WARREN Luff’s last Supercars race outside the Walkinshaw stable came at the 2013 Gold Coast 600 and ended with him and Craig Lowndes winning the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
So, his first reaction to unexpectedly racing against Walkinshaw Andretti United at this year’s enduros?
“Actually, the thing I was thinking of in my head was, ‘don’t do the dumb thing and drive into pitlane and go to the wrong pit bay’,” Luff chuckled to V8 Sleuth.
Luff is still contracted to WAU but has been loaned out to Team 18 to partner Scott Pye after the Clayton squad called off its wildcard aspirations.
That will see him rove between garages at both Sandown and Bathurst, given his ongoing position as a driver development advisor for WAU’s Super2 and Toyota 86 programs (not to mention his duties with McElrea Racing in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia).
“It’s going to feel weird lining up and actually be competing against WAU and not driving with them,” Luff said.
“But look, it’s a great opportunity and I appreciate the support from everyone at WAU in making it possible because when there was the realisation that they weren’t going to be able to run a wildcard, their commitment to me was ‘let’s make sure we can still get you out there and find you an enduro drive’.
“So I am very grateful that they were able to do that and keep me out there on the grid.
“It’s going to feel weird but obviously they’ll be out there doing their thing and with myself and Scott, we’ve had some great results in the past at Bathurst so excited to share a car with Scott again.
“He and I had a great working relationship when we were together for the three years and Charlie and I go back a very long time as well, so there’s a great synergy partnering up with Scott and joining Charlie again.”
The 47-year-old admitted the fear of missing the 2023 grid altogether had crossed his mind.
“It was something that was always there in the back of my mind, the ‘what if’,” he said.
“But thankfully the way that it has all unfolded, it’s something that I didn’t have to worry about.
“And again for me, it’s a great thing to be able to tick another one off the bucket list of being able to drive the Gen3 car in the endurance races this year.
“I’ve been doing it for a while and to be able to do the first year at least of obviously the Gen3 car is something that I’m going to really enjoy.”
Luff last year briefly sampled both the Camaro and Mustang prototypes.
The six-time Bathurst 1000 podium finisher also put beyond doubt his desire to drive on into 2024.
“I’m just as motivated now as I was back (when I started); 2023 definitely won’t be my last appearance in the endurance races,” Luff declared.
