Macrow and 2004 Rookie of the Year award winner Warren Luff.
After winning the Championship in 2000, Canto secured a drive with Briggs Motorsport for 2003 in the V8 Supercar Championship Series. He then returned to Team Betta Electrical last year where he partnered Yvan Muller at the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
He has returned to the HPDC series this year, driving for respected V8 Supercar team Dick Johnson Racing who have successfully entered cars in the ‘feeder category’ for the last two years.
Also showing fine form at the first round of the HPDC V8 Supercar Series for 2005 was Adam Macrow. After impressing endurance drives in the Championship Series over the past five years, Marcrow will complete a full year of V8 Supercar racing with Howard Racing in their Betta Electrical sponsored BA Falcon.
“The last time I drove at this circuit was 1999 so it was good to get back in the seat again,” Marcow said.
“Every time we get the car out onto the circuit it is continuously improving. It was struggling for drive in the first practice session but we worked on balance and made a few minor changes for the qualifying session and it seems to be coming together nicely.”
Macrow has already been announced as a co-driver for the 2005 endurance events with Championship Series’ Team Betta Electrical. Third fastest Luff has also been snatched up quickly for this year’s enduro’s, recently announcing he will be part of leading Ford team Stone Brothers Racing’s assault.
Luff is campaigning Russell Ingall’s BA Falcon which finished last year’s Championship Series in second place and will be under the guidance of Paul Cruickshank in the HPDC V8 Supercar Series this year.
“We had a good test day up at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich last week which has helped a lot for this weekend,” Luff said.
“There were a few teething issues this morning but it is all coming together and with the quality of the field competing this year, it is important to stay up the front which we will be aiming to do for the first race tomorrow and on Saturday morning.”
The day went virtually unscathed for the rookies of the series, except for a major crash midway through the last session when Dick Johnson Racing’s Grant Denyer had a major accident which resulted in his BA Falcon being totally unrepairable and left him rushed to hospital with a suspected fractured wrist and dislocated shoulder.
The first of two HPDC V8 Supercar Series races kicks off at 6.45pm with the final race commencing at 9.55am on Saturday morning.
Top Five Qualifying
1. #71 Dean Canto Dick Johnson Racing 1.23.46
2. #27 Adam Macrow Howard Racing 1.23.86
3. #60 Warren Luff Decina Racing 1.23.95
4. #99 Tony D’Alberto Tony D’Alberto Racing 1.24.31
5. #65 Phil Scifleet Doric Racing 1.24.81
Release Date: 17/03/2005
HPDC V8Supercar Series
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