Now that that the IZOD
IndyCar Series has wrapped up for the year with victory for Ryan Hunter-Reay, nine of the drivers from this year's championship are looking forward to their traditional post-season end-of-term outing to Australia.
They'll be taking part in the unique international round of the
V8 Supercars Championship on the streets of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast next month.
IndyCar Series runner-up Will Power will be partnering Mark Winterbottom in the #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon, while his Penske team mate and fellow Aussie Ryan Briscoe will be the co-driver for Garth Tander in the #2 HRT Commodore.
"I am really looking forward to coming back to the Gold Coast this year as it is now the only chance I get to race in front of a local crowd," said Power, who missed last year's event after injuring his back in the ill-fated final round of the 2011
IndyCar season at Las Vegas.
"Last year's events aside, I have enjoyed racing at Surfers Paradise for many years and it will be great to team up with Frosty who won there last year in the car I would've been in," Power added. "We are in with a real chance again given the season the team is having and to be driving in the same team as my mate Will and the likes of Mika and Nick is pretty cool. I think we are going to have a lot of fun."
Fellow Frenchmen Sebastien Bourdais and Simon Pagenaud will also be heading down under for October's ARMOR ALL Gold Coast 600. Last year's Saturday race winner Bourdais will be reunited with Jamie Whincup in the #1 TeamVodafone Commodore, and Pageaud will be sharing the #4 IRWIN Falcon with Lee Holdsworth, with whom he clinched third place in last year's Sunday race.
Britain's Justin Wilson will be teaming up with Ricky Kelly in the #15 Jack Daniel's Commodore, while compatriot Mike Conway will be driving with Taz Douglas in the #30 iSelect Commodore.
"I'm really looking forward to driving alongside Greg," said Wilson, who will be making his first appearance in the event. "I know he's fast and has a never give up attitude. Just from watching on TV you know he's getting everything possible from the car.
"It will be a tough challenge driving a V8 for the first time and I know the level of talent already racing in the series is extremely high, so my goals are to listen to Greg and the team and help them get the best finish possible."