FUJITSU V8 Supercar Series team Sieders Racing Team conducted a test day at Oran Park Raceway, NSW. last week, with Formula Ford up-and-comer Rob Storey receiving his first laps in a V8 Supercar.
Storey, the son of renowned V8 engineer Wally, was given a full-day opportunity in Colin Sieders’s Falcon AU, after Colin was sidelined due to a hernia operation.
Colin will be back in the driver’s seat for the next round of the Fujitsu Series at Wakefield Park (April 5-6), but while he continues his recovery, Storey took full advantage, gathering over 30 laps at the Goulburn, NSW circuit.
Storey is the Sieders Racing Team’s nominated test driver for 2008, which continues a collaboration between Anglo Australian Motorsport (Storey’s Formula Ford team) and the Sieders Racing Team.
Anglo owner Tim Beale assists in the engineering of the Sieders cars, with Anglo employee Chris Blomfield-Brown looking after David Sieders’s Gulf Western Oils Falcon at all of this year’s Fujitsu V8 metings.
David Sieders, driving the team’s Gulf Western Oils-sponsored entry, was also at the test day, completing laps in his #19 Falcon BA.
Plagued by brake troubles in the first round on the streets of Adelaide, the team concentrated on getting the brake package right in Dave’s car. By end of the test day, the Sieders team is confident that the car will be competitive in the second round at Wakefield Park (April 6).
Rob Storey, Formula Ford driver, V8 rookie tester“It was great to get some laps in a car that wasn’t a Formula Ford, but definitely eye opener” Storey said.
“It was also pretty good to get a look inside the cars that Dad has worked on for so many years.“Dad gave me a bit of advice before the test – the dos and don’ts of V8 Supercar. The main thing he said was just be easy on the gearbox and engine.
“I got enough laps to get a good taste for it and get a feel of what they are like. I think that it took longer to get used to that than I’d anticipated, but there was no expectation to set a fast lap time. It was mainly about getting some laps and getting used to the surroundings.
“V8 Supercar racing is definitely the category that I’m aiming at, and the Development Series is where I want to go.”
Colin Sieders, #13 Falcon AU“I had to go into hospital for what was nearly my 40th operation since my accident! I had to get my ventral hernia repaired. They cut me open to sew up the tear in my stomach wall. It’s a pretty simple operation, but it has kept me out of the driver’s seat for a few weeks.
“I feel pretty good now. A bit stiff, but slowly getting over it all. I’ll be right for Wakefield Park, and I’m really looking forward to that.
“I thought Rob did really well. He didn’t make any silly mistakes for a first-timer. He looked after the car. He only had one over rev and flat spotted two tyres, but we expected that. It’s not really the easiest track to do your first run. You have to brake into a lot of the corners and there’s an easy chance to lock brakes.
“He definitely could step into the Fujitsu Series one day. In my opinion, he’s certainly got some talent.”
