“If I finish in the top half I would have achieved a better result than last year where I finished 21st overall,” said Bright.
“It's not about comparing last year to this year. It's about building throughout 2007 with this team. This is a very tough competition and Adelaide is the toughest challenge we have in the season. Concrete walls line the track and I know from experience that those walls are unforgiving.
“Everything might be new to me, but with the experience of the guys behind the IRWIN Racing team, I feel relaxed going into the Clipsal 500,” said Gurr.
“There's been plenty to learn and people to meet, but it's all gone very smoothly in the lead-up Adelaide. I didn't have much seat time last year, but I did race at Adelaide and I'm fully aware of what to expect.”
“It will be hot and being a street race, there's plenty of concrete to hit. I have that experience from the Fujitsu Series a couple of years back. Importantly I know that finishing this race is critical if we are to progress in 2007. We must stay on the lead lap and if we can do that, we should be in the top-half of the field.”
Valvoline Cummins Race Team – Lee Holdsworth (#33), Dean Canto (#34)
Garry Rogers Motorsport has lost the sponsorship of Repco for this year’s V8 Supercar Championship, so the Valvoline Cummins Race Team will debut an all new black, red and silver livery this weekend. Dean Canto and Lee Holdsworth lapped consistently in testing at Winton, so a promising weekend for GRM lies ahead.
Team Sirromet Wines – Fabian Coulthard (#39), Paul Morris (#67)
One of the championship’s mainstay’s Team Sirromet Wines will be instantly recognisable as the only two predominantly white cars in the field. Satisfying testing times will hopefully see the Paul Morris Motorsports operation perform well at this weekend’s event.
Autobarn Race Team – TBA
Will the Autobarn Race Team be on the grid? A huge question mark hangs over this team’s future, after recent court action between franchise owner Tony Longhurst and the previous licences Team Dynamik revealed false paperwork and other dealings had seen TEGA given the run around. Unfotunately, it is unknown what the team’s plans will be if the franchise is lost back to Team Dynamik, or absorbed by TEGA.
TeamVodafone – Jamie Whincup (#88), Craig Lowndes (#888)
Last year’s Clipsal 500 winner, Jamie Whincup, heads with his fellow 2006 Bathurst champion Craig Lowndes to this weekend’s race hoping to emulate his performance last year. A consistent run complemented with good car speed helped Whincup to his round win, although Lowndes did win the opening race. Encouraging times in testing will hopefully help this team get to the front of the grid.
“I am really looking forward to Adelaide and what I regard as being the toughest race of the year,” said Lowndes.
“I love the whole build up the Clipsal 500 – the atmosphere is just fantastic and you go through some varied emotions while completing the 500 kilometres which make up the event. Adelaide is a critical race in terms of the V8 Supercar Championship. If you can have a great weekend in Adelaide it generally sets you up for the rest of the year.
