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The initial batch of 25 Gen3 Supercars has now all been shaken down after Team 18 successfully completed its programme at Winton.
It was a belated outing for the #18 Mark Winterbottom and #20 Scott Pye Chevrolet Camaros, which incurred a technical glitch on the day prior.
Team Manager Bruin Beasley explained to Speedcafe.com that while the drama was in fact steering wheel-related, consistent with earlier comments, it pertained to the judicial camera.
“It was actually not the steering wheel, it was the camera system having an effect on it,” he said.
“There must be a pin out problem on the system somewhere, so once we unplugged it, everything was perfect.
“It’s not a job to work it out, it’ll just be a pin around the wrong way or something.”
Once the #18 and #20 machines did hit the track shortly after 09:30 local time/AEDT, as part of a Test & Tune day at the rural Victorian circuit, they were virtually trouble-free.
Both cars clocked up mileage in the region of 80 to 90 laps of the 3.00km track, roughly in proportion to the hauls of other teams which could start their shakedown and test days at 08:30.
“Absolutely had no issues at all, except for having one nut come loose on the gear linkage and that’s it,” said Beasley.
“Apart from that, it’s been absolutely nothing.
“We’re just doing set-up changes and trying bits and pieces just to see what all works, so it’s been fantastic. It’s been perfect, actually. Haven’t had a wheel come loose, haven’t had any clutch issues…
“Today’s 43 degrees or something so it’s absolutely perfect for heat-related stuff and we had nothing go wrong.
“You won’t do a fast time today but it’s a shakedown anyway so our focus wasn’t on going fast today.”
The full field will be in action next Wednesday (February 22) for an official Supercars test day at Sydney Motorsport Park.
