Deflated…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

Showing my Team Mates pride at Bathurst!

Deflated… pardon the pun but what more can I say, we had two of the strongest and most consistent cars out there today and we were let down by something that was totally out of our control, how disappointing.

As they say in the classics, there is always next year and at least our team can take plenty of positives out of this week.

Lap 100 and I was starting to feel a little anxious as I knew we only had to pit once more for fuel to take us through to the finish and perhaps towards a long awaited DJR victory, whereas most other teams had to pit twice to make it through to lap 161, its bloody typical of this place that something generally does and will happen to even the most well prepared outfits.

Anyway, what a fantastic week was had by all, and I along with all others in our camp and many here on the mountain and around Australia are so very proud of our guys at DJR.

Guys, if you are reading this, we really are so proud of all of you, and we are all very thankful of the time you gave to us supporters during this most hectic week.

Anyway it is now time to drown the sorrows and have a debrief on today’s events.

Bring on 09 and a long awaited DJR Victory…

Cheers,

Chris.

P.S. one of the funnier moments of the week occurred after today’s race while we were congratulating the boys behind the DJR pit, whilst the boys were packing up we were asked to move on by security, a certain co owner, obviously not recognised by security was also asked to move on.

Bathurst really does get in your blood…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

Today started with yet another frost.

Today started with yet another frost, these Queenslanders are beginning to become accustomed to these chilly mornings… not… after the cold start to the day, the rest unravelled into a typical central Western New South Wales Spring day, not a cloud in the sky and no wind, and yes, we finally experienced hot showers for the first time on tour. Not only that we had the privilege to see, for the first time this week, our beloved Jim Beam Racing Falcons on this hallowed turf called Mt Panorama, and what a fantastic site that was, to see the famous # 17 and soon to be famous #18 in the flesh really is a testament to our boys, these cars look winners already and it is only Thursday.

Mid Morning was spent soaking up the atmosphere of pit lane, and once again, fellow Team Mate, Peter and myself had the opportunity to speak with DJR Commercial Director Glenn Turnor. Glenn told us that there will be something special happening with the #18 Jim Beam Racing Falcon; something to do with a channel 7 celebrity so I would encourage all of you to keep your eyes glued to the broadcast on Channel 7!

Bathurst really does get in your blood.

This Team Mate took some time out in the refreshment tent to relieve a dry throat, I had the honour of having a conversation with a total stranger called Frank, I realised immediately that I was speaking to someone special, Frank has been coming to this place every year since 1968… two hours later I was still spellbound by my new found friend and his recollections of this fabled inland city… this place called Bathurst really does get in your blood, once you experience it you just cant get enough, hopefully Frank will still be around when I write my book about this place, geez hope that one day I can one day tell a young bloke my experiences too… and I thought that after 15 years I was a veteran.

A bit of father-son bonding…

Bathurst 2007 and we are on the podium in 3rd place.

Steve Johnson, Jim Beam Racing Driver – Preparing for Bathurst

I am feeling a lot healthier than I was going into Phillip Island. I am pretty close to 100% healthy although I have not been able to return to full training which has really been annoying me. Apart from that, my preparation has been light training and plenty of rest. I am fitter and lighter than I was this time last year; I am about 6 – 8 kg lighter which I know will give me an extra edge.

On the mental preparation side of things, I am also looking into starting sports psychology. This is not something I have done previously, but is something that I will be getting into by the end of this year. It is so important to be mentally ready and I want to do everything in my power to make sure I give it my best. I have also been studying the coverage from last year’s race; trying to spot any mistakes and looking at alternative race strategies.

Driving to Bathurst together will give us an opportunity to do a bit of father-son bonding.

Dad and I will set off tomorrow for Bathurst. We are taking his car and will be getting an early start – probably at about 4am in a bid to escape the traffic; we should then arrive at Bathurst around 3.30ish. We are going to share the driving – maybe go for 3-4 hour stints. It will be great – an opportunity for us to do a bit of father-son bonding; I am sure we will have lots to talk about. For example, I intend to enlighten Dad on the latest music trends and he will no doubt try to tell me that it is all garbage. I will endeavor to teach him a few shortcuts on his mobile phone and will hopefully be able to teach him how to use the GPS navigation system; just as well it is a 12 hour trip! Travelling to Bathurst this way will give us the opportunity to unwind, chill out and just ease into the big race; it is a really relaxing way to do it.

This will be my 15th start at Bathurst and I am prepped and ready to go. I am fitter than I have ever been and am looking forward to the challenge. Bring it on!

DJR is certainly due for a Bathurst win…

Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing Driver – Preparing for Bathurst

On the podium at last year where we placed third.

Of all the races throughout the championship, Bathurst is the biggest and most challenging both mentally and physically; it is unlike any track I have ever raced. Preparation is everything. It is 100% a team effort. There are so many elements involved; so many elements that must be right. There is huge potential for mistakes and so the team must really pull together and make it work; that is what makes it so exciting for everyone.

