On a typical autumn day at Phillip Island on Saturday, May 13 in cold wet and windy conditions, Terry Wyhoon and Dean Neville rolled out their immaculate AU Falcon Supercars for a systems check prior to Wyhoon's return, and Neville's debut, in the forthcoming Fujitsu Series round at Wakefield Park (May 26-28).
Over recent weeks Wyhoon's Image Racing team have fastidiously prepared the cars for what they hoped would be a 'dry' run; the heavens though had other ideas. Despite the setback, and amongst a field of Jaguars and other mixed racecars on a Jaguar Club Day, the two Falcon's ran faultlessly, save for a loose coil lead on Wyhoon's car in their final session.
In changeable conditions, and with little real opportunity to develop any kind of benchmark for Wakefield, the two Falcon's circulated at a good pace, both drivers relishing the opportunity to actually have a steer of their new steeds, and both pronouncing themselves more than happy. "As an ex-SBR (Stone Brothers Racing) team car, I fully expected them to be tidy to drive, I just didn't expect them to be this good, even six seasons on," Wyhoon said afterwards.
"It is quite easily the best racecar I've ever had at my disposal..."
This comes as bad news to some of the Fujitsu Series regulars, many of whom wouldn't have seen Wyhoon, after a sabbatical from the category of some two and a half years (Bathurst 2003).
"I actually think it's a good thing to be coming back as an unknown quantity," the Gippsland based driver agreed, "because then there's no expectation.
"Not on me, Dean or the team."
"Don't expect Wyhoon to ease into it though, his runaway points lead in the Australian Motor Racing Series (AMRS) Series in a similar Gulf Western AU in the Touring Car Challenge has kept the former super-speedway champion more than race fit. He will surprise more than just the Series regulars; he might just upstage some of the more fancied runners on a circuit he really enjoys.
"I'm looking forward to it. We've had some good races at Wakefield, and it's a circuit I know very well. Having said that, we're also coming up against 36 other drivers, all with the same goal, and all with reasonable budgets, many with a lot of experience in the class, so I know it won't be easy."
Dean Neville by contrast has been fast-tracking his way through to the Fujitsu Series under the guidance and watchful eye of Wyhoon. Neville too was involved with Wyhoon when they last ran the Supercar ‘development' series - as the team's major sponsor. Last August the bug bit, and he turned his talent from business to racing, surprising more than a few, Wyhoon included.
"He's got plenty of ability, and he's always exciting to watch," Wyhoon smirked.
Debuting in the AMRS Touring Car Challenge behind the wheel of a VS Commodore Future Tourer, Neville immediately set the category alight with his fast but sideways style, often upstaging the category stalwarts.
This season the team elected to move him up a gear, into Wyhoon's VT Commodore Supercar, again in the Touring Car Challenge, Neville stepping up to the challenge with some stunning form.
"It's all a learning curve," he agreed. "This year though I had to step it up in preparation for the Fujitsu Series, so we thought we'd move into a car that more closely related to the
Falcon." Again Neville proved quick straight out of the box, and showed a number of more fancied runners at the AMRS opening round in Melbourne that he wouldn't be intimidated by the more powerful car, nor increased pressure from competition, trading blows with some of the series front-runners on his way to an excellent fourth on debut.
"Dean's been very quick to adapt, Wyhoon confirmed.
"One thing he's not scared of is a challenge, and I can guarantee, if there's a line to be had and there's two cars looking at it, Dean will be the one that gets it, he's going to be a tough competitor."
Adding credence to Wyhoon's comments was Neville's run at the third round of the AMRS in wet conditions at Winton recently. With little wet weather competition experience, the Kitome team boss was quickly on the pace, and worked himself up to the limit within a matter of laps, in fact in only his second race (after finding the limit and spinning briefly to the infield), he was circulating within two tenths of Wyhoon as the duo worked their way through the reverse grid field.
Much to his displeasure, he was to have a second chance at fine tuning his wet weather skills a week later on the teams test debut with the new AU Falcon. in changeable conditions, Neville was caught short on a drying track, sitting on the dummy grid on slicks as the heavens once again opened; his aim for that particular session - bedding brake pads... It proved an experience.
"I felt like Torville and Dean he grinned afterwards." Despite the sudden downpour, he negotiated the four lap journey without any dramas and even managed to attain some pad wear in the process.
Despite the speed with which he's adapted to Supercar competition, Neville understands that the Wakefield Park weekend will be like starting all over again... "This is a different level again," he agreed. "I'm under no illusions that it will be easy, but I'm not daunted and I think I'll surprise a few people." Neville's quickly becoming known as Mr Excitement in the Touring Car Challenge with his often sideways antics, so he's sure to prove a crowd favourite. Keep an eye on the blue #48 Falcon, it will both surprise and entertain.
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