Got this emailed to me during this week and thought I'd post it here, mainly for the comments in the last 2 paragraphs, as they briefly mention the T8 split. Not sure what to read into it though as fail to see how the move would affect any other Holden team.
ABN:83 059 459 068
2/13 Kitchen Rd Dandenong Sth VIC 3175
TELEPHONE- 61 3 9793 6933 FACSIMILE- 61 3 9793 6922
EMAIL-mail@grmotorsport.com.au WEBSITE www.grmotorsport.com.au
Sandown.
After two of the longer trips of the year, Darwin and Townsville, it was nice to be able to sleep in our own beds for the Sandown races. It is easy to become complacent when so close to home but we were determined to maintain our momentum and keep our eye on the prize.
Sandown with its long straights, particularly the back elevated straight, is renowned to be a high horse power track, and if everything is not working in sync you will have problems putting together good fast consistent times.
Fridays practice saw Leethal battle with an engine niggle which saw the # 33 car struggle around the 3.1 km circuit to finish 19th for the session. Robbo continued with some good consistent running and placed the # 34 car within the top ten to finish 9th at the end of practice.
The crew had a good look at Leethal?s engine overnight, and with some adjusted engine mapping and tuning felt they had the # 33 car all set for Saturdays qualifying and racing.
The weather is always a concern at Sandown because it is not very often that the racing is not affected at some stage by rain. The weather looked threatening for qualifying but as it turned out would stay fine for the whole weekend. Robbo easily got through the elimination periods to make the shootout and qualify 8th for the start of race 1. A great result once again!!
Leethal was putting his best foot forward and was throwing everything at qualifying but came up short - qualifying 21st. This was not a familiar position for Lee or GRM, especially in recent times. Sandown would see the use of the sticky tyre again which really livens the racing up. Race 1 and Robbo started on the stickies, hopefully to put some distance behind him and get a jump in early stages.
Leethal had his hands full, having to start from 21st, but was more than up to the challenge!! It was great to see the main grandstand packed to the rafters for the start of race 1. Lee and Robbo started very well!!
Car # 34 was pushed wide at turn 1, after Van Gisbergen locked a wheel. Robbo lost a couple of positions but to his credit was able to recover and get back amongst it. With the help of the sticky tyre in the early stages and good race strategy Robbo was able to position himself well and finish in 5th position winning some very valuable points.
Leethal ran on the control trye only for this race saving his stickies for Sunday. History has proven that the new soft compound tyre is better with clean open racing and not to be wasted jostling mid pack.
The # 33 car did have good race pace but the engine data was still showing some inconsistencies. Lee did a very good job to finish in 18th but obviously there was a deeper issue with the # 33 car which needed to be resolved. After the race, the engine guru?s went to work, scouring over all the data taken from the # 33 car but could not put their finger on any one area.
After quite a lot of deliberation between the engineers, engine heads, Lee and Shirl (team manager) it was decided that the engine needed to be replaced, for Sunday. This would prove to be a good call as Sunday?s qualifying would show, with Leethal and Robbo both in the top ten for the start of race 2. Strategy again was going to play a big role in the 200km, 66 lap race. Lee started on his new sticky tyre and Robbo with still a bit of life in his, was aiming to make a bit of a dash before an early pit stop before going onto the harder control tyre. Then there were two early safety car periods which increased the number of laps before the field could pit.
Robbo was out longer than we would have liked but was bought in to pit for fuel and the harder control tyre. On his return to the race and in the heat of the moment on cold tyres, Robbo had a big lock up and flat spotted his front tyres. He had to pit again to change the front left and then realizing 1 lap later that the front right was damaged as well, had to pit again.
Robbo?s 2 pit stop strategy turned into 4 pit stops during Sunday?s race, but he did not drop a lap and fought onto finish 20th. The # 34 car did sustain quite a bit of front and rear damage late in the race after he was punted by the # 51 car after a safety car period. Ground Hog Day !!!!
Anyway, Leethal was traveling very well with the front runners. The crew had put Leethal onto the harder tyre early and was saving what was left of his softer tyres for a sprint to the end.
Again, a safety car period would influence this and 25 laps from the end Lee had to go onto the softer tyre, a few laps earlier than we liked. Lee was racing strongly in 3rd position gaining valuable ground and looking to be set for a podium, but in the dying stages his tyres would go off completely, but he was able to hang on to finish in 11th spot.
The weekend has had a bit of everything for the GRM crew. Leethal still sits 6th in the driver?s championship and Robbo 10th. Our cars still have very good pace and are really looking the goods as we head to Queensland Raceway and then onto the enduro?s.
I would like to thank everyone for their sincere comments and support shown towards GRM in light of the Team Vodafone / Holden announcement for 2010. One thing I have learnt in this business is that you have to role with the punches and not get swept along with and lose sleep over influences that you have no control over.
We will continue to work hard, remain loyal to our sponsors, fans and friends and strive to keep producing the results that we are renowned for. We look forward to seeing everyone in Queensland.
