Adam Brook and his Windsor-based Aurora Motorsport team came away from Round 3 of the 2022 Industrie Clothing New South Wales Supersports Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park last Saturday (June 25) extremely satisfied with the performance of his West WR1000 number 301, despite not finishing anywhere near the podium positions.
After a year of rebuilding and testing work, and with a few time-delaying setbacks along the way, Round 3 of the 2022 Industrie Clothing New South Wales Superports Championship was meant to be nothing more than a shakedown for him and his West WR1000, which has earned the nickname “Batmobile”, for obvious visual reasons.
However, rather than simply cruising around to test the steering and the brakes and the engine and gearbox, as originally intended, Adam instantly felt at one with the lie-down driving position, the paddle shift, the 12000rpm redline, and the lightning quick reflexes of the West’s handling. By the end of Qualifying, Adam had outpaced the previous owner of his West, and nearly matched the West’s best time ever around Sydney Motorsport Park, with a 1.33.5 fastest time, which is V8 Supercar territory.
And this was achieved with non-optimal gearing, after a last minute decision to change from cross ply tyres, which the chassis was originally set up for, and fit Hankook radial race tyres, and most impressively, after never having previously driven the West in a serious competition environment.
So with further chassis and brake balance tuning to suit the grippy Hankook radial tyres, fit correct gearing, make a seat which better copes with the huge G forces at Supersports speeds, and with more race time behind the steering wheel, Adam and his team are setting sights on a 1.30 lap time around Sydney motorsport Park in the future.
Adam is a product of entry level circuit racing, but now after experiencing a lap time in the West around Sydney Motorsport Park a massive 18 seconds faster than he had ever gone previously, he came away with his old perspective of motor racing blown away.
“There is no way I could ever go back to drive anything slower than this West WR1000 Supersports” Adam said after Qualifying. “The speed through corners, and acceleration out of corners, of the West, which is as light as a feather, is mind blowing! My body is bruised and aching all over. I can’t wait to sort the car, and get more track time. I just want to go faster!” Adam continued.
“There are so many things we can work on to improve the West. And to think we purchased this car for much less than people imagine racing cars this fast do cost. We didn’t want to make fools of ourselves at our first New South Wales Supersports race meeting, and I think we achieved that”.
Aurora Motorsport Engineers are already busy retuning the chassis and gearing on the West, although with Adam now commuting between New Zealand, where he works, to participate in the 2022 Industrie Clothing New South Wales Supersports Championship, making a perfect race seat may become a last-minute exercise, although a dedicated return trip to Sydney may be on the cards for the seat fitting.
Round 4 of the 2022 Industrie Clothing new South Wales Supersports Championship is at Wakefield Park on September 17.
For more information on the 2022 Industrie Clothing New South Wales Supersports Championship, contact Darren Barlow on 0439044128, visit Facebook Supersports Racing New South Wales Australia, or visit https://www.supersportsracing.com.au/
