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Minda; Within Striking Distance
PREVIEW: Minda Motorsport, Bathurst, NSW
Rnd#1, Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli - February 8-10
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“I’m pretty happy with that,” Minda Motorsport’s star Bathurst 12-Hour recruit Darryl O’Young admitted after a couple of quick laps in opening qualifying today.
“I’m just thankful that Dean and Andrew gave me the car so that I could grab two clear laps,” the two-time winner admitted. “The car is great, the team is great, I’m just happy to be here..!”
O’Young had settled into the team well, and was generous in giving his time to new team-mates Dean Koutsoumidis, Andrew McInnes and Simon Middleton.
“He’s been fantastic,” Koutsoumidis agreed. “He’s been quick, clean and happy to help us find some more speed, and it’s coming.
“The car has been faultless, and with support from the Audi factory engineers and mechanics who are here to assist the whole program, we just couldn’t be happier.”
“I’m so impressed that I want to go out and buy an Audi road car,” McInnes quipped. “The support from Audi, and everyone associated with the team in Australia has been first class, and Darryl has shown us that it’s still a quick car, even without the 2012 ultra spec.”
For car-owner Dean Koutsoumidis, the Bathurst event also provided him an opportunity to run his Formula Ford on the same program in an effort to gain some more valuable insight into the circuit.
“I wasn’t sure whether it would be a hindrance or a help, but I’ll put it this way, I don’t scream and cry my way around a lap now.. it’s more of a whimper.. [laughs]. Actually it is helping, and gives me valuable extra seat time, so I’m pretty happy.”
“I think that’s the key around here,” McInnes explained. “Laps, laps, and more laps. I’d like to be a bit faster, but I’m also learning the car and the circuit, and battling traffic.”
“The car is in the window, no question,” O’Young agreed. “We might not have the pace of the outright front runners, but we’re not that far off. 12-Hours is a long time, and there are a lot of factors that come into the equation, but the big one is being there at the finish, if we can do that, we’ll do pretty well.”
Minda Motorsport is proudly supported by Equity-One Mortgage Fund and Middleton’s Heating and Cooling.
Darryl O’Young - Biography
Darryl is one of Asia’s most successful and versatile drivers, having raced in a variety of categories around the world, including DTM, WTCC, FIA GT, Porsche Supercup, Porsche World Cup, Nurburgring VLN, and in events such as the Le Mans 24-Hours, 24-Hours of Daytona, 24-Hours of Dubai, 24-Hours of Spa to name just a few, he has also chalked up an impressive array of results, including;
• 3x Macau Grand Prix GT winner (2005, 2006, 2008)
• 2x WTCC Independent Class Macau Grand Prix winner
• 2x Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion (2006, 2008)
• 2x Bathurst 12-Hour winner (Audi R8 2010, 2011)
• Outright winner 12-Hours of Sepang (Porsche 2008)
2013 Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli - calendar
Rnd#1, 8-10 February - Bathurst 12-Hour, NSW
Rnd#2, 28 Feb - 3 March - Clipsal, Adelaide, SA
Rnd#3, 24-26 May - Phillip Island, Victoria
Rnd#4, 12-14 July - Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW
Rnd#5, 2-4 August - Queensland Raceway, Ipswich, QLD
Rnd#6, 8-10 November - Highland Motorsport Park, NZ
PaddockTalk Perspective
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