Surfers Paradise: SBR preview

SBR drivers say confidence is key at Indy

Stone Brothers Racing drivers say that confidence is the key to success at this weekend's round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series, the Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge at the challenging Surfers Paradise Street Circuit.

SP Tools Racing's Shane van Gisbergen will be the youngest driver in the field this weekend, but with just over a year of V8 Super car racing under his belt, the young Kiwi is more than ready for his second stint at the circuit.

The 19-year-old admits to feeling a little overwhelmed at last year's event but says that his building confidence in the SP Tools Racing Falcon will help him get on top of the 4.4km 'concrete canyon'.

Van Gisbergen is also in awe of the local enthusiasm for the Indy event; with the Gold Coast now home to the Auckland-born driver, he is enjoying being immersed in the Indy atmosphere and chomping at the bit to get on the track.

JELD-WEN Motorsport's James Courtney also believes that confidence is the key this weekend and the 28-year-old and his crew have plenty of it on board after a podium finish at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 just over a week ago.

Courtney has shone at street circuits in recent times and thrives on the aggression required to deal with the bumps and kerbs.

It will be no different this weekend when Courtney hits the track with the in-form JELD-WEN Motorsport Falcon, the number-four car showing great speed at Bathurst, claiming the fastest lap of the race.

SBR's BF Falcons will have their first hit out on the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit today with practice starting at 1:05pm, followed by qualifying at 4:55pm. Race one will take place on Saturday with races two and three on Sunday.

James Courtney, #4, JELD-WEN Motorsport Falcon

"I qualified front row in Surfers (Paradise) last year, and I've been on the podium at other street circuits such as Adelaide, Hamilton and Bathurst; I just really enjoy the challenge of the street races.

"The Indy track is a typical street circuit; the car slides around on the bumps and you have to deal with running over man-hole covers, white lines, drains, and different cambers.

'It's a hard place to pass apart from a couple of places where you can throw the car down the inside on the bumpy braking areas at the end of the front and back straights; you've got to be really committed to make it work.

"You can't be 'gun shy' and you have to run the car close to the walls for a quick lap.

"Having said that, myself and the guys in the JELD-WEN crew are full of confidence this weekend. The car had plenty of speed at Bathurst, including fastest lap of the race, and there's no reason why I can't carry that momentum onto the streets of the Gold Coast.

"SBR's got a pretty good record at Indy and I'll be looking to keep that tradition going."

Shane van Gisbergen, #9, SP Tools Racing Falcon

"I raced at Indy for the first time last year and I struggled with confidence through the tyre bundles and chicanes a bit.

"The Surfers Paradise circuit is all about confidence; you have to get comfortable enough to let the car run close to the walls, then you start to put in some good lap times.

"I was still living in New Zealand t his time last year so this wasn't really a home race for me then; now I've been here almost a year and its great to be racing on the streets of Surfers.

"So many locals support the event, all the radio stations promote it, everyone is so into it; it's a great atmosphere and I'm really looking forward to getting out there in the SP Tools Racing Falcon and getting on top of the circuit."

-credit: sbr