The track itself is the biggest rush to drive. The blind corners, massive hill climbs and huge drops at extremely high speeds make the track both challenging and frightening. There is absolutely zero room for error and your concentration is at 100% the entire time. Anyone who comes unstuck on the mountain usually does it in spectacular fashion. Car setup is crucial for driver confidence and driver bravery and commitment can certainly be rewarded on a track like this.

It is no secret that Bathurst is tough on all drivers physically, and so leading up to the big week has been all about ensuring that I am in top physical form; ensuring that I have conditioned my body appropriately. Now is not a good time to be sick. I have been concentrating on my nutrition and hydration in recent weeks and have been getting plenty of rest. From a driver’s point of view, Round 10 is an excellent stage of the competition for Bathurst to be raced; we are usually in top physical and mental form, having already raced 9 rounds for the year. Right now, I feel fitter and more confidant than ever. In fact, I find that the more confident I am the less brain power I need during the race which enables me to relax and deal with what is going on around me.

I also go through a fair bit of mental preparation for Bathurst. I spend a great deal of time analyzing last year’s race; looking at any mistakes I made and working out strategies to improve my overall race. I take the time to visualize the track and concentrate on what I am trying to achieve; I do most of this using techniques I have learnt from years of sports psychology. It is important that we try to stay a step ahead of what is going on around us; it is so easy to make a mistake.

Although I have no concerns regarding preparation, it is always at the back of my mind that Bathurst can really make or break my championship. It is of upmost importance that we finish the race; gaining points at this stage of the championship is critical.

DJR is certainly due for a Bathurst win.

It goes without saying that DJR have a strong heritage at Bathurst and this always exerts a huge pressure to perform. That being said, we do have the best shot at winning that we have had in a long time; we have good car speed, team morale is high, all of the team have been working really hard, we have the backing of sincerely passionate fans, both Steve and I are fit and we have shown good form in recent races. Hopefully we can lift ourselves and bring home the goods. We will all do everything we can to give the team a win. DJR is certainly due for a Bathurst win.

Our strong pace at PI makes it easier on the team…

Warren Luff, Jim Beam Racing Enduro Driver, 2008

Bathurst is a once-a-year highlight and I am raring to go. You know, Bathurst is just one of those things that everyone wants to win. You watch it as a kid and it was the one day of the year every October that everyone stopped for. Nothing has changed.

I raced at Bathurst with DJR back in 2003 and 2004. Since then, the culture of the team has not changed at all – it is still a friendly, team oriented environment – but with more technical resources and a better understanding about how to get the best out of the cars, the team’s competitiveness has certainly improved; Steve [Johnson] and Will have certainly shown that over the past year.

Our strong pace at PI makes it easier on the team.

Our test day out at Willowbank went well yesterday; it is always a chance for us to get more miles under our belts and to try a few things out that we wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to. We had good pace and we concentrated on refining the package we delivered at Phillip Island. Our strong pace at PI makes it easier on the team, allowing us to open the race strategy for Bathurst. Only time will tell which strategy we will adopt on race day.

This is my 7th start at Bathurst. Last year, I drove for Britek and we had a DNF. This year will be different; the team at DJR has had good pace this year and we have a strong chance to place well. It is good to be with a team who has the experience, support and equipment to get the job done. And, with Steve [Johnson] and Will’s 3rd place at Bathurst last year, the direction of the team is more towards being a podium finisher; it is a very realistic possibility.

Steve Owen, Jim Beam Racing Enduro Driver, 2008

This year’s Bathurst will be my 9th and I am looking forward to the challenge. Bathurst really is the ultimate track; there are really no bad spots, but I do love the chase and the top is quite good too. Last year, I raced with Autobarn and we finished 6th which is not a bad effort considering it is a small team with limited resources.

PI was great preparation for Bathurst.

PI was great preparation for Bathurst. We had good, solid pace. We were actually going really well when it started to rain and it all turned to mud; that was really frustrating.

2008 Bathurst is going to be a huge program for me. I race in the Fujitsu series as well and this will be the first time that I have done both series in one Bathurst weekend. There is not much difference between the 2 series with the exception of the gear box; of course the Fujitsu series is still using the H pattern, whereas the main game use the sequential.

My fitness is fine going into the race; I am gonna be sore after the weekend, but I will be fine. Concentration is the big thing – racing for those long stretches can really take its toll mentally. If everything goes well, I think we can finish in the top 5. I have had 4 top 10 Bathurst finishes and am looking forward to seeing what this race will bring.

