Jack Daniel's Racing has recruited two of the world's premier GT sportscar drivers for the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in Queensland this October 21-23.
British driver Richard Westbrook will partner Todd Kelly in the team's #7 Jack Daniel's Commodore, while Germany's Jörg Bergmeister will drive alongside Rick Kelly in the #15 Jack Daniel's Commodore, which currently sits fourth in the 2011 V8 Supercars Championship points standings.
The pair boast enviable career statistics, both coming from a similar background to last year's Armor All Gold Coast 600 standout, American Patrick Long.
Westbrook is a two-time Porsche Supercar champion, the elite Porsche Carrera Cup class that races alongside the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, and is also a former FIA GT2 Champion.
High-powered, rear-wheel-drive V8 race cars are familiar to Westbrook, who is a factory driver for Chevrolet's Corvette Racing GT program, with the Britain unlucky not to take out the GTE Pro class in the stunning American muscle car at the Le Mans 24 Hour earlier this year.
Westbrook's driving roster in 2011 sees him race a Corvette C6R in American Le Mans Series competition, a Nissan GT-R 'Godzilla' in the FIA GT1 World Championship and a Porsche 911 GT3 in selected endurance classics such as the 24 hour races at Spa and the Nurburgring.
Bergmeister has won the GT class in the American Le Mans Series on five occasions, and like Westbrook is a former Porsche Supercup champion.
Standing at 194cm tall, it is expected he will be the tallest driver on the grid at this year's Armor All Gold Coast 600. He is also one of three official Porsche 'works' drivers attending, along with Long and Marc Lieb.
One of the most successful Porsche drivers of his era, Bergmeister has also taken victory at the endurance classics at Le Mans, Daytona, Spa Francorchamps, Sebring and Road Atlanta.
Both Westbrook and Bergmeister will be making their V8 Supercars Championship debut at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 on the Surfers Paradise street circuit on October 21-23.
JACK DANIEL'S RACING QUOTEBOARD
TODD KELLY - #7 Jack Daniel's Holden Commodore:
"Jörg Bergmeister and Richard Westbrook are two well-known names ininternational motorsport circles," said Todd Kelly.
"They're very, very established drivers and they are two guys thatcan jump in all different types of cars and be fast.
"There was a bit of a dark horse that really stood out last year,which was Pat Long, and these two guys are pretty much the same kind ofdriver as him.
"When they get in our cars they will certainly do it easily andpotentially show us full-time guys a thing or two about how to drive.
"It's good to get somebody so established for each Jack Daniel'sCommodore and we are confident that we've got two of the top guys in thisyear's Armor All Gold Coast 600 line-up.
"What we do here in V8 Supercars is drive the same car all year andthat's our job. But the guys like Bergmeister and Westbrook, they are in adifferent car every weekend in different teams racing different kinds ofmotorsport.
"What they learn and pick-up and how they actually develop as racedrivers is a lot different to us. They can get in a race car and learn andadapt to what they are in very, very quickly.
"There is no doubt in my mind that these guys will do a fantasticjob for Jack Daniel's Racing. They'll probably show Rick and I a thing ortwo about our own cars."
QUESTION: A lot of the attention is on the IndyCar and ex-Formula 1drivers at the Armor All Gold Coast 600. Do you expect the European GTsportscar drivers like Bergmeister and Westbrook to surprise, just asPatrick Long did last year?
"With the experience that they've got it's no surprise that they canjump in our cars and do well," said Todd Kelly.
"It's funny, with all of the guys that have come over to race at theGold Coast, there are some massive names there.
"We did a fair bit of homework on who would be best suited to ourteam, our cars and our drivers and we selected these two guys (Bergmeisterand Westbrook).
"We contacted each by email and straight away got the reply 'yes, Iwant to be down there 100 percent, what do I need to do to get into yourcar? I'm in!'
"It was unbelievable. So the recognition that our category and theGold Coast event have globally really blew me away.
"I thought I'd have to sit there for half an hour explaining who weare, what our team is, what our cars are, what the event is, but globallythe awareness of what we do over here is huge.
"Since then we've had countless phone calls and emails from drivers,including big names, household names, trying to jump in our cars and driveon the Gold Coast.
"It's been a big surprise and it's great for the category. It's apretty big boost for V8 Supercars to flood our product through the wholeworld for that Gold Coast weekend."
QUESTION: This year's Armor All Gold Coast 600 event will be quitedifferent for 2010. Last year was almost two races in one as one side ofJack Daniel's Racing garage had the established co-driver and the other sidean international. Does it change the event much having an internationaldriver in every car in the field this year?
"I think it does change things," said Todd Kelly.
"There were a lot of accidents and a lot of biffing and barging onthe track last year. To be fair, at least half of it, or most of it, wascaused by the full-time blokes.
"Since the news of last year's event has gone global, all of thesedrivers around the world have been really chomping at the bit to get in ourcars.
"Now there is probably a lot more potential for these internationalguys to try and out-do each other.
"So I really don't know what's going to happen. If there waspotential for carnage last year I reckon you could multiply it by 10 andthat's what you should expect for this year."
JÖRG BERGMEISTER - #15 Jack Daniel's Holden Commodore:
QUESTION: What do you think of the Armor All Gold Coast event andinternational co-driver concept?
"From what I've heard about it and seen on TV, it looks like areally cool event and I am very excited that I get to be a part of it," saidJörg Bergmeister.
"I think the concept of having international co-drivers is a greatidea and hopefully will help the series get more worldwide recognition."
QUESTION: What do you know about V8 Supercars?
"I have seen some of the races on TV and it looks like a lot ofaction and extremely close racing.
"I talked to my team-mate Patrick Long about the cars as he did therace last year. He told me how much fun the entire event was and howchallenging the cars were to drive - a lot of power with small tyres."
QUESTION: What do you expect of the team, cars and racing?
"I don't really have any expectations. I will try to get someonboard video to learn the track and obviously I need to find a right handdrive car so I can practice here in Germany.
"I was really excited when the team first contacted me and I amdefinitely looking forward to the race. It's a great opportunity that JackDaniel´s Racing is giving me and I hope I can contribute to the team'ssuccess."
RICHARD WESTBROOK - #7 Jack Daniel's Holden Commodore:
"I'm really excited to be a part of the Armor All Gold Coast 600this October," said Richard Westbrook.
"This year I've been racing an iconic American muscle car in theCorvette - now I'll get to sample some Aussie muscle with a Jack Daniel'sCommodore.
"They are both V8s and rear-wheel-drive but obviously V8 Supercarsare a unique beast. I expect it to take some getting used to but I will domy research and I can't wait for the challenge.
"This Gold Coast event has captured the imagination of race driversthe world over. We share cars in GT racing regularly but on this occasion weare dropped into the middle of another driver's championship, so thepressure will be on.
"What better place to have a race than on the beach in SurfersParadise. There will be some drivers there that I race with quite often andothers I've only even seen on TV, so for a racing driver this concept reallyis something extremely exciting.
"I've got to thank Todd and Rick Kelly for giving me thisopportunity. They're growing a great team down there and I'm happy to be apart of it."