Kind Regards
Garry
ABN:83 059 459 068
2/13 Kitchen Rd Dandenong Sth VIC 3175
TELEPHONE- 61 3 9793 6933 FACSIMILE- 61 3 9793 6922
EMAIL-mail@grmotorsport.com.au WEBSITE www.grmotorsport.com.au
Sandown.
After two of the longer trips of the year, Darwin and Townsville, it was nice to be able to sleep in our own beds for the Sandown races. It is easy to become complacent when so close to home but we were determined to maintain our momentum and keep our eye on the prize.
Sandown with its long straights, particularly the back elevated straight, is renowned to be a high horse power track, and if everything is not working in sync you will have problems putting together good fast consistent times.
Fridays practice saw Leethal battle with an engine niggle which saw the # 33 car struggle around the 3.1 km circuit to finish 19th for the session. Robbo continued with some good consistent running and placed the # 34 car within the top ten to finish 9th at the end of practice.
The crew had a good look at Leethal?s engine overnight, and with some adjusted engine mapping and tuning felt they had the # 33 car all set for Saturdays qualifying and racing.
The weather is always a concern at Sandown because it is not very often that the racing is not affected at some stage by rain. The weather looked threatening for qualifying but as it turned out would stay fine for the whole weekend. Robbo easily got through the elimination periods to make the shootout and qualify 8th for the start of race 1. A great result once again!!
Leethal was putting his best foot forward and was throwing everything at qualifying but came up short - qualifying 21st. This was not a familiar position for Lee or GRM, especially in recent times. Sandown would see the use of the sticky tyre again which really livens the racing up. Race 1 and Robbo started on the stickies, hopefully to put some distance behind him and get a jump in early stages.
Leethal had his hands full, having to start from 21st, but was more than up to the challenge!! It was great to see the main grandstand packed to the rafters for the start of race 1. Lee and Robbo started very well!!
Car # 34 was pushed wide at turn 1, after Van Gisbergen locked a wheel. Robbo lost a couple of positions but to his credit was able to recover and get back amongst it. With the help of the sticky tyre in the early stages and good race strategy Robbo was able to position himself well and finish in 5th position winning some very valuable points.
Leethal ran on the control trye only for this race saving his stickies for Sunday. History has proven that the new soft compound tyre is better with clean open racing and not to be wasted jostling mid pack.
The # 33 car did have good race pace but the engine data was still showing some inconsistencies. Lee did a very good job to finish in 18th but obviously there was a deeper issue with the # 33 car which needed to be resolved. After the race, the engine guru?s went to work, scouring over all the data taken from the # 33 car but could not put their finger on any one area.
After quite a lot of deliberation between the engineers, engine heads, Lee and Shirl (team manager) it was decided that the engine needed to be replaced, for Sunday. This would prove to be a good call as Sunday?s qualifying would show, with Leethal and Robbo both in the top ten for the start of race 2. Strategy again was going to play a big role in the 200km, 66 lap race. Lee started on his new sticky tyre and Robbo with still a bit of life in his, was aiming to make a bit of a dash before an early pit stop before going onto the harder control tyre. Then there were two early safety car periods which increased the number of laps before the field could pit.
Robbo was out longer than we would have liked but was bought in to pit for fuel and the harder control tyre. On his return to the race and in the heat of the moment on cold tyres, Robbo had a big lock up and flat spotted his front tyres. He had to pit again to change the front left and then realizing 1 lap later that the front right was damaged as well, had to pit again.
Robbo?s 2 pit stop strategy turned into 4 pit stops during Sunday?s race, but he did not drop a lap and fought onto finish 20th. The # 34 car did sustain quite a bit of front and rear damage late in the race after he was punted by the # 51 car after a safety car period. Ground Hog Day !!!!
Anyway, Leethal was traveling very well with the front runners. The crew had put Leethal onto the harder tyre early and was saving what was left of his softer tyres for a sprint to the end.
Again, a safety car period would influence this and 25 laps from the end Lee had to go onto the softer tyre, a few laps earlier than we liked. Lee was racing strongly in 3rd position gaining valuable ground and looking to be set for a podium, but in the dying stages his tyres would go off completely, but he was able to hang on to finish in 11th spot.
The weekend has had a bit of everything for the GRM crew. Leethal still sits 6th in the driver?s championship and Robbo 10th. Our cars still have very good pace and are really looking the goods as we head to Queensland Raceway and then onto the enduro?s.
I would like to thank everyone for their sincere comments and support shown towards GRM in light of the Team Vodafone / Holden announcement for 2010. One thing I have learnt in this business is that you have to role with the punches and not get swept along with and lose sleep over influences that you have no control over.
We will continue to work hard, remain loyal to our sponsors, fans and friends and strive to keep producing the results that we are renowned for. We look forward to seeing everyone in Queensland.
Kind Regards
Garry