An awesome performance…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

It is now 1.25pm and the cars are about to jump in the first enduro of the year, the L&H 500 at the famous Phillip Island circuit, lunch was fantastic thanks to the better half and also the mother in law who has continually quizzed me for the last 60 minutes on the ins and outs of V8 Supercar racing and why I am so passionate about our team, lets just say we now have a new supporter of Dick Johnson Racing…

Well what a fantastic start from both of the Jim Beam Racing Falcons, we have Willbo cruising around in 3rd and Stevey Owen siting back in 5th place with the first round of pit stops due very soon, what a great start for the team and so far the mrs is very quiet, cant see M Skaife anywhere in the top ten.

Time for some more refreshments and after studying the radar on the net it looks like rain is coming, I think we missed out when we didn’t pit when the rain did eventuate, lets hope we can still finish up the front but at the moment it aint looking too good as SJ has just gone off in the pouring rain stuck out on slicks, but who knows as this is endurance racing.

Lap 106, and the #18 Falcon has climbed from nowhere to a very satisfying 3rd place, this team mate is ecstatic, although the wife has the upper hand at this stage as car 1 is in first place, at this stage I try to educate her on the hard times that our team has faced in the last 24 months, she gives in, and hopes for a mistake from the top two to ensure a come from behind win for DJR and to hopefully shut her up…

Lap 113 – Its not to be, but what a fantastic feeling to see our boys once again on the podium, I am so proud of all at DJR on an awesome performance, 3rd place in the first round of the season of endurance augurs well for round two at Mt Panorama Bathurst in three weeks time and is as good as a win for this very proud and happy team mate.

It is now time to dust off the camping gear and start preparing for the annual pilgrimage to Bathurst in three weeks time to see our team once again do us proud and here is hoping for a DJR victory.

Talk to you all soon.

Halfway through the race…

Glenn Turnor, Commercial Director – Reporting from DJR Central

Lap 48 of 113 – both cars have made a pit stop for fuel, tyres and a driver change. Steve J is holding 5th spot and Warren is in 9th.  Conditions here are stable – the wind has died down and we have so far avoided the rain.  Steve J is gunning his stint in car 18 and has moved up to outright third behind Whincup and Winterbottom…

Luffy is also rocketing in car 17 and has a good break on 10th place Jonathan Webb…. but now it s about tyres and closing the gap to 2nd place….

Sunday – Race Day at the Island…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

It is now 9.30am on Race day, the feelings of excitement are starting to build in the Rutter household, the fridge is stocked, the TV warmed and the barbie ready to go. In our home we have a very unique rivalry going on here as my wife is a long time Mark Skaife supporter but does hold a soft spot for our DJR, race days more often than not end up in quite a bit of verbal jousting between the two of us, with myself coming out the winner on more occasions than her so far this season and I have no reason to doubt that the results will be in my favour at 5pm this afternoon, go guys and good luck for today, I will be riding with you all the way.

Saturday – qualifying day at the Island…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

Well what an amazing result for the team, after an afternoon of highs and lows we see both cars 17 and 18 in the top five after qualifying for tomorrows 500km race. Race one saw the very underrated Steve Owen bring home the #17 Jim Beam Falcon in second place after a faultless drive, while Steve came home in 18th spot in car 18 after a coming together with ex DJR Fujitsu driver Dean Canto, I can tell you the expletives were flowing freely in the Rutter household when that one happened, but as they say that’s motor racing.

Race two saw JBR star Will Davison come home a strong second whilst the returning to DJR Warren Luff came home a very creditable 18th place. with the new qualifying formula points were awarded and aggregated to give starting positions for tomorrows race meaning the #18 Car of Will Davison/Steve Johnson will start in fourth place, whilst the famous #17 Falcon piloted by Steve Owen/Warren Luff will start one position further back in 5th place. It sure looks like an interesting an exciting time ahead for our team tomorrow and this Team Mate could not be more happier and prouder.

Race preparation includes stocking the fridge…

DJR Team Mate #646, Chris Rutter – A Team Mate’s Perspective

Well the season of endurance has finally arrived after a long six week lay off, as a devout DJR supporter the last six weeks have been fairly inactive whilst the team prepares flat out to prepare two strong Jim Beam Racing Falcons which I am sure will be more than capable of pulling of a win this weekend at Phillip Island.

Preparing for a race weekend as a fan when you are not attending the actual meeting is a little different to that of our team, although various chores must be attended to, the fridge has to be stocked with cold refreshments, preferably that of the sponsors product, live timing has to be up and running on the home computer and of course the big screen TV has to be cleaned of baby handprints for clear viewing.

Friday for me was spent at a wedding in the middle of nowhere (who gets married on a Friday anyway?) with no phone coverage and of course no computer access, so arriving home Friday night I was feeling a little apprehensive not knowing any times or results from the first day of practice at the Island, after viewing the results my apprehension turned to relief with both #17 and #18 up the pointy end after practice.

It’s now off to bed early after a big day and to look forward to tomorrows qualifying where we will no doubt get to witness something special due to the unique formula that Vesa have introduced for this round, round one of the season of endurance.