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PremiAir Nulon Racing has just missed out on a Top Ten Shootout berth at the Bathurst 1000, with this afternoon’s 40-minute qualifying session declared while most of the field were on their very final push lap for the session.
A heavy crash for Will Davison brought out the second red flag for the session as the clock ticked to zero and final laps were underway (the earlier for David Reynolds at the half way mark), requiring all of those who were on their final laps to abort their runs.
At that time, Jimmy Golding and the #31 PremiAir Nulon Racing Camaro were 11th on the timing totem and pushing hard to make it into the ten, while Tim Slade was also hard at work in the #23 PremiAir Nulon Racing Camaro, throwing down a green sector as he looked to improve his P25 position before being forced to lift.
While disappointed to not make the Top Ten Shootout this year after enjoying their first appearance in the coveted fight at last year’s event and given the knowledge that both entries are capable of more than the results sheet may indicate, the team is focusing on the positives learned from the session and putting all their efforts into making sure that the remaining track time available to them is maximised ahead of Sunday’s race start.
Qualifying was preceded by two ‘all driver’ 60-minute practice sessions for the Supercars field earlier in the day.
The first outing was heavily interrupted with three red flag periods. All four PremiAir Nulon Racing drivers took to the track across the session, keeping out of trouble but unable to complete their quali-sim laps due to the session being declared with four minutes on the clock, being declared in P18 (#23) and P20 (#31) after having earlier focused on race car setup.
In the second practice session for the day, the team was able to show more of its potential while still putting plenty of emphasis on their race cars. As the final session ahead of qualifying, the main drivers took control for the entirety of the outing, with Golding the first racer for the day to run into the ‘sixes’ and finishing out the session in the #31 in P7. Slade meanwhile occupied P20 on the time sheets.
Team boss Peter Xiberras also continued his Bathurst debut in the V8 Sleuth Retro Revival today, taking part in race two this morning for a P30 finishing position. Race three was unfortunately cancelled due to the delays caused by the Davison red flag.
PremiAir Nulon Racing will return to the track tomorrow (Saturday 12 October) for two further 60 minute practice sessions, the first for co-drivers only at 10.05am, followed by an all-drivers session from 1.05pm. Xiberras will also again be on-track in the V8 Sleuth Retro Revival category for one more race at 11.20am. For full event and scheduling information, visit www.supercars.com
QUOTEBOARD: BATHURST 1000 – FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER, 2024
Peter Xiberras – Team Owner, PremiAir Nulon Racing
“It has been an interesting day for me with my driver hat on here at the Mountain. I started the morning race in P26, tried to miss a few cars in front on the opening lap which ended up being a yellow flag situation, and then when the race started, I mistakenly passed a couple of cars under yellows which saw me end up with a 15 second time penalty. And I was also late for the driver briefing so I received a $500 fine! It is safe to say I have been a bit naughty today, certainly not intentionally though and I of course accept the penalties for what I did wrong. Here’s hoping I do a better job tomorrow in our final V8 Sleuth Retro Revival race and stay out of trouble!” he laughed. “In the PremiAir Nulon Racing garage, while things aren’t exactly going our way so far, the potential is there and I am so proud of my team as they work their butts off to be ready for Sunday with some good race cars.”
Jimmy Golding – #31 PremiAir Nulon Racing Camaro
“Kicking back in our very nice Titanium Caravan is a great way to end our Friday here at the Mountain, it certainly is very sharp in here, very nice, and I am just soaking it all in. The big positive is the cars are straight which can’t be said for a lot of pit lane. We didn’t quite make it into the top ten shootout, missing by just a tiny bit which is unfortunate, but we have been focusing on the race cars as the guys on the #23 have been as well – that is what is going to be important come Sunday, as no one is going to remember who qualified where once the race is finished! We have plenty more practice to come to work on the race car, while others will be focused on the shootout, so we will get to work ticking the boxes and making sure we are ready for the big one!”
David Russell – co-driver, #31 PremiAir Nulon Racing Camaro
“It was a pretty intense qualifying session out there so I was happy to be watching it from the garage to be honest!” laughed Russell. “It looked pretty dusty and dirty over the top with a few cars going in and a lot of damage – there will be a few crews with heavy workloads and not a lot of sleep overnight. So while we aren’t where maybe we were hoping we are glad we can concentrate on preparing straight cars for the race rather than having to work on big repairs.”
Tim Slade – #23 PremiAir Nulon Racing Camaro
“It is definitely nice and comfy in the Titanium Caravan, I am much comfier in here than I am feeling in the car at the moment, but we are working towards something and I am confident we can make improvements ready for Sunday. It was a hard day out there for everyone with a lot of heavy crashes, a lot of red flag interruptions, and that makes it hard for you to get your flow and show what you are really capable of. Race car prep has been the name of the game for us, and with qualifying now behind us that will continue to be our focus. History shows anything can happen on Sunday, so we will be doing all we can to make sure that we are in the best place possible come the race start, and the race finish!”
For more information on PremiAir Nulon Racing, please visit www.premiairracing.com or follow the team on its social media platforms at www.facebook.com/PremiAirRacing/, www.instagram.com/premiair_racing/, www.linkedin.com/company/premiairracing/ and www.twitter.com/premiairracing
