For the Aussies are coming.
As posted a couple of weeks ago, the V8 Supercars have eased up on their 'one off appearances' restrictions. Now while this particular post doesn't validate that fact (it's been that way for the enduros for a while now), I think it certainly might play a part in the aftermath of what is going to happen on the Gold Coast in a couple months time.
Since the Indycars, in their infinite wisdom, dropped Surfers Paradise from the schedule, the V8's picked up the slack by running an extra race. This year though, they've decided to make it an endurance race instead. So how does that previous blog fit into the 'Gold Coast 600' weekend?
Simple really, particularly when you look at the names on the entry list so far; Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, David Brabham, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Jacques Villeneuve, Scott Pruett...the list goes on. Why did I wait until today to post? Honestly, I didn't know until I saw that Heinz-Harald Frentzen (who so very nearly won the 1999 F1 title...in a Jordan!) had pulled out and some bloke called Helio Castroneves would replace him instead. The full list of international drivers that are pencilled in can be found on this website.
Here is Pruett's take on the event: “I don’t need any excuse to come to Australia, so when I received a call to be part of this program I jumped at the chance. I think the opportunity to drive a V8 Supercar on one of the world’s greatest street courses will be pretty attractive to plenty of the world’s great drivers.”
The race will take place over the weekend of October 24, same weekend as Martinsville. If only the race was shown live on TV here, that weekend would be an absolute blast...maybe someone will pick it up and we won't have to wait a week until Speed shows it.
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Let's go tez!
ReplyDeleteLet's see... I need a passport. What, about three grand? Maybe four cuz when those Australian babes get a load of me there'll be some heavy duty partying going on! LOL
It's fun to dream I reckon...
Seriously, I had a trip all lined up to go down under in the late 1970's. There's a valley across the Snowy Mountains from Sydney that struck me as being very similar to the San Joaquin in California (grows the same crops, etc.). I was set to fly into Sydney, rent a VW camper bus and do the nomad thing for a couple of months. I'd drop off the bus in Melbourne then fly out to Perth before coming back to the US of A... All with the idea of immigrating there if I liked what I saw... Then, wouldn't ya know it, a great deal on an orange grove came up out east of my hometown. After hearing the objections from Mom and Dad, I opted for the orange grove and the rest is history...
Many times I've stopped to wonder what could have been...
Interesting format on this race. I see a couple of Americans on the list of international drivers. Had to look up what the heck a Holden is. Here's hoping it goes well.
Interesting stuff tez!
Sounds like a blast tez. Reading your rundown, and then Dwindy's post, is kind of like getting two blogs for the price of one! Dwindy, you're last name wouldn't be Sunkist, would it? lol
ReplyDeleteCR... I was a member of Sunkist and sat on the board at a Sunkist packing house... Third generation orange grower. That's what I was thinking of doing if I moved to Australia...
ReplyDeletetez, you're post is bringing back a lot of memories...
now I have LRB's "Reminiscing" stuck in my head, LOL
ReplyDeleteThis will be a great race. Some network should pick it up live.
ReplyDeleteWell if Helio is in it then I am watchin! =)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely some network should pick this up.
Awesome story Dwindy! Learn something about each other every day...