AUS Utes: Series Sydney fast facts

Fast Facts - V8 Utes at the Sydney Telstra 500 (Grand Finale')

About the Circuit
Length: 3.4km
Circuit Direction: Anti-clockwise
V8 Ute Top Average Speed: 114km/h
V8 Ute Lap Record: 1:47.91 set by George Miedecke in a Ford BF in Race 1 (2009)
Fastest point: Turn 1, end of pit straight
Slowest Point: Mid-corner, last 2 turns (12/13)

Brief description of the circuit: Winding its way around the Sydney Olympic Park complex which hosted the 2000 Olympic Games, the newest V8 Supercar circuit is a real mixture. Track designers, including five-time Series Champion Mark Skaife, have focused on creating a real challenge for the drivers, with a variety of bumps, camber changes and fast and slow corners making it difficult to complete the perfect lap.

1) The Sydney Telstra 500 marks the final Round of the 2010 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All and will bring to a close the tenth anniversary of the Series.

2) Four drivers are still in contention for the Series title including; Grant Johnson (852 points) and local drivers, Jack Elsegood (766 points), Andrew Fisher (734 points) and David Sieders (730). Only 122 points separate the top four with 149 points up for grabs over the weekend.

3) Series leader Grant Johnson has just picked up a last minute partnership deal with international resource recruitment giant Brunel Energy and will be hard to catch for the Series title but stranger things have happened.

In 2007, Coopers Clear Racing's Elsegood was leading the Series heading into the final round and had the title in the bag until he had issues with the car in the final race, giving Johnson the title. Elsegood was able to redeem himself in 2009 claiming the title after the Sydney Street Race.

5) David Sieders has claimed the 2010 V8 Superschool Rookie of the Year Award as his points tally cannot be matched by rivals Rockstar Energy Drinks Jeremy Gray and NRW Holding's Rhys McNally.

6) There are twelve drivers out of the 32 who are from Sydney including; Wake-up Racing's Warren Millet, Jack Elsegood, Nulon Oil's David Sieders, Jesus Racing's Andrew Fisher, GO! Channel 88 driver Gary Carson, Bisley Workwear's Nandi Kiss, Ice Break Racing's Gary MacDonald, Sydney Complete Soda Blasting Marty Miller and Storage King's Ben Dunn. Vittoria Coffee's driver, George Elliot will make his first appearance at the Sydney track after missing the round in 2009 due to back surgery. ISRI Truck Seats driver Steve Hodges will be looking to have another win after he celebrated his first V8 Ute Race win at Sydney last year. Ben Kavich with also return to the track with a new partner "Red Lea Chickens", who will be donating their sponsorship dollars to their chosen charity The Variety Club.

7) 23 out of 32 drivers have competed on the Sydney Olympic Park circuit before.

8) Kim Jane had an incident in Qualifying in 2009 which pushed the Qualifying session to be run at 6pm (drivers finishing on dusk).

9) There will be three new additions to the 2010 Series at Sydney including: local Marty Miller who will be returning to Sydney for the second time, on this occasion driving James Brock Holden VE. Playboy and Motorsport larrikin Randy "Flathru" Corners will step behind the wheel of a V8 Ute for the first time and is looking to add a win to his vast resume including F1 World Champion, Daytona Winner, Nurburgring lap record holder. He will drive Scott Jennings' Samboy Racing V8 Ute. Randy has drawn so much attention to the Series that international GT driver Ryo Omire from Japan has decided to take a run at the Utes and will drive Scott Jenning's Holden VE under #12.

10) Craig Dontas will be celebrating his 100th Race and V8 Ute Veteran Charlie "Handlebars" Kovacs will be the first driver to start 250 races. Both drivers will hit their targets in Race 1, Dontas in his Thirsty Cameldore and Kovacs in his Wilson Securities backed Holden.

-source: aus v8 utes