NOVOCASTRIAN Motorsport’s Drew and Aaren Russell received opportunities to sample cars from leading V8 Supercar teams last week.
Coming off a Top 10 finish in the second round of the Dunlop V8 Supercar Series at Barbagallo Raceway, Drew Russell turned laps with Brad Jones Racing at Winton Motor Raceway last Monday (May 28) and Stone Brothers Racing last Wednesday (May 30) at Queensland Raceway. With SBR, he was joined by younger brother Aaren.
At Winton, Drew Russell completed approximately 30 laps, the bulk of them in Andrew Jones’ Dunlop Series VE Commodore, along with a five-lap stint in David Wall’s Wilson Security VE Commodore from the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
Two days later, both Russells spent approximately 15 laps behind the wheel of Scott McLaughlin’s Fujitsu FG Falcon, the winner of the Barbagallo round.
With BF Falcons – such as the team’s BJR-built cars – ineligible in the Dunlop Series beyond the end of the 2012 season, Novocastrian Motorsport are assessing upgrade options for 2013.
Drew Russell currently sits in a share of 10th in the 2012 Dunlop Series standings, with Aaren Russell 16th. Fellow Novocastrian Michael Hector is 20th in his maiden season. All three drivers will return to their Carrington Equipment Group and CEG Rentals-backed Falcons for the third round of the series in Townsville on July 6-8.
DREW RUSSELL
“It was a good week – good to become a racecar driver for the week. It doesn’t happen that often!
“On Monday, I was at Winton with Brad Jones Racing, before heading up to Stone Brothers Racing on Tuesday for a seat fitting and testing at Queensland Raceway on Wednesday.
“Our cars were built eight years ago, so obviously these newer cars are a lot better, and it was really interesting to get a feel for it and the driving style you need to make them go fast. It’s a lot different to what we’ve got now.
“Even between the two teams, there are hugely different ways to drive the cars. In the Main Game, their cars are about the same pace, but the way you’ve got to drive the cars to achieve the pace is totally different, it’s amazing
“They’re two professional teams, who do a great job running their cars, so it was a great experience.”
AAREN RUSSELL
“It was really good to have the opportunity to get into another car, a much newer car, and cut some laps.
“The Stone Brothers Racing car just does everything better than our current cars. It brakes, it turns, it gets on the power better; it’s chalk and cheese. I couldn’t believe how much difference there was.
“It was a good learning day as well. SBR spent a bit of time with us, going through data and showing us how to drive their cars, because they’re completely different.
“It was probably one of the best experiences in my career so far.”
Novocastrian Motorsport is proudly supported by Go Karts Go, Carrington Equipment Group, CEG Rentals, Century Batteries, Promac Gearbox and Diff, Steve Koulis Smash Repairs, Koala Glass, Valvoline, Duncan Excavations, Hunter Kitchen King, Mocomm, McCluskey Insurance Brokers, Wurth, Griffiths Transport Newcastle, Burton Visual Signs and Environmental Land Contracting.
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