Tasmanian Greg Crick has drawn the Wildcard drive for Round 2 of the AutoOne V8 Ute Racing Series - protected by Armor All at Symmon's Plains, 30thMarch- 2nd April.The local Launceston motor dealer has a long history in AustralianMotorsport, having had his first race in an FJ Holden when he was just 17,and over the years has steered a Sports Sedan, V8 Supercar, Ferrari, variousTarga cars, a Dodge Viper, and is looking forward to adding a V8 Ute to hisresume.
"Every time you get in a car it's a different challenge. I've driven a lotof different things over the years, but this will be my first time in a Ute."I'm under no assumption that it will be easy. The guys that drive them areall very competitive and very good drivers, even though they are a littlewild around the edges at times."Along with former Auto One Wildcard drivers, Crick has plenty of V8Supercar experience, racing full-time in 1996 and 1997, and competing inevery Bathurst event from 1989 through to 2002, where he placed thirdoutright. Crick is hoping to place in the top ten along with former Wildcarddrivers Warren Luff and Dean Canto.
"It would be nice to be in the top ten and that is what we are aiming for.There is no reason why we can't," said Crick.Crick will be testing the Auto One Holden VE at Baskerville, and is eager toget behind the wheel.
"I'm looking forward to testing at Baskerville in a few weeks time, and I'mgoing to try and get the feel of the ute nice and quickly, so I can have agood crack on the weekend. I've raced at Symmons a fair few times over theyears and I'm hoping that home-track advantage with work in my favour," saidCrick.Crick will be the 10th driver to step behind the wheel of the number 100Auto One Wildcard Ute others include: Charlie O'Brien (Clipsal 2011), MarcusMarshall (Barbagallo 2011), Tim Blanchard (Darwin 2011), Dean Canto(Townsville 2011), Marcus Zukanovic (Bathurst 2011), David Besnard (GoldCoast 2011), Tony Longhurst (Sandown 2011), Adam Macrow (Sydney 2011) andWarren Luff at the Clipsal 500 this year.
Cricks achievements in motorsport span back to 1991 where he won theAustralian Sports Sedan Championship and the rest of his highlights are asfollows:
1991 Australian Sports Sedan Champion1992 Outright Winner Targa Tasmania1993 Outright Winner Targa Tasmania1996 Full time V8 Supercar drive with1997 full-time V8 Supercar drive1998 Australian Grand Prix in the TAC V8 Supercar Showdown - Holden SSCommodore (Greg Crick Motorsport)2002 3rd Outright Konica V8 Supercar Championship2006 Australian GT Champion2011 4th outright Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour2011 3rd outright in Australian GT ChampionshipThe 2012 Series consists of 25 races over eight rounds raced throughoutAustralia covering six states and one territory and is televised nationallythrough-out Australia on Network Seven and 7 Mate and internationallythrough Motors TV Europe, TV3 New Zealand and SPEED online in the USA.To get up to date with the 2012 V8 Ute Season tune in to Network SevenSaturday, 24th March at 12:30pm to catch all of the action from Round 1.
