The Holden Racing Team will take to Calder Park today after completing the build of its spare chassis for the Sydney 500.
The new car, dubbed WR 020, has been rushed into service following James Courtney’s horrific accident at Phillip Island.
Initially earmarked as a mid-season upgrade for Russell Ingall, the chassis had sat inside the team’s Clayton headquarters as a partially complete spare in case of such an emergency.
The build was finished on Saturday, allowing the shakedown to be undertaken before the team heads to the Sydney Olympic Park race meeting.
Nick Percat, who joins Walkinshaw’s V8 Supercars campaign full-time next season in a new fourth entry, will race the new car in Sydney following the diagnosis of a fractured leg for Courtney.
The South Australian is expected to complete the short test hit-out after returning from his V8 SuperTourer commitments in New Zealand.
Each new V8 Supercar built is allowed an initial shakedown of up to 60km prior to its debut.
Although not counted as a test day, teams are permitted to perform set-up adjustments and record electronic data at a shakedown.
Walkinshaw Racing completed a two-car test day at Winton last week with its Garth Tander and Russell Ingall Commodores.
Percat drove in place of Ingall, who will depart the team at the end of the year, while V8 Ute racer Nathan Pretty also enjoyed a short spell as part of a category prize.
