Supercheap Auto Racing duo Russell Ingall and Christian Klien will compete in Sunday’s Bathurst 1000 with a revised look to their Walkinshaw Racing prepared Holden.
Unveiled in the city of Bathurst today, the car promotes Supercheap’s new ‘Club Plus’ membership program.
This year marks Ingall’s 21st Bathurst 1000 start, having made his debut in a Bob Forbes Holden Commodore in 1990.
Ingall is a two-time winner of the race, taking victory alongside Larry Perkins in 1995 and 1997, and is typically bullish about his chances this weekend.
“Bathurst is about feeling – how good you feel about your car, your co-driver, your team and the track,” he said.
“I’ve got a good feeling. Christian knows which way the track goes, we’ve got speed and we’ve had a good run recently.
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“We’re confident. We’re not screaming it from the rooftops but I’ve got a good feeling we could be on the top step of the podium Sunday.”
Klien meanwhile is a Bathurst 1000 rookie. The Austrian at least has previous experience of the circuit, driving a Lotus Elise in February’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
He combined with Ingall to finish 11th in the recent Dick Smith Sandown 500, but knows that driving the car around Mount Panorama will be a different challenge.
“Bathurst is one of the world’s great races and I am so excited to be here and driving alongside Russell,” he said.
“I’ve raced at Le Mans, I’ve raced at Monaco, and at Indianapolis, all of the tracks known around the world – and Bathurst is one of those.
“It’s a big week, it’s a long challenging week ahead for us, but Rusty is very experienced at Bathurst and he’s given me a lot of tips. I’ve also done enough endurance races myself, so I think we’re quite a good package.”
Meanwhile, a Walkinshaw Racing representative told Speedcafe.com at the circuit today that its sister Holden Racing Team entries will be competing in their regular colours this weekend.
Although not following the retro theme displayed by TeamVodafone, Ford Performance Racing and Dick Johnson Racing, the Garth Tander/Nick Percat and James Courtney/Cameron McConville entries were sporting decals marking each of the HRT’s previous Bathurst wins on their B-pillars as they sat in their garages today.
See below for Supercheap Auto Racing’s official video from today’s launch
