AIS National’s David Sieders will be hoping Lady Luck will be on his side when the penultimate round of the Auto One V8 Ute Series – protected by Armor All tears it up at Sandown International Raceway this weekend, 18-20th November 2011. Having picked up third place on the ENZED Drivers’ Leaderboard at the last round on the Gold Coast, Sieders knows that with only two rounds left for the season, he will need the Championship Leaders to slip up if he’s to bridge the 47 point gap to first-placed Chris Pither.
“The points are pretty tight at the top of the Championship, but not close enough to make any real improvements without something going our way,” said Sieders.
“All of the Top Five have had some bad results throughout the season, and come together at one point or another, so with eight points sessions left, there’s a million things that could happen that would work in our favour, and hopefully some of them do”.
“We didn’t have a great result at the Gold Coast, but were able to move up one spot in the Championship with Grant Johnson’s bonnet coming up in Race Two, so there’s every chance something similar could happen to Chris [Pither] and Ryal [Harris], and then every point will make the difference.”
With an extensive range of motor sporting experience, Sieders, from Londonderry in Western Sydney, is no stranger to the Sandown circuit, nor to wrestling solid results out of the track, with strong qualifying and race results in a range of different categories.
“Sandown has just seemed to work for me over the years,” said Sieders, “the last time I raced there I scored my best ever race result in the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series [third], and was on target for my first Round Podium until I was taken out in Race Three, but still set my best Fujitsu Round Result of sixth”.
“I’ve also been on pole a couple of times, and had three race wins, in the Aussie Racing Cars, and also started on the front row in the Formula Ford Series, so I’m hoping I can keep up my track record there, this weekend.”
The Auto One V8 Ute Series will hit the Sandown track for the first time since 2009 on Friday 18th November for two Practice Sessions, at 9:10am and 12:35pm, with Qualifying and Race One on Saturday at 9:10am and 12:20pm respectively, and the final races will take place on Sunday at 9:10am and 12:10pm.
Race One will be broadcast as live during the RaceDay Xtra programme on Network Seven at 12:20pm – check local guides.
“At this point in the season, and this position on the Leaderboard, the only thing I can do is put my car in the best place to capitalise on any mistakes of the guys above me…and that’s just what I’m going to do this weekend.”
