F4000 Sponor's Day 2003

Last month Calder Park, Victoria was the venue for the inaugural F4000 Sponsor Race Day.

Centre stage were Bruce Linn and Diana Gardner, senior executives from our series sponsor, EDS, who took up the challenge to pilot one of the two F4000 Reynard’s provided by the F4000 association for two, ten lap sessions.

The day began cold and early with Bruce and Diana getting suited up with several other participants before heading into the driver centre for a briefing session.

Shaun from “U-Drive Victoria” conducted the training session and organised the day’s proceedings which ran very smoothly and professionally.

All fired up from the briefing, Bruce was first to take to the track and drove a careful and controlled lap as he identified the race line. He spent the next 4 laps improving overall speed and placement on the track before coming into the pits for a briefing with our team driver, Ian Peters.

With the circuit clear in his mind, Bruce then went out to focus on increasing speed down the long main straight of the Calder track.

Diana was next out, and after a few false starts as she came to terms with the notoriously difficult F4000 clutch, she was off and running following a similar strategy to Bruce’s.

After 5 laps, Diana also pitted for a de-brief with Ian before heading out again to improve on straight line speed.

The boys from Rohan Carrig’s team cooked a hearty barbecue lunch, kindly provided by their major sponsor Arlec. Thanks guys!

Right after lunch, Diana, Bruce and I were each treated to a few hot laps in a clubman sports car with V8 Supercar and former F40000 driver, Steve Owen. Exhilarating for us, but Steve said he’d rather be driving an F4000 again!

Our group’s second session was due later in the afternoon so Ian took Bruce & Diana to the top of the grandstand for a bird’s eye view of the track, and to talk technical with tips on maximising speed and braking later down the main straight.

Whatever Ian said it achieved the desired effect as both Bruce and Dian gave it heaps on their second sessions and were also looking more confident and smooth.

All too soon a fun day came to an end. Ian and I were really pleased with the event and impressed with our group’s performance: steady improvement throughout, no spins, no broken gearboxes, and not a scratch on the car. Phew!!

By Rebecca Peters