Warren Luff will drive the #30 Gulf Western Oils Commodore VE for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport in the three remaining events of this year’s V8 Supercars Championship Series, plus the entire 2011 season.
Luff got the nod to drive for the first-year team after a standout effort co-driving with championship leader James Courtney in the Jim Beam Racing Falcon FG.
In the four endurances races at Phillip Island, Bathurst and Gold Coast (two races), Luff and Courtney finished 12th, fifth, 10th and fourth repectively, holding onto Courtney’s series lead.
Dumbrell, the youngest-ever V8 Supercars team owner, has seen a number of drivers share his entry this year, including Daniel Gaunt, Cameron McConville, Mark Noske, Nathan Pretty and Scott Pruett.
Dumbrell is pleased to have an experienced and reliable driver join his team.
“When you’re talking about the best available drivers in the country, Warren is in the top one or two on the list,” Dumbrell told Speedcafe.com.au.
“Obviously he has great driving ability and deals very well with the media.
“The relationship with Warren so far, I’m beginning to understand why he is talked about so highly. He’s an ultra-professional guy and we’re looking forward to being involved with him for the remaining rounds of this year and 2011.”
While Luff has long been regarded as one of Australia’s best endurance drivers, this will not be his first stint as a full-time driver.
Luff competed in his first full season with Dick Johnson Racing in 2004. He then drove for Jim Morton’s Development Series team in 2005, finishing second in that series before scoring another full-time Main Series drive with Britek in 2006.
Luff has been a DJR endurance driver since 2008, scoring numerous top 10 results.
To make life a little more comfortable for Luff, he will be reacquainted with former DJR team manager Dean Orr, who was in charge of DJR when he drove for them back in 2004.
Dumbrell is confident that Luff will be a huge asset to his team.
“I think he is going to work very well with our team,” Dumbrell said.
“He has past experience with our team manager who holds him in very high regard.
“With Warren in the car, I think the Gulf Western Oils Commodore should be able to compete in the top 15, maybe even the top 10 as well.
“He’s a mature driver and proved that by being paired with the championship leader. I believe putting him into the last three rounds will give him a head start with our team and engineers.
“Rather than him starting in the first round at Abu Dhabi trying to learn everything, the only thing he’ll have to learn is the circuit.”
