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[V8DS] Zukanovic vs Carmichael & Logano
by Sean Henshelwood
pic: Phelps Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Zukanovic faces off against Carmichael and Logano
Los Angeles, California, USA - January 24, 2008
Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series regular Marcus Zukanovic, has entered one of the biggest events on the annual NASCAR calendar; the 2009 Toyota All Star Showdown set for LA’s Irwindale Speedway starting tonight.
A regular visitor to the US, Marcus tested with Camping World West Series team Phelps Motorsports during mid-2008 with a view to taking a full-time ride with the team this season.
“I hada blast,” Zukanovic admitted at the time. “I was expecting them to be a big heavy, poor handling car, but they’re fantastic things to drive. Okay, so they’re different to my Supercar, but I was really surprised. They’re a bit like driving a V8 Ute,you’ve really got to get up on the wheel and drive them hard..”
Despite Zukanovic’s maiden NASCAR drive coming on the Irwindale oval, he negotiated the course at a pace that surprised even team-owner Tracy Phelps.
“To be honest I was surprised,” Phelps agreed. “He started cautiously, but quickly, and by the end of a couple of sessions he was turning in lap times that would have put him well into the front half of the field for the previous round there. His feedback was good too, and he didn’t put a wheel wrong.
“Since then I’ve been trying to convince him to come back and do not just a roadcourse event for us, but the entire season..”
“Maybe I was lucky,” Marcus laughed. “It felt good, it felt comfortable, but it’s not racing, and the best young drivers in America aren’t just going to move over for a funny-talking, red-headed kid from the wrong side of the tracks from ‘Down Under’. I know full well that this is a prime event run by some of the best young stars in the US; guys like Joey Logano (who replaces Tony Stewart in the Joe Gibbs Home Depot Toyota this season) and Marc Davis and even Ricky Carmichael - they’re great competitors, but hey, racing’s racing, and yeah these guys might be good, but they’re just drivers, just like any of the guys back home, so I’ll treat them the only way I know how…”
Opening practice for the All-Star event was expected to begin at 10:55am on Friday January 23 (19 hours behind Melbourne time), with qualifying at 6:00pm the same day, however persistent drizzle has set the schedule back a number of hours.
“First things first, I need to get through practice in one piece, then look to qualify, because as it stands now there are more than 55 entries for 40 starting spots in the final. If I don’t qualify well then I’ll be in the ‘last chance’ race later tonight, all in an effort to make my way into the 250-lap feature on Saturday night..
“One things for certain though, whichever way it works out, it’s going to be one hell of a ride…!”
We'll keep you up to date with Marcus' progress throughout the weekend.
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