The first half of the official pre-season test at Tailem Bend has produced some key talking points.
Roland Dane has publically announced he will meet with GM to discuss Holden’s future involvement with the team and Supercars.
“The ongoing situation at the moment (is that) I’m meeting with GM this week and we’ll discuss what happens,”
Dane told media this morning.
“Until then, there’s nothing more to be said, really. It’s a discussion between me and then.”
Here some of the highlights from the first three hours of the BP Ultimate SuperTest:
• Red Bull Holden Racing Team boss Roland Dane will meet with General Motors this week following the announcement that it will close down Holden.
• He would not comment as to what exactly the shutdown means for Triple Eight’s Supercars program and what support they’ll receive from Holden.
• There are some dark clouds hanging around, though the radar suggests no chance of rain today. It’s meant to hit a high of 22 and remain overcast.
• The session stopped almost as quickly as it began. The red flag was brought out merely 20 minutes into the session as Jack Smith’s BJR Commodore was seen with visible smoke from the rear.
• BJR reported that the #4 of Smith was suffering from a mechanical failure.
• The race lap record here is 1:49.4042, held by David Reynolds.
• Less than half an hour into the session and Percat goes fastest with a 1:49.4594s. Just half a tenth away from race pace as times begin to drop.
• Teams will have free rein on Soft and Hard Dunlop tyres today as Supercars contemplate as to which tyre compound will be used at this year’s Bend 500 enduro
• Though a set of soft compound rubber must be handed back at the end of the day.
• Both Kelly Racing GT Mustangs were a noticeable omission from the mad rush that hounded the opening stages of the session. Both cars arrived late last night.
• There are some dark clouds hanging around, though the radar suggests no chance of rain today. It’s meant to hit a high of 22 and remain overcast.
• Just as the hour mark approaches another red flag halts the session temporarily as recovery crews are sent to locate a missing Percat.
• Kelly Racing is having a quiet day with the Mustang. The team understandably having some teething issues, mainly with Rick Kelly’s Castrol car. One of the coil packs had died and the team had no spares. So expect only one car at a time to be run for the rest of the day from Kelly Racing.
• Towards the later stages of the morning, Scott Pye finds the gravel at turn one and needs to be recovered under red flags.
• Shane Van Gisbergen has been on fine form all day thus far.
• The Kiwi has completed nearly 50 laps and resides over P1 in the timesheets thus far with a 1m48.1017s, up nine-tenths of second-place Cam Waters.
• The Monster Energy Ford Mustang going for a wild ride over in the outfield during one of his flying laps, pushing beyond the limit of grip in search of lap-time.
• Defending champion Scott McLaughlin has had a somewhat quiet day at the office. Plenty of laps gathered but only sits 21st quickest.