Australia’s first Winter Olympics Gold Medallist Steve “Doina” Bradbury is swapping his Green and Gold Lycra to don a race suit to compete in the 2009 Yokohama V8 Ute Racing Series.
Bradbury, who will be racing for Ideal Electrical and Big Gun Racing has always been a keen motorsport fan and said he was looking forward to being a part of the series.
“In recent years I have raced at the Grand Prix in the Celebrity Challenge and also in a Formula Vee in the Qld State Championships, so I have some experience but the V8 Utes will no doubt be my toughest challenge yet,” he said.
“I have done a lot of corporate work for Ideal Electrical in the past and obviously they are pretty involved in the V8 Utes, so the partnership seemed like the perfect fit for the both of us.”
In the past few days Bradbury under took a test day in an older ute at Morgan Park Raceway at Warwick , and although he suffered some intermittent brake issues said he felt comfortable behind the wheel of the V8 powered XR8.
“It was great to get behind the wheel and really give the car a go,” he said
“The biggest challenge I face at the moment is getting plenty of practise laps before we head to the Clipsal 500 in March, but to tell you the truth, I am quite enjoying the pressure,” said Bradbury.
V8 Ute Category Manager, SHERIX Director, Bill West thinks it is great that such high profile athletes from other genres are attracted to motorsport.
“It is good to see how wide the motorsport audience is, we have seen Music, TV and sport celebrities all drive the Utes.
“It is great that Steve is coming on board, he will be an excellent addition to the colourful characters we already have driving,” said West.
Over the years the Utes have had a variety of celebrity drivers including; Country singer Adam Brand and Television Star Grant Denyer.
Bradbury will join current drivers, Ex Rugby League Star, Jack Elsegood and Writer, Director & Movie Star, George Elliot just to name a few.
The final round of the 2008 season is scheduled at Oran Park in earlyDecember, and although not racing, Bradbury will be there to observe what he has signed up for in 2009.
Make sure you watch Channel Seven on Saturday 6th December from 2pm to catch Race Two of the final round live.
