Going forward with baby steps
8/10/2004 22:27 (Press Release) -
Slow, steady and easy does it, this is how Shell Helix Racing is going into Sunday's Bathurst 1000. The team is not interested in going full throttle this early in the weekend, it is running to a carefully prepared plan and it is not interested in diverting from this.
Today the team was involved in three practice sessions and at the days conclusion the team was satisfied with its progression.
"We've made some minor, but significant changes to seventeen today," Steve Johnson said.
"We haven't reinvented the wheel we've just done little tweaks and the Ford has responded nicely.
"There's no point in going gun-ho on a Thursday, we'll save that for Sunday."
Both Johnson and Luff believe that their Shell Falcon has improved since Sandown.
"When comparing day one at Bathurst to day one at Sandown, we are definitely stronger here (at Bathurst)," Warren Luff said.
"We've really made the Falcon better. The back end (of the Ford) was a bit twitchy at the top of the mountain early in the day, by the final session it had improved a lot.
"We've got good drive and power down, and the Ford is a lot less nervous.
"It's certainly good to have made these improvements early in the weekend.
"Like Sandown, I think we'll be a competitive pairing this weekend."
After a strong start the 18 Shell Ford wasn't able to complete the second session or take part in third practice because of a mechanical concern.
"We wanted to garage eighteen to check out the telemetry data properly," Shell Helix Racing Operations Director Dean Orr said.
"There was concern that something in the engine might not last the distance so we decided to play it safe while we had the luxury of time and the further track sessions ahead of us.
"Everything will be fine and it will be on track ready to go tomorrow.
"It's just a shame David (Brabham) didn't get another good session completed.
"Brabs was impressive this morning in the Konica session, it would have been beneficial for him and the team for him to have another session under his belt."
Friday at Bathurst is qualifying day for both the V8 Supercar Championship Series and the Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series.
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