James Moffat has dedicated his outstanding fourth place run in Race 21 of the V8 Supercars Championship to his Jim Beam Racing crew.
Moffat and co-driver Joey Hand narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the opening leg of the Armor All Gold Coast 600 after the Australian charged home on an alternative pit strategy.
Choosing not to pit with the five cars ahead of him under a Safety Car on Lap 55, Moffat led the race until making his final stop on Lap 89.
The former Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series driver rejoined the race in 13th position before using the extra grip from his new tyres to scythe his way through the pack over the remaining laps.
CLICK HERE for Speedcafe.com’s report from Race 21 of the V8 Supercars Championship
“It was a pretty good race,” Moffat told Speedcafe.com.
“She was tapped out, that’s for sure, especially at the end. Even in the middle, I was pushing as hard as I could.
“This one is for everyone at DJR. It’s obvious that Phillip Island and Bathurst were not ideal for us, so to bounce back and get a result like this – this one is for the guys, especially after Bathurst.
“I’m very proud to drive for DJR, and it was their strategy call that was the key at the end. I’ve been in the opposite situation where you have no tyres and others do.
“We were lucky to be in that position and able to pick up a few spots after that restart. We just ran out of laps (to win) unfortunately.”
Moffat also paid tribute to his co-driver Hand. The American Le Mans Series regular, whose year began with a win in Grand Am’s Daytona 24 Hour race, looked comfortable in the Jim Beam Racing Falcon from the outset.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Joey,” said Moffat.
“He has been ultra professional since he set foot in the workshop. It has been a pleasure to work for him. His feedback on the car has been A Grade.
“To be honest, a lot of reason why we are with the car is due to him and his feedback and the changes we’ve made in his two practice sessions.
“He has been great and I need to get the papers to sign him up for next year.”
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Armor All Gold Coast 600 Race Guide
