After a long racing season ended at Laguna Seca, I went home for a long - and well-earned - break. I had been away for four weeks and the mail or bills waiting for me at home were not something I wanted to deal with, but you have to do what you have to do. However, I had only been home only a week when, one morning, I did what most people do, turned the mobile phone on - and got a message....

"Hi David, this maybe a shot out of the blue, but do you fancy coming down and do the last two races?" I recognised the voice of Ford Performance Racing team manager Tim Edwards immediately and, somewhat confused but excited, I rang back...

After a few days, the deal was done and I was heading back out to Aussie V8 land.

I then had to tell my kids that daddy was going away again, just days after I had told them that 'no, that was the last trip, season finished'! The look on their faces told me their feeling inside, so it wasn't easy leaving again. And the wife wasn't that happy either!

The first race was in Tasmania, at a place called Symmons Plains. I had never raced their before, but I did do a few laps in the Targa Tasmania back in 1993. We flew down to Tassie early to do some promotions, and the first stop was at a kids' school out in the country. This was a blast, as seeing these kids faces when the team's truck pulled in was amazing. We got the CAT car that Jason Bright drives out of the truck, and the kids were all excited to have a V8 Supercar in their playground. I think some of the teachers were pretty stoked about it too!

The next stop was Hobart for a Ford breakfast with dealers, sponsors and guests. This was done at the cricket ground and David Boon was the MC. It was great to see 'Boony', as I used to love watching him play for Australia.

After that, it was a drive back to Symmons for a track walk. I went up with my good friend Rod Barrett, who I see as a brother more than a friend. I have a couple of those friends around the world, but he is a local Hobart boy and showed me some fantastic scenery as we went across the mountains. Thanks mate.

When I got to the track, I asked for some data to look at so I had some reference as to what these cars did around the place. I took one look at it and asked 'where are the rest of the corners?'. The speed graph only showed three turns - and the team said that was it. I thought there were more but, after the track walk with the team, it really was only three corners. I thought to myself that that couldn't be too bad, and that I should get on the pace pretty quickly....

After first practice, I was 23rd quickest and one second off the pace. Man, I had some work to do.

We then had qualifying and I got within 3.9-tenths of pole position. Top ten, you think... No, 17th! I have never looked so closely to hundredths of a second.

We did three races and... well, it was an experience. I feel like I am a true blue V8 driver as I got into it, got pushed off the track and served a few myself. My starts were okay but, with the track so tight and everyone so close, you had to start up front to have any chance. I had to start the second race at the back of the grid because of a fuse which controls the series driving standard cameras had popped out! And, no, I didn't pull it out!

As you can imagine, the races didn't got that well, but at least I can say my pace was there. In races two and three, Jason and I did the same lap times and, in the last one, I did a time in the top ten, which is encouraging if nothing else. Now we move on to Phillip Island in two weeks, and I am aiming to run with the top guys and get some good results for the team and myself.

Just don't tell the wife and kids!

DB