AUS Utes: Series Gold Coast preview

V8 Utes buffed up and set to shine at the Armor All Gold Coast 600

With only two rounds remaining in the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All, the V8 Utes head to the sunny Gold Coast for the first time since 2007 for next weekend's Round 7, 22 - 24 October.

In tight series contention is 2007 Champion and previous Gold Coast winner Grant Johnson, who is currently leading the Series charge with only 100 points separating him from Jack Elsegood in the Cooper's Ford. Third placed is Jesus Racing's Andrew Fisher and with 298 points up for grabs over the next two rounds (149 points per round) the top Series spot is still up for grabs.

Fisher, who is yet to claim a top three overall championship spot in the V8 Ute Series, is excited by the prospect, although knows Johnson and Elsegood have both tasted Gold Coast success before and will be tough to beat.

"We are excited about our race pace. The last few rounds as a team we worked really hard together, all three cars were fast at Bathurst and Phillip Island and we look to have the same race pace at Gold Coast and put it to Grant and Jack as best we can."

"I love the Gold Coast track I had one of my best rounds there in '07. It's a difficult track, which I really like," explained Fisher.

Ten Queenslanders will fill a third of the 32 V8 Ute field including Gold Coast based Rohan Barry, Ryal Harris, Charlie O'Brien, Brisbane based Greg Willis, Jason Gomersall, Peter Burnitt, Brad Patton, Steve McFadden and Logan's Brendon Tucker who will be returning to the Series for the second time this year since he raced in the "Ten years of Legends" event at the Clipsal 500.

Coombabah Plaza backed driver, Charlie O'Brien, will be doing double duty racing in the Australian Legends event in and ex Bryan Thompson Chevrolette Comaro. This is O'Brien's first year in the V8 Ute Series, however his motorsport resume spans back into the 1970's where he was the youngest driver at 21 years of age to ever win an Australian Touring Championship round until Rick Kelly's first win in 2003. He was a front running touring car driver driving for Peter Brocks Holden Dealer Team as well as his own O'Brien transport team. He has also raced NASCAR and Super Touring cars at the Gold Coast event in previous years.

Former V8 Ute driver James Brock will also be partaking in the Legends event in one of in his father (Peter's) Bathurst winning cars.

The V8 Utes will be stationed at Mantra Sun City over the weekend and will hit the track Friday, 22nd October for Practice at 11:10am followed by Qualifying at 4:10pm.

Race 1 will be televised as live as on Saturday, 23rd October at 11am on Network Seven and Race 2, Sunday, 24th October also at 11am on Network Seven.

Make-A-Wish Australia is the official charity of Australian V8 Ute Racing who will endeavour to assist the foundation with their mission, which is to "To grant the Wishes of Children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope strength and joy."

-source: aus v8 utes