[V8UTE] Full Bathurst exp. for Sidebottom

by Stefan Bartholomaeus

(Archived)


GP Racing’s Shanan Sidebottom has experienced the full range of ‘Bathurst emotions’ this weekend as he made his debut at the world famous mountain circuit, for round seven of the Yokohama V8 Ute Series.

pic: FORCE Photography

GP Racing’s Shanan Sidebottom has experienced the full range of ‘Bathurst emotions’ this weekend as he made his debut at the world famous mountain circuit, for round seven of the Yokohama V8 Ute Series.

As part of the Bathurst 1000 event, the 24-year old was campaigning his GP Racing VE Holden SS against Australia’s leading Ute competitors in what turned out to be a mixed weekend.

Having only previously circulated the track in a road car, and just prior to opening practice alongside other circuit debutantes in a bus, Shanan’s knowledge of the circuit was limited to competitive laps on his X-BOX.

Despite this he was quicker than anyone expected, himself included.. Asked on the radio for his thoughts at the completion of his first flying lap, Shanan could only scream in delight, professing how highly it rated as a personal experience!!

With only one practice session scheduled for the Ute category, Sidebottom did well to qualify in 21st place (out of 32 competitors).

“I treated qualifying as a second practice,” he admitted after. “The track is just unbelievable. On Thursday when I did my first lap… I was just blown away. I was taking it a bit easy, because you really need to build your confidence for this place.”

A strong run in race one saw the Shepparton driver pass several competitors, to be placed 18th at the finish. This included an outstanding pass on rival Justin Van Twest at the fastest part of the circuit, The Chase, where the Utes were reaching over 250km/h.

“I just aimed for the gap and held it flat,” he recalled animatedly post-race. “At this place you’ve just got to lay it on the line. If you don’t, you’re nowhere.”

Earlier, rain had started falling as the field were sitting on the grid, further increasing the difficulty for Sidebottom’s maiden Bathurst race.

“The track wasn’t slippery, but the sun reflecting off of the wet windscreen made it impossible to see. I was flying blind there for a while, but thankfully it came good.”

Sadly, disaster struck on the opening lap of race two, after minor contact with the wall coming down the Mountain caused race-ending suspension damage.

“The car in front of me [series leader Layton Crambrook] glanced the wall and got away with it. Unfortunately I was just going that little bit faster, and it did some damage….”

A strong come-back in race three saw Sidebottom move ahead of nine cars by the finish, before an arguable, yet irreversible, post-race penalty was applied for an on-track incident with Ford driver Brad Patton.

“He just came across on me,” said a bemused Sidebottom afterwards. “He was slow exiting the Chase, and we were side-by-side, with me up against the left side edge of the track. I gave him enough room, but when I started to run out of road as he came across, I held my ground on the edge of the track, and he just kept coming..”

Sadly for Sidebottom, the stewards viewed the incident differently and imposed the penalty, which left Sidebottom down in 27th in the final race and round results. 

After a consistent season in his new VE Commodore, Shanan has now completed his final V8 Ute round of the year, with the team announcing that his father and former Ute race winner, Ray Sidebottom, will drive the GP Racing Holden at the Oran Park [Sydney] season finale in early December.

2008 Yokohama Australian V8 Ute Racing Series – Championship points(after seven rounds of eight): 1. Layton Crambrook (632 points), 2. Kim Jane (589), 3. Grant Johnson (533), 4. Gary Baxter (507), 5. Ryal Harris (465), 6. Colin Corkey (460), 7. Jack Elsegood (457), 8. Stephen Robinson (445), 9. Craig Dontas (415), 10. George Miedecke (404), 21. Shanan Sidebottom (234)

GP Racing is proudly supported by Flo Lounge Shepparton, Green Petroleum, Australian Rubber Manufacturers, Aussie Boat Shares, GP Diesel, 321Ignition Magazine, SKIN Industries, Thompson Holden, Tyrepower Numurkah and Podge Constructions.





LATEST IMAGES

Click on image to view gallery..