| In
just 18 weeks the Pirtek Rally Team
has designed, constructed and now
tested the world's first Super 2000
Ford Fiestas ahead of this weekend's
opening round of the NEC Australian
Rally Championship, the Coates Rally
Queensland on the Sunshine Coast.
The dedicated crew of the Pirtek
Rally Team has had just a handful
of days away from the workshop since
Christmas, including a non-stop
effort in the last three weeks.
With the full cooperation of the
Coates Rally Queensland Organisers,
the Australian Rally Commission
(ARCom) and the Confederation of
Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), the
Pirtek Rally Team was able to test
both cars today in the forests around
the hinterland township of Imbil.
The #4 entry of Michael Guest /
Mark Stacey and the #5 entry of
Darren Windus / Jon Mortimer stretched
the legs of the Fiestas for the
very first time during an all-day
session.
Final preparations to both cars
were completed late yesterday at
Pacific Ford in Maroochydore.
Today's test was successful with
only minor technical issues experienced
on both cars.
"This is just an amazing achievement
by everyone involved," said Michael
Guest.
"There are not too many racing organisations
or people in the world that could
have made this happen.
"The car was good today. We had
some minor issues, but all things
considered it was a successful day.
"We are not out there this weekend
to win the event. We must get more
competitive kilometres on both cars
so that we can improve the Fiesta
going forward.
"I know that we have done less than
100-kilometres of running, but already
we have realised the potential in
the cars."
For Darren Windus it was about working
with the team engineers and acclimatising
to the French-built Sadev transmission.
"A lot of new things, but importantly
I was working my way through a familiarisation
process today," said Windus.
"I have come from driving turbo-charged
cars over the last few years and
getting into a non-turbo car requires
a totally different driving style.
Add to this the sequential transmission
and you can understand how different
this car is.
"There's no doubt we still have
a lot to learn. Finishing is critical
and a just reward for all the efforts
of the crew."
Team Principal Jason Bright attended
the test and will be at the Coates
Rally Queensland this weekend.
"I have to say a big thanks to everyone
involved," said Jason Bright.
"From our organisation's point of
view it's a great achievement to
get these two Pirtek Rally Team
Ford Fiestas into action ahead of
this weekend rally.
"As a competitor I know the boys
want to go for it, but as a team
owner I know that we must finish
the event and get information on
making the cars better.
"This is a long-term project and
information is the key right now.
From that point we can improve the
cars and then think about winning
events."
The Pirtek Rally Team will host
two representatives from Sadev this
weekend. Sadev is the supplier of
transmissions to all Super 2000
entries around the world.
The Coates Rally Queensland gets
underway tomorrow night (Friday
30 March) at Coolum Beach. The opening
round of the 2007 NEC Australian
Rally Championship features 17 timed
stages covering 206 competitive-kilometres.
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