Luff is a former SBR enduro driver, V8 Brute winner, and last year contested the Fujitsu series with Paul Cruickshank Racing. Despite his obvious experience and good driving skills, he is unlikely to get much out of driving the Fujitsu Racing chassis. Certainly his teammate will do much less. Jose Fernandez has been signed to drive the second car, but he will probably finish down the bottom of the championship order, having struggled to get to the front in the Fujitsu Series last year.
Final Word
Luff: Will try hard but wont finish too well
Fernandez: Getting thrown in at the deep end is never good – should have stayed in Fujitsu Series.
Team Repco Valvoline Cummins
Lee Holdsworth (#33 VZ Commodore), Dean Canto (#34 VZ Commodore)
This team remains one of Holden’s stalwart outfits, but Garry Rogers Motorsport’s V8 campaign in 2006 needs to really take it up a notch to regain its title as a top team of the series, especially with such a youthful squad.
Dean Canto will lead the team in 2006 – a big ask from the 2005 Development Series Champion, but his skills and ability are up to the task. After running well at selected rounds last year with GRM in the team’s second car, Canto seems bound for a strong season as team leader. Any finish in the top fifteen would be excellent for this highly underrated driver.
Lee Holdsworth is another youngster making the step up to the top level from the tier-two category. He has performed well in the Development Series with the Smiths Trucks team, and it would be good to see him finish his debut season in the top twenty, however the second GRM Commodore hasn’t been a good car for some years now, so his performance seems to be determined by his machinery before his season has started.
Team Sirromet Wines
Alan Gurr/Fabian Coulthard (#39 VZ Commodore), Paul Morris (#67 VZ Commodore)
After numerous years as a single car outfit, Team Sirromet Wines has upgraded to a two-car outfit and is giving a development opportunity to the team’s former protégé in the Fujitsu Series, Alan Gurr, and 2005 Carrera Cup Champion Fabian Coulthard.
