TRIPLE Eight Race Engineering will make a rare test day stop at Winton Motor Raceway on Tuesday.
The Queensland-based team will join several Victorian-based Supercars squads in testing at the venue, despite it not being their regular test track.
Rules introduced in recent seasons allow first and second-year drivers to use one of their three additional ‘rookie’ test days at a circuit outside of their usual home track, which is Queensland Raceway in Triple Eight’s case.
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Walkinshaw Andretti United, Brad Jones Racing and the Blanchard Racing Team will also be in action at Winton, as will Team 18 – albeit only with one car.
The team has been unable to repair Scott Pye’s #20 Holden Commodore ZB in time to take part in the test, following his tangle with Jack Le Brocq during the opening Sunday race at Wanneroo.
Pye’s car sustained a 10G impact in the crash, with work beginning last Wednesday when the team’s transporter arrived back at Team 18’s Melbourne headquarters.
The car has been placed on a chassis jig to repair parts of the frame with the team focusing on having it fully repaired in time for the Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint on May 21-22.
The result is that Pye and Mark Winterbottom will share the team’s #18 Holden Commodore for the day.
“It’s not an ideal situation only going with one car up to Winton, however we will certainly make the most of it,” Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt said.
“I think most if not all Victorian teams are testing, so I think there’s more advantages to test some new bits and pieces ahead of the next race.
“It will be a full-on day with Frosty doing the majority of the driving while Scott will hop in and get plenty of laps as well.
“We’ll have our full crew on hand so it will be a busy day with plenty of things we want to throw at the car.
“It will be great to be garaged next door to Triple Eight with Broc Feeney who have a rare opportunity to test there as well, so that will only strengthen our ties with them.
“We will be keeping an eye on each other, sharing our data and resources so there will be plenty going on between us.”
