Gold Coast V8 Race

[vatuloa]

A number of the V8 drivers were on the Gold Coast yesterday to promote the Gold Coast race.

From Todays Gold Coast newspaper
V8 drivers raring for Coast race
16Oct03

THE Gold Coast Indy track received a vote of confidence from V8 Supercar drivers at the launch of the race in Brisbane yesterday afternoon.

Bathurst winner Greg Murphy, placegetters Craig Lowndes and Gold Coasters Steve Johnson and David Besnard agreed the street circuit was superb and that the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge was fast becoming the joint main attraction at the Indy carnival.

Murphy, the hottest driver in Australian racing, led the glowing report for the Gold Coast event.

"I think it is the best street circuit I have ever raced on," he said.

"Everyone loves to race here and I have a good record which makes it even better."

Besnard backed up Murphy's comments.

"The Gold Coast is the best place to live and the best place to race. Indy just keeps getting bigger and better every year," said Besnard.

This year's race takes on particular importance with championship honours still to be decided.

"The next two races, particularly the Gold Coast, are very important. If we can put some good performances together we can put some pressure on for the championship honours," said Murphy.

Johnson is another driver looking forward to a big Indy carnival after disappointment at Bathurst.

"The car had an electrical problem which put us out during the race so I'm looking forward to an improved performance," said Johnson.

With the following round of the V8 championships in New Zealand less than a fortnight after the Gold Coast race, Lowndes said teams had to be careful.

"We always have to watch ourselves around the Gold Coast because there is not much time to prepare the cars before we head to New Zealand," he said.

Final touches are being made to the track before the start of the four-day carnival which begins next Thursday

[Mattracer]

One race on Sat, another on Sun?

[GROUPA]

Best street circuit....what about Albert Park

[Big Mac]

Best street circuit....what about ADELAIDE! The original and the best!

[Onlooker]

Wow looks like a new track has been built that I was unaware of.Correct me if I am wrong but isn't this the very same track that the drivers and teams would do anything to avoid for years?In fact it was such a great track that rules had to be put in place to ensure not only that the teams attended but that they brought cars that resembled the real thing.This track is a car breaker though,just look at all the cars that have retired with a mystry problem over the years.
What a lot of BS,it is only popular because the TV cameras were turned on.Right up there with Longhurst's statement at Bathurst that the 2003 HRT car was the best he's driven.

[GTV27]

Huh, why wouldn't the 03 HRT car be the best that Longhurst has driven?

Agree on the PR friendly track statements though - a bit of hyperbole for the media.

[GTRMagic]

Isnt Bathurst a street circuit?

[Wayne Kerr]

No, Bathurst is a road circuit!

[Mattracer]

But is there a race on Sat and a race on Sun?

[rocket]

since when has murphy been the "hottest driver in australian racing", so he co won bathurst it dosent mean jack in the scheme of things

[Lyris]

Rocket I believe that was since 'Apparently' every team under the sun is after him as a driver for next year.

[AussieTeddie]

Being from Adelaide I have to boast about the Adelaide street circuit

[D.R.T.]

Dont worry about the V8 race at the Gold Coast, the Nations Cup races should be corkers

[Wizzby]

Originally posted by rocket
since when has murphy been the "hottest driver in australian racing", so he co won bathurst it dosent mean jack in the scheme of things

Why not? According to Mnews, Ambrose is the best touring car driver in the world, despite the fact he hasn't won the championship or Bathurst yet. The media will blow anything out of proportion to sell a few mags.

[Phase3]

Originally posted by Mattracer
But is there a race on Sat and a race on Sun?

Yes, Practice and Qualifying on Friday, Race 1 on Saturday, Race 2 on Sunday, and a very happy Phase 3 watching it all from Grandstand 31

[mmciau]

Forum,
The PR Spin Doctors grab a handful of drivers whose names contain no more than two syllables and ask them to read/memorise a prepared statement without resorting to too much dribbling!!

Mike

[vatuloa]

The weather forcast is now for storms and as the cars go straight to NZ this could create more problems anyone that wants a weather update on the day look up this radar link for the area.

http://mirror.bom.gov.au/products/IDR503.shtml

[GTRMagic]

Not rain again!!

[vatuloa]

Unfortunatly it only rains when to cars are racing but this time it's storms that are forcast and they are hit and miss most of the time. Lets hope it's the miss this weekend.

[moffman]

I think the Nation Cup races will provide a better spectacle on the Gold Coast than the V8,s.

[Zinger]

The Brutes should be a great spectacle around the streets

[sevi]

Looking at how beautiful today is, keep fingers crossed it stays this nice. The only thing that got me through bathurst was knowing in less then 2 weeks I would be on the Gold Coast in great hot weather.

[GTRMagic]

Bathurst was fine weatherwise... cold when the sun went down but if you planned your sunburn correctly, that was always manageable...

[Wizzby]

It was fine for me underneath my doona

[TheMan]

I dont know what drugs the drivers were fed at this launch last week, but every driver and team for that matter that I have ever spoken to say that Indy is the single most worst race of the year. Maybe they were told what they had to say seeing as though this was an official Indy event, because some of the drivers that were there are among the few I have spoken to about it. Wierd.