Jason Bright is hoping this weekend's Falken Tasmania Challenge will herald an end to the bad luck that has dogged him throughout the year.

Coming towards the end of a challenging debut season with his own Fujitsu Racing outfit, the Victoria ace has endured a difficult run since Eastern Creek all the way back in June, but Symmons Plains – the 13th round of the V8 Supercar Championship – is a venue that has smiled on him in years gone-by.

Aside from an individual race win at the Launceston-based track last season, Bright has also finished second overall in Tasmania, and is keen to see a swing in momentum in the penultimate round on the 2007 calendar.

“Even though it's a short track, Symmons Plains has a lot of character,” the 34-year-old enthused of the circuit. “A long fast sweeper as well as the tightest hairpin in the championship shows this track is like no other.

“I have qualified well there over the past two years and was on the podium last year. We haven't completed all three races at an event since round five at Eastern Creek, so it's important we get a strong result in Tasmania.”

Since the last meeting in Bahrain, meanwhile, Fujitsu Racing chief engineer Geoff Slater has been kept busy directing the crew to find the optimum set-up for Symmons Plains.

“It's a short track,” Slater confirmed, “but it presents a lot of technical challenges. The biggest thing is brakes, as we have the tightest corner in the series at Symmons Plains.

“Rain is usually on the cards sometime over the weekend, and is always a consideration in our planning for this event. Despite our hits this year our confidence has not been dented, and we feel confident of a strong performance in Tasmania.”