Triple Eight aim to put Sandown gremlins to rest.

Triple Eight Race Engineering have been working around the clock since the Betta Electrical Sandown 500 to ensure the teams two BA Fords are 'Bullet Proof' heading into the ultimate event on the V8 Supercars calendar, the Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 this weekend.

Team members found themselves working extra hard after a difficult race at Sandown where both cars failed to finish the race.

Team owner Roland Dane is keen to ensure that the technical gremlins that affected the team in the previous race don't return at Mount Panorama.

"We certainly don't want a reenactment of the Sandown 500 where both cars suffered with component failure," he said. "The teams engineers have been relentless in their endeavors to present the drivers with what we can only term as being extremely reliable race cars for the marathon event.

"One is always striving to gain that extra 10th of a second here and there, however this gain can sometimes come at a cost, as it did at Sandown. With Bathurst, reliability is paramount in order to finish such a long and grueling race."

Paul Radisich and Max Wilson, who will again share the driving in the #88 car, have both just returned from overseas. Radisich was in the UK for the final meeting of the British Touring Car Championship, where he took part in the Porsche Carrera Cup and the BTCC Masters - a race which pitted 16 stars of years gone by from the series together in identical SEAT Cupras.

"I had an invitation extended to me to travel to the UK and compete in the two events at Donnington last weekend, so I jumped at the opportunity," he said. "It gave me some valuable experience during the break in the lead up to Bathurst and I thoroughly enjoyed it and gaining fifht outright from my first outing in a Porsche was quite pleasing indeed".

Radisich's contract with Triple Eight ends when the 2004 V8 Supercar series draws to a close, and although he admits it is disappointing that he will be leaving the team, he does have other options.

"It is disappointing just when the cars are coming on the pace, but that's life," he said. "I'm considering other approaches from several other very competitive teams from both manufacturers, but I won't be making a decision on my future until later in the season. My preference is to stay within the V8 Series, as I still have a lot to both offer and achieve within the series and I know my supporters feel the same way and I'm not about to let them down.

"For the balance of this season I just want to focus on the remaining four rounds of the season and try very hard to gain a podium finish along the way."

Max Wilson managed to catch up with his family in Sao Paulo Brazil over the past two weeks and say's he has returned refreshed and ready to leave his mark on the remaining four rounds of the 2004 season.

"Both Paul and myself are very enthusiastic about our chances in the big race at Bathurst, it's a 6.12 km circuit that tests both we the drivers and the cars to the limit," he said. "There is nothing missing from this circuit, it has all the elements from the twisting climb up the Mountain then across Skyline and the the very fast run down Conrod straight, it's exciting not only for the supporters but for the drivers as well.

"I'm sure the team is going to do very well here on the weekend."

Having narrowly missed out on winning the BTCC title, Yvan Muller heads back to Ausralia to take up his position in the second Team Betta Elecrtical effort alongside Dean Canto.

Muller was unfortunate not to drive the car at Sandown when it was forced to retire before the driver change.

"I'm looking forward to the Bathurst 1000," he said. "I have driven in the race twice previously and I really enjoyed the experience and with Dean onboard I think we can both campaign the car around the head of the field, I know Deans is as keen as I am to really excel here.

"It would have been beneficial for me to have gained laps at Sandown in preparation for Bathurst, but circumstances prevented that, so I must make the most of the practice sessions in the lead up to Sunday's great race."