IRWIN Racing heads to the unique Symmons Plains Raceway outside Launceston this weekend for the Falken Tasmania Challenge, the 13th round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.
It will be Gurr’s V8 debut at the short Tasmanian circuit, a track which he has been studying over the past week,
“A track with a lot of character - especially the hairpin, ” said Gurr.
“The top side of the track is quite narrow and the fence is right-up against the circuit. Then down the back section it is wide open with plenty of pace.
“The track is so short that picking the wrong time to pit can cost you a lap. A cleaver strategy can leap-frog you up the order.
“Add-in the Tassie weather and it can make for some exciting racing”
Back with IRWIN Racing in Tasmania will be lead engineer Greg Foletta. Foletta missed the previous round in Bahrain staying in Melbourne for the birth of his second son.
Between parenting duties Foletta has been overseeing preparations for the trip across Bass Strait.
“They call it the Falken Tasmania Challenge - that’s just what it is a challenge, ” said Foletta.
“For such a short track it has everything that circuits three times as long don’t have!
“The hairpin is the tightest corner of the entire series. Then you charge down one of the fastest sweeping bends in Australian racing!
“We have made improvements to the car in the last part of the season. Tasmania could prove the time to showcase our improved pace. “
IRWIN Racing will join other teams for extended practice on Friday, before qualifying and race #1 (50-laps) on Saturday. The final two 50-lap races will be run on Sunday.
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