Factory outfits test their internationals
22/9/2000 3:04 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - Ford-Tickford Racing and the Holden Racing Team will put their endurance racing imports to the test next week ahead of the Bathurst classic in November.
Former 500cc Motorcycle Champion and current Japanese GT campaigner, Wayne Gardner, will get behind the wheel of his FTR Bathurst mount for the first time at Phillip Island Raceway this Wednesday.
Gardner will partner Rally ace Neal Bates in the second of the Ford-Tickford Falcons at Bathurst – his debut outing in Blue Oval colours. Bates will also test with the team on Wednesday.
“That will be really interesting as I've never had the opportunity to drive a Ford in the past, I've always been a Holden man,” Gardner said.
“I'm really looking forward to the test and seeing the differences between the two cars,” he said.
Not even a Bathurst win will top Gardner’s Olympic experience last Friday however, where he carried the Torch through the Sydney suburb of Manly just hours before the Opening Ceremony.
“I was incredibly proud to be included in the Relay – it gave me a once in a life time opportunity to be included in the Olympic Games. I think it will be a long time before Motor Racing is an Olympic sport!” he said.
40-year-old Gardner has finished on the Bathurst podium twice before, in 1993 and 1995.
Meanwhile, Factory counterparts the Holden Racing Team will also drag their transporter to Phillip Island on Wednesday for pre-Bathurst testing.
HRT will use the precious test day to give British Touring Car stars Jason Plato and Yvan Muller time in the team’s No. 2 Commodore ahead of their Bathurst partnership in November.
Both will make their V8 Supercar debut at Bathurst, although Plato has raced a two-litre Tourer at the Mountain previously.
As part of their brief visit to Australia, both will travel to Bathurst to inspect the historic circuit.
They’ll return to Britain to fulfil BTCC commitments with the Vauxhall Motorsport team, before flying back to Australia for more testing in early November.
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