IRWIN Racing’s Lee Holdsworth has given his tick of approval to safety changes at Bathurst, although warns spectators along pit straight to expect an impeded view this October.
Holdsworth and his Pirtek Enduro Cup co-driver Craig Baird visited the Mount Panorama circuit for media commitments on Thursday, inspecting the work-in-progress upgrades.
As previously reported, the current work taking place includes widening the previously narrow grass verge on the right-side of the pit straight, as well as installing a two metre high debris fence to improve safety for spectators.
“There’s more room for cars to escape any damage if someone stalls on the line; you can use a bit more of that off-road to get around them,” noted Holdsworth of the change.
“Also if someone gets collected and bounces into the safety barrier they don’t bounce back onto the track in front of people.
“That’s great but the downside is that there will be a debris fence along the side in front of the spectators and they probably won’t like that too much.”
Holdsworth unreservedly praised the re-profiled wall at the exit of Caltex Chase, which has been in place since February’s Bathurst 12 Hour, in which the IRWIN-backed driver competed in an Erebus SLS GT3 car.
The upgrades, totaling $6 million, will eventually include a full resurfacing of the 6.2km venue, to begin after this year’s V8 Supercars event.
Holdsworth has made nine starts in the Bathurst 1000, scoring a best result of third in 2009 while driving alongside Michael Caruso at Garry Rogers Motorsport.
The 30-year-old will face a tough task to be competitive in the race should the Erebus and Nissan teams not be granted a concession to overcome the currently poor fuel economy from their four-valve engines.
Holdsworth is currently the only driver to have steered a Car of the Future V8 Supercar around the Bathurst circuit having completed tyre evaluation laps in the category’s Ford prototype during practice sessions at last October’s event.
See below for more from Holdsworth at Bathurst on Thursday
