For Zane Goddard, competing in the Excel Cup Enduro at Queensland Raceway this weekend holds two-fold benefits.
The Supercars young gun is teaming up with Ben Gomersall, the son of Matt Stone Racing co-owner Jason, for the event.
“I am really enjoying working with Ben,” said Goddard.
“He is proving that he is quite fast, and he is definitely keeping me on my toes.
“He is a good kid, and it’s good going through data and onboard footage with him.
“I’m teaching him stuff and he is teaching me the way around a Hyundai Excel. I am more familiar with high horsepower Supercars than these things, so it is good fun and I like a challenge.”
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Gomersall Jnr is lapping up the chance to learn off the 21-year-old, who has delivered eye-catching qualifying performances on a couple of occasions in this year’s Repco Supercars Championship.
“I think it is really cool to work with Zane and for him to share his experience with me,” he said.
“It really helps me as a young developing driver in Excels. We are learning a lot from each other and how we can constantly improve the car. I think we will be a really good pairing for Sunday’s race.
“It is really helpful to look over Zane’s onboard video and see where he is braking and how he is getting the most out of the car.
“He is really pushing me to be a better driver and helping me to determine how to improve my driving.”
Saturday action is dedicated to each pairing’s designated ‘Driver A’ – which in this case is Gomersall, who qualified 18th in the 41-car field this morning.
‘Driver B’ will get their shot at qualifying and a solo race tomorrow before the 57-lap main event involving both halves of the combination.
With Supercars in the middle of an extended mid-season break, Goddard is raring for the chance to go racing again.
“With the long break in our season, it was looking like I wasn’t going to be in the car for a fair while so when Jason and Ben gave me the call up and asked me to have a go in their Excel, I jumped on it straight away,” he said.
“It’s good fun, especially when you have 38 cars out there and some strong drivers in the field with the likes of Tim Slade, Broc Feeney and Nash Morris.
“It’s a bit of fun and just keeps your eye in it for sure.”
Goddard sits 20th in the Supercars standings, one place behind MSR team-mate Jake Kostecki.
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