Dave Sieders has become the fastest person to compete on the hallowed Mount Panorama Circuit in the Auto One V8 Ute Seriesprotected by Armor All on his way to his third consecutive Bathurst podium this weekend, 4-7 October 2012.
The 28 year old from Londonderry in Sydneys West has finished second for the weekend, despite a tough start, it all came together in the final race where he became the first, and only, V8 Ute driver to go below the two-minute 33 second mark (twice) setting a new lap record of 2:32.8379.
What an awesome way to finish off the weekend, said Sieders, Ive now had a first and two second placings for the three years weve been here, and to now not only crack the lap record that stood since 2009, but to break the two-thirty three mark is just awesome.
Im definitely happy with second, the car wasnt ideal at the start as our goal is to always be the quickest Ford out there, but we got there in the end it just took us too long.
Sieders had to fight against braking and angling issues in the opening sessions of the weekend, but managed to qualify his Creative Signworx FG V8 Ute, with new backing from Compaction and Soil Testing Services, to third on Friday for the opening race of the weekend.
The car was horrible in practice, and I just couldnt hit my marks like previous years, said Sieders, its only one spot behind where I have started for the past two years, so I was pretty happy to still be at the front considering the issues.
In race one on Saturday morning Harris, Pretty and Sieders all pulled away from the field together, from the opening lap, and after battling with the Pretty for second place, Sieders finally made his move, and finished second without enough laps to chase down the race winner Harris.
The car was much better in the first race, said Sieders, the first couple of laps were like a bungee cord between top three, with all of us slightly better in different spots and I got held up on my fastest lap, so I know theres still more in it.
A top ten reverse grid saw Sieders starting from ninth position for race two, but straight line speed hampered his efforts moving through on Pretty like the morning race, and only progressed to eighth for the finish.
I just couldnt find a way past Pretty in race two, said Sieders, wed be in the right spot heading onto the straights, but we just didnt have the pace to make a pass.
For the third and final race on Sunday morning, Sieders again found himself on the second row of the grid, this time between two of the four other cars prepared by the family-run Sieders Racing Team, in Gary MacDonald on position three, and Andrew Fisher on fifth.
With another good start, Sieders moved into third by turn one, and powered his way past Cameron McConville at Murrays corner and onto Main Straight on the completion of lap three, before hunting down Harris, but couldnt quite get through for the win, with the race shortened by one lap.
The car was spot on from start to finish in the final race, said Sieders, I was right on Ryals tail and getting quicker each lap, so I reckon one more lap and I could have got the win, but Im pretty stoked to take the lap record and second overall for the weekend.
Sieders 122 points for the weekend has now moved him ahead of Andrew Fisher for third place on the ENZED Drivers Leaderboard, with 38 points to Nathan Pretty for second and 51 to new Championship Leader, Ryal Harris.
The Auto One V8 Ute Series will next take on the Gold Coast street circuit for round six of the Championship in two weeks time, 19-21 October 2012.
We have had a tough weekend but can be happy with the final pace and grabbing another spot in the Championship, so hopefully we will keep that trend up as we head to the Gold Coast and final rounds of the year.
