Queensland Raceway Test Day:

Will Brown – Car #87

“It was a massive day. Probably the greatest number of laps I’ve ever done on a test day. We had a lot to work through. We’ve got a really fast car at Queensland Raceway, so it’s quite hard because some of the changes that we’re trying to figure out what might make the car faster at other tracks make it a little bit slower here. It was a lot to work through, trying to confirm what setup changes we can put in our toolbox to know what changes we need at certain tracks and when we might be a little off the pace. Scott (Pye) is fast. He was fast when he was in the main game, running in the top 10 a lot, so he’ll be fine. He did a fair few laps today, which is good. Overall, a massive day working through everything. The boys did a mega job and hopefully, it will make us faster down in Tasmania.”

Scott Pye – Car #87

“The track was consistent today. The first test I did with the team was quite hot, so every time I got in the car, the track conditions and everything had changed a lot, but today was much more consistent. It was a really good opportunity for me to jump in and out during the day, and to get a good feeling from the car. The ride day last week in Sydney was of real benefit to me, making sure I was super comfortable. And then being here today and getting on with the program and helping out where I could. It’s been a massive day for Will, and then for me, it’s just jumping in and out where I can. But all in all, for me, it’s been a very good day, I’m feeling confident. I wish the boys good luck in Tasmania and then back in the car at Sandown. I’m enjoying getting ready for that part of the season.”

“It was a massive day for us today. Ran through our whole program and we went really well. It was great to get Scott in the car a fair bit today. I think he felt really comfortable, and you know it’s great that we fit in the same seat and that the team only had to adjust the pedals a little bit. So yeah, really looking forward to getting to Sandown after today. I’ve known Scott for a long time, he didn’t put a foot wrong today and did a massive job for us. I think he’ll be really strong at Sandown at the end of the day. He was running top 10 at a lot of racer last year as a main game driver, so he can do the job. I think the last race was great to get a podium in Tasmania, but we’re here to win.”

Well, that was quick, wasn’t it? It didn’t exactly feel like that long ago we were busy getting prepared for a couple of shifts around the Mountain in February and all of a sudden, it’s enduro season!

We love endurance racing, and we are extremely stoked to have Scotty Pye and the GOAT jumping in to help the main-game Bulls on their quest to conquer the big ones! There ain’t no missing JDub’s presence come enduro time, but what may be slightly lesser known is that Scotty has actually driven for Triple Eight Race Engineering previously– albeit back in 2012, in a Super2 Car!

We make an eagerly anticipated return to Sandown Raceway, where the Bulls can claim recent successes to be on their side. With a famous victory at his first Sandown 500 crack last year, BFeen is itching to build on his recent form to help get Car #88 on top of the box late Sunday afternoon.

“I’m excited. Enduro season is my favorite time of the year. We’ve come off a pretty unfortunate weekend, so for us, it’s about trying to win and get some points back on the board. But of course, it’s such a big race and it meant so much to win it last year, so I’m excited to go back.”

For JDub, the history of the Sandown 500 stands out massively for him. “It’s a good simple track,” said Jamie when speaking about the Sandown layout. “It just reeks of history. It’s been around forever, Formula 1 used to race there back in the sixties – that’s how long it’s been around. You can’t help but feel that history when you get down there.”

“However, past results don’t guarantee anything this weekend or in the future,’ said Jamie. “We’ll have to be on our ‘A’ game. There’ll be some serious competition, but we’ll put our heads down and see if we can get a result.”

Broc suggests that although there is a love for the track, the Victorian weather knows how to bite throughout the 500km affair. “The weather’s always up in the air. You never know what it’s going to do at Sandown, so it always adds another element. But 500km around there is a lot of fun. It goes pretty quick, but it’s pretty full on all race.”

Sandown 500 – Practice 1, 2 & 3 Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Practice 1 – Ninth (1:09.2540)
Practice 2 (co-drivers only) – First (1:08.8398)
Practice 3 – Third (1:08.3166)

Sandown 500 – Practice 4 & 5, Qualifying & Top Ten Shootout Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Practice 4 – 12th (1:15.0057)
Practice 5 – First (1:13.0865)
Qualifying (Race 19) – Sixth (1:13.0866)
Top Ten Shootout – First (1:10.2549)

Sandown 500 – Warm Up & Race 19 Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Warm Up – Ninth (1:09.0150)
Race 19 – First

Drivers’ Championship Standings – First (2280 points)

The Bathurst 1000 is an Aussie motorsport fan’s second Christmas. There is simply no doubt about it. We wait all year for the day to arrive, as patiently as we can. We gather family and friends, young and old. We fire up the BBQs and stock the fridges full. We battle for ultimate supremacy – whether the best seat in the house or who gets to bat first in the sacred game of backyard cricket. And we all have that one uncle who is asleep in a food coma at 1 pm, on yah mate.

However, our Christmas doesn’t start when we wake up, on that one special morning. It starts almost a week before, Bathurst week. We roll in at the very start of the week, and we don’t get on track until Thursday. However, everyone gets their first hint at what might be under the tree at 3:15 pm on Friday, and we can see our names start to appear on the wrapping at 5:05 pm on Saturday. And we finally get to tear into it at 11:30 am sharp on Sunday. Oh, so sharp.

For the four Bulls, Christmas Day is second behind every Bathurst 1000. You’ll often hear the greats, the heroes, and the legends remind us all that there is not a day like it. There is not an event like it. There is not a race like it. It is something every Australian race car driver wishes they could have all to themselves. But that’s the beauty of it. Some have claimed it numerous times, some once, some may never.

For the four Bulls, there is only one thing sitting atop their Bathurst 1000 wish list. A win. Nothing more, nothing less. But there’s no point in us going on and on about it. Hear from the Bull’s previous special days and memories, and how they plan on putting one of motorsport’s greatest crowns under their tree.

Bathurst 1000 – Practice 1 & 2 Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Practice 1 – Third (2:07.3314)
Practice 2 (co-drivers only) – Tenth (2:08.3649)

Bathurst 1000 – Practice 3, 4, & Qualifying Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Practice 3 – Ninth (2:07.2703)
Practice 4 – Eighth (2:06.8692)
Qualifying– Fifth (2:05.7663)

Bathurst 1000 – Practice 5, 6 & Top Ten Shootout Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Practice 5 – Sixth (2:07.7018)
Practice 6 – Eighth (2:06.8653)
Top Ten Shootout – Fifth (2:06.1625)

Bathurst 1000 – Warm Up & Race 20 Results

Will Brown/Scott Pye – Car #87 
Warm Up – First (2:06.6553)
Race 20 – Third

Drivers’ Championship Standings – First (2538 points)