After an unlucky run (two V8 Ute rebuilds in 6 months) Cam ‘Slideways’ Wilson is excited to return to the 2014 Australian V8 Ute Racing Series for Round 3 at the Sky City Triple Crown, Hidden Valley Raceway Darwin 20th - 22nd June.
Wilson’s brand new Ute was written off in the last two minutes of qualifying at Round 1, Clipsal 500 after receiving major contact from Jordan Skinner’s Holden. Wilson was unable to finish the remainder of the round and missed Round 2 of the series in Perth with his car still in repair.
“The team have been burning the midnight oil getting the car ready for Darwin and the wallet has been bleeding dry, however I’m confident the car will be as good as it was for Adelaide and I’m keen to give it a good crack,” Wilson states.
It was a bad start to this year’s series for Wilson considering he also had a terrible end to his 2013 campaign. Wilson’s Ford was written off at the end of the Gold Coast 600 round after a major incident involving multiple cars and was unable to compete in the final round of the 2013 series. Darwin will be Wilson’s first V8 Ute Race since October 2013.
“I’m certainly eager to get back behind the wheel and actually race again as it obviously feels like it’s been such a long time,” Wilson said.
Wilson has not only been putting his energy into Ute racing but this year he also broke a Guinness World Record for the greatest distance travelled in a Go-Kart over 24 hours indoors, the purpose, to raise awareness and funds for Huntington’s disease, which his father had recently been diagnosed with. The weary 39 year old Gold Coaster was elated with his accomplishment. Devastatingly, Wilson’s father lost his battle with this life threatening disease not long after the unfortunate crash at Clipsal.
“I’m happy that Dad got to see me complete the record. I will be putting livery on the car to race in memory of him at Darwin,” said Wilson.
In memory of his Dad Wilson has recently purchased and renovated the Le Mans Karting Centre in Pimpama, which has also been branded in his V8 Ute Nickname along with his other Slideways (Brisbane Go Karting Centre, Gold Coast Go Karting Centre) and it will open the weekend following the Darwin 400 (28th June) just in time for the School Holidays.
“I’ve been in work mode instead of race mode getting the Go Kart Centre ready. I’ve completely reconfigured it and it will be state of the art. It’s the first Go Kart Centre that Dad took me to race so it’s basically in honour of him,” explained Wilson.
Wilson’s Go Karting Gold Coast Ford FG has now been fully re-built and he is feeling upbeat and ready to take on Round 3 of the series in Darwin kicking off with Practice sessions on Friday, 20th June.
Event Schedule:Friday, 20th June Practice 1 9:35amFriday, 20th June Practice 2 1:50pmSaturday, 21st June Qualifying 10:25amSaturday, 21st June Race 1 3:21pmSunday, 22nd June Race 2 11:00amSunday, 22nd June Race 3 1:15pm
Race 1 and Race 3 will be televised Live on Network Seven.
