With the biggest race on the V8 Supercar Calendar only one week away, Team BOC are finalising their Bathurst preparations.
It has been a busy few weeks for the team. As well as the normal Bathurst preparations, the team completed a test session earlier this week to try and weed out the power steering issues that plagued the team at the traditional Bathurst dress rehearsal, the Sandown 500.
The test was not without drama however, as much of the last few days have been spent repairing the #14 Team BOC Falcon after Christian Murchison came into contact with the concrete wall with only two laps remaining in last Tuesdays test.
“It was just one of those things, really late in the day. I went out to do just a couple of laps to finish the day off and the car has just come down off the kerb awkwardly on the exit of the sweeper and spat me off the road. The proximity of the wall there means that you are almost guaranteed to hit it, ” Christian said.
“It was really disappointing because Damien and I had really started to come to grips with the car and we were both setting some good times, but I need to forget about the test and go to Bathurst with a clear head. ”
In a double blow for the team, it was confirmed this week that Brad Jones will not make his much anticipated return at Bathurst. After weeks of intensive medical attention, Brad was handed the bad news that his back simply hasn’t recovered in time to make the start next week. “Bathurst is one of the toughest races we do - if not the hardest, so to go in underdone wouldn’t have done me or the team any favours. ”
“To say it was a hard decision is an understatement. Retiring early this year was hard, but not being able to drive at the Mountain is really disappointing, made all the more difficult because the retirement was my decision - this one I haven’t had as much to do with, other than the fact that it’s my back. ”
Brad’s absence will mean that the team will go into Bathurst with an unchanged line-up.
“Christian did a great job for us at Sandown given the late notice he received, and while he made a small mistake at the test, both he and Damien set very competitive times at Winton on Tuesday so I am confident that they will do a great job for us and compliment Andrew and Simon in the other car, ” Brad added.
Steering clear of the dramas have been the duo in the #12 Team BOC Falcon, Andrew Jones and Simon Wills.
“We had a really good test earlier in the week, concentrating on our pit stops - driver changes and brake pad changes, as well as focusing on improving the reliability of our power steering systems, ” Andrew said.
“Now I am just champing at the bit to get up to the Mountain. It’s a great place and a great race so I just want to get there and get started. ”
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