Unlikely allies McLeod and Wakefield join forces
31/8/2000 23:03 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - Two unlikely allies will tackle the endurance races together starting at the OzEmail 500 next week, after V8 Lites colleagues Ryan McLeod and Wayne Wakefield announced their partnership today.
McLeod will join Wakefield’s Graphic Skills team as co-driver for the season-ending endurance events at Queensland Raceway and Bathurst.
The two – Ryan McLeod in his John Faulkner Racing-prepared K-Mart Holden, and Wakefield in his Graphic Skills Commodore – were in the heat of battle at Mallala Raceway last weekend, both on and off the track.
However both say the disagreements were nothing more than healthy rivalry, and are enthusiastic about strapping into the same car.
"When I see Ryan looming up behind me, I know there's trouble on the way,” Wakefield jibed, "and I'd rather be driving with him than against him, thanks!"
McLeod agreed. "I think we can both give as good as we get…besides, if we're in the same car it certainly reduces the chances of collision."
Graphic Skills Team Owner, David Skillender, says the combination is an ideal one.
"Sure, there's big entertainment value in putting these guys together after all their rough-housing this year, but in the end we want a fast, experienced and capable V8 Supercar driver if we want to get the serious results we expect and we're lucky to snare Ryan at this late stage,” Skillender said.
Wakefield, 29, finished the inaugural Lites Championship in third behind Matthew White and title-holder, Dean Canto. After a strong start to the season, 27-year-old McLeod finished the year in fourth.
Both automatically qualified for the endurance races on those results, however McLeod elected to join the Wakefield squad instead.
With the pair teaming-up in Wakefield’s VS Commodore for the two “main events,” McLeod’s JFR-owned Commodore is without pilots for both endurance races.
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