AUS Utes: Series Hidden Valley preview

V8 Utes Gear Up for Round 3 in Darwin

As the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All heats up, so does the weather, with the Series heading to Hidden Valley Raceway, Darwin, Friday 18th - Sunday 20th June for Round 3.

Former Hidden Valley champion and current Series front-runner Grant "Grunta" Johnson will be the hot favourite coming into the round after claiming the Armor All Pole Award at the track last year. The West Aussie, has held the track record there since 2006 and broke it last year in a time of 1:23.19.

Jesus All About Life Racing's, Andrew Fisher is having a spectacular year claiming the overall win in the Ten Years Of Legends event at Round 1, a second placing in Round 2 and is looking for another win in Round 3 to take him to the lead of the Series as he is currently one point behind Johnson on the leader- board.

"I'm really looking forward to Darwin. The atmosphere there is always spectacular. We didn't have the best luck there last year but we are hoping to re-deem ourselves this time around. We're racing well this year and if we just keep to what we are doing I have no doubt the weekend will go the way we want it to," explains Fisher.

Only four points behind Fisher is Rookie David Sieders, who took out Round 1 and after an average outing at Round 2 at Winton Raceway, will be looking to make up some points, but will have reigning champion Jack "The Hustler" Elsegood hot on his heels. The Coopers Pale Ale driver has vast experience at the track with two wins up his sleeve, in 2005 and 2007.

Other veterans on the track are Wilson Securities Charlie Kovacs who is celebrating his 10th year in the Series and claimed fourth in Darwin last year.

Sage Automations Gary "Chuckie" Baxter and Ice Break Racings Gary MacDonald who are running 5th and 6th consecutively in the Series are also pumped to be heading to the N.T circuit. Baxter has two Hidden Valley podiums under his belt and has raced at the track since 2005. Although MacDonald has raced in the Series for a number of years he has only competed in Darwin once (2008) along with Selectv's Gary Carson who's first time was 2009 and is currently 7th in the Series.

Currently 8th in the Series is Racer Industries Rookie of the Year candidate, Rhys McNally who will be looking to better his brother Glenn's 2009 placing of 3rd.

Just ahead of McNally in 9th place is Storage Kings Ben Dunn who has raced in Darwin from 2006 - 2008. Dunn sat out last year as he was sharing the Storage King Ford with Dad Colin, however this year both Colin and Ben will be racing against each other at the track for the first time. The two drove together earlier in the year in the "Ten Years of Legends" event and have raced against each other twice before - once in 2008 at Queensland Raceway and again at Sydney Telstra 500 in 2009. Ben is looking forward to racing against his Dad.

"I think it will be good fun to race against Dad again. Darwin is a good track, and the whole atmosphere it's so laid back. I might even get a chance to try and take his mirrors off," Ben said with a grin.

In tenth position in the Chill/Wicked Energy Drink Ford is Brad Patton who's followed closely by energy drink rival Jeremy Gray in his Rockstar Energy Drink backed Ford in 11th position.

There will be a few minor changes to the 32 car field with Yanis Derums taking the reins of car #16. After five years in a Holden, Derums made the jump to a Ford recently at Winton when he drove the Red Ass Mexican backed BF of Colin Dunn and Denis Cribbin. Derums will be driving under car # 66.

Below is the full schedule for Round 3 of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All, with Race 1 televised LIVE on Network Seven.

-source: aus v8 utes