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[V8SC] Lee Holdsworth column
by Lee Holdsworth
pic: Rob Lang
2009 Supercheap Bathurst 1000
12 October, 2009
Following a disappointing round at Phillip Island our team was keen to recoup a bundle of points at the biggest race of the year, the “Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000”. It’s the race that every driver dreams of winning since they were young, watching the greats of the sport such as Allan Moffatt, Peter Brock, Larry Perkins, Dick Johnson and Mark Skaife rise to the challenge of one of the toughest races in the world is a sight to behold.
When you arrive at this unique motor-sporting landmark it brings a shiver to your spine time and time again.There is only one thing on your mind when you arrive four days before the event starts . . . the great race!
In the lead up to Bathurst our guys were still a little disappointed with the previous result at Phillip Island so 'Robbo' and I thought we should come up with something to put a spring back into their step. With a little help from our signwriter we came up with a new livery design which came up beautifully and it certainly did the trick!
From the moment we hit the track we ran in the top three throughout practice and qualifying. To end up fourthin the top 10 shoot-out was totally unexpected prior to the weekend so you can imagine we were feeling pretty confident by this stage.
Sunday morning came around quickly and the boys did the final check over of the car to ensure we would make the distance. It is an early start with warm-up at 8am and the race starting at 10am meaning the boys were checking the car over at 5.30am in freezing cold conditions!!!
'Robbo' was to start the race after I got qualifying duties. It has been a long time since I’ve had to sit and watch the start and let me tell you it is more nerve racking than sitting in that racecar!! My heart rate was sitting at 125bpm and I wasn’t even doing anything!
As they say, “the green flag drops and the bullshit stops”; the race was on. 161 laps to go as Robbo settled into fifth place by turn two. He had a fantastic first stint staying out of trouble for the most part although he had a spin at one of the fastest and most dangerous points on the circuit. Luckily he managed to keep it off the walls and brought it back to the pits to do a driver change. We were close to going a lap down by the completion of the stop but our car speed was phenomenal as I was able to drive away from the leaders in my first stint.
Throughout the rest of the day we had several driver changes and managed to claw our way back into the top 10 and eventually up to third with just three laps remaining. It was the toughest race I have ever experienced in my career! We had everything working against us, worn tyres, the engine temperature was exceedingly high and just to make it even harder the brake pads were almost gone...
The #51 Murphy/Skaife car was closing in fast and I was desperate to finish on one of the three podium steps.
The last two laps were an absolute thriller with Murphy trying any which way to get to the finish line before me. In the end it came down to just 0.004 seconds we beat him home to finish third!!! The engineers worked it out to be less than a 17cm gap between the noses of our two cars!
Now it's on to Indy and some warmer weather. I can't wait!
Lee Holdsworth #33
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