He may be looking like the underdog at the moment currently in 11th position in the 2014 Australian V8 Ute Racing Series, however his ambition to take three V8 Ute titles in a row is still very much alive with the two-time V8 Ute Champion Ryal Harris and All Purpose Pest Control looking to the future, joining forces with V8 Supercar contingent Matt Stone Racing.
Team Owner and Director of All Purpose Pest Control, Warren O’Dare, has had his V8 Supercar Aspirations plan in place since backing Harris at the start of the year, and believes this is a positive move and a great stepping stone in Harris’s future career.
“I’ve known Ryal for a long time and we are giving him all of the tools to succeed. This partnership has been part of our initial strategy since becoming a major sponsor in January this year and then acquiring car # 1 in June. Ryal is a really talented driver and Matt Stone Racing with their V8 Supercar experience, Matt and Jimmy (Stone) said they will personally mentor him,” said O’Dare.
Team Owner of Big Gun Racing Peter Burnitt took Harris under his wing 3 years ago taking the Gold Coaster to two-championship titles and Harris is finding the move quite emotional.
"I am very excited to be involved with Matt Stone and his operation, they are literally a stone’s throw from where I live, and the All Purpose head office, I will miss being a part of the Big Gun Racing team as they have given me so much over the last three and a half years and played a massive part in my two championship wins, I can't thank Peter Burnitt and Joey (Devries) enough for all they have done for me, we have some amazing memories together.
Matt Stone is also very excited about their first foray into V8 Utes, they will certainly be all over our current race ute, and I think when the new look utes come into play in 2016 they will be in a league of their own with the common rail chassis,” explained Harris.
This is MSR’s first step into the V8 Ute Racing Series and team principle Matt Stone is looking forward to the challenge.
“We’ve been looking at the Utes a bit lately, it’s going in a good direction, we were really interested in getting involved and it’s all come together a little earlier than we thought. I think this is something we can do quite well, we are obviously a little green coming into it but I’m quietly confident,” said Stone.
The Ute will be fully run out of the Gold Coast with all contingents based in the sunshine city, Stone a former AB Paterson student, Harris a former Helensvale High student and All Purpose Pest Control starting out there.
Matt Stone Racing was founded in early 2011 by its owner/manager Matt Stone. Matt has worked in the Australian racing industry from a young age mentored by his father and uncle, former owners of the successful V8 Supercar team Stone Brothers Racing (SBR). Matt worked for SBR for many years until he decided to go out on his own in late 2010. The Team currently run a Touring Car Masters car, four V8 Supercar Development Cars including Series leader Ash Walsh and ran V8 Ute driver George Miedecke in the 2013 Development Series.
The V8 Ute Series is attracting more and more interest as a development category to V8 Supercars with Erebus Racing also running a mentoring program through the Series.
