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In the dog-eat-dog world of V8 Supercar racing, Cameron McLean is a survivor. So who else but a pet food company would come to his rescue in 2002 and revive his stalled career?
The Queenslander will be a welcome permanent fixture on the V8 Supercar circuit this year, under the 'paw print' banner of VIP Petfoods.
The deal, signed in January, ends a tumultuous period for the Brisbane-based garage, after an acrimonious divorce from former sponsor, Greenfield Mowers, last year. The dispute sidelined the team for the last few races of the season and robbed the sport of one of its most impressive little-league teams.
Meanwhile, McLean, not one to rest on his laurels, made a cameo appearance for Dick Johnson Racing at Bathurst, finishing, most impressively, fourth. In the right car, he can beat just about anyone.
First in Super Touring and then in the premier category, McLean and his canary-yellow Greenfield Mowers Falcon mowed down the opposition as the privateer pacesetters. In 1999, his first year in V8 Supercars, McLean was an emphatic winner of the Privateers Cup, causing his fair share of upsets along the way.
The transition from privateer hero to respected Level 1 campaigner is, to date, incomplete. But with VIP Petfoods firmly behind his cause in 2002, this dog may soon have his day.
