Tony No Baloney Longhurst will once again don the Auto One Wildcard seat, this time at the infamous Mount Panorama for Round 4 of the Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series protected by Armor All, 4 7 October.
The three-time Bathurst winner first drove a Ute at the 2012 Ten Years of Legends Event at the Clipsal 500 before jumping behind the wheel of the Auto One Wildcard Ute at Sandown Raceway last year, which was also his first time behind the wheel in over a year. This year the Gold Coaster wants to do it right after placing 27th overall and started with a test at Eastern Creek last week.
The car felt really good at Eastern Creek there were a few changes to the car this time with the new shocks and I felt a lot more at home. It was hard last year at Sandown only getting 20 minutes sessions and Im feeling much much more comfortable now and I dont want to run up the back this year, said Longhurst.
The Australian Water Skiing Speed Record holder feels very comfortable at the Bathurst circuit and is eager to go racing.
Its such a competitive competition with such good drivers now, Im keen as can be and cant wait to get to Bathurst. Bathurst is my favourite circuit, Ive done well there in the past and hopefully can do it again, said Longhurst.
The car is run by Williams Race Tech and Team Manager Wayne Williams was really happy with Longhursts testing results.
The whole reason for the test was getting him comfortable in the car. From testing shocks and settings in the car we had some great feedback from him, his times improved up to a certain point and he maintained that time and it was a very competitive time.
Im happy with the feedback he gave us and where we are with the car and were looking forward to a great weekend at the 50 years of Bathurst, said Williams.
Longhurst won his first Bathurst 1000 in 1988 with Tomas Mezera in a Ford Sierra, and again in 2001 with Mark Skaife driving for the Holden Racing Team. He is one of only three drivers in the V8 Supercar era to win Bathurst in both a Ford and a Holden (joining Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards.) Longhurst claimed his third Bathurst win in the 2009 Bathurst 12 Hour with Damien White and Rod Salmon in a Mitsubishi EVO X.
He was also an Australian Water Skiing Speed Record holder in the late 70s, won the Sandown 500 in 1985 with Jim Richards in a BMW 635 CSI, and was lead driver for the BMW Team in the Australian Super Touring Championship, winning the series in 1994 driving a BMW 318i.
The late Frank Gardner first noticed the Longhurst talent when he dominated the Alfa Romeo Trophy Series at Amaroo Park in the early 80s. Gardner then mentored the youngster, grooming him into a very successful BMW Team driver, alongside the likes of Jim Richards, Alan Jones and later Paul Morris. Longhurst then left to set up his own V8 Supercar Team which he ran for many years with Castrol and Yokohama backing.
The 2012 Series consists of 32 V8 Utes 16 Fords and 16 Holdens who battle it out through 26 races over eight rounds raced throughout Australia covering six states and one territory and is televised nationally through-out Australia on Network Seven and 7 Mate and internationally through Motors TV Europe, TV3 New Zealand and SPEED online in the USA.
