Bringing The Battle To The Streets

24/10/2016

The Bottle-O Racing Team co-driver Dean Canto has a strong history at the challenging street circuit, a run of form that Mark Winterbottom hopes to continue for the team.

Chaz Mostert is confident that gains made on the soft tyre prior to Bathurst will help further improve the Supercheap Auto Racing FG X, as they aim for Mostert's first win for the sponsor.

Cameron Waters will participate in the Castrol Gold Coast 600 as the primary driver for the second time following last year's debut alongside Russell Ingall. Fellow young-gun Jack Le Brocq will accompany Waters as they fight for the podium following their strong Bathurst form, with a focus on keeping the car clean while driving around the wall-enclosed circuit.

DRIVERS' VIEW

Mark Winterbottom - #1
"The Castrol Gold Coast 600 has always been a big event. The Gold Coast has always been pretty good so I can't wait to get there, get some sunshine but more importantly get a good result. It's a very tough event physically on both the car and the driver. Everything cops a battering there but getting on that podium is the one thing that sort of eliminates any pain whether it's mechanical or physical."

Dean Canto - #1
"Gold Coast is one of my favourite events. I've had a good history there with Dave (Reynolds) in The Bottle-O car so hopefully that continues this year with Mark. I think we do have a good car on the soft tyre. At Sandown it was fast in the race so if we can lock down a good setup we'll be sweet. It's a very technical track and you have to give it 100% or you won't get the rewards so we'll be working hard to get the green machine back on the podium."

Cameron Waters - #6
"I'm actually really excited to go to the Gold Coast. Last year was really the first event where I could step up as a main driver and going there this year it's good to go there off of a good result at Bathurst and hopefully we can build on that and build on what we learnt last year as well. It'd be really good to get a few nice results at the Gold Coast. We had a bit of bad luck at Sandown but a good result at Bathurst. If we can just finish again at the Gold Coast and get a few good points it'll put a good end to our endurance season and I think we can do that."

Jack Le Brocq - #6
"Gold Coast is a fun track. It was awesome to have a no-mistakes run at Bathurst so hopefully we can continue that and fingers crossed we can get on the podium. It's a tough place but Cam's a bit of a gun at the street circuits. We should have a good car so I'm keen to get stuck into it."

Chaz Mostert - #55
"Pretty pumped to get to the Gold Coast. This time last year I wasn't racing there so it's good to get back after two years and it's always a pretty exciting place to race at. With the recent gains we've found with the car I'm hoping to be competitive there. It's pretty exciting to sleep in your own bed too, obviously with it being a home event for me. It's good to get back up there and hopefully on the Thursday I can bring Bangers and Mash out and let them see what I do which will be a pretty cool highlight ahead of the race weekend."

Steve Owen - #55
"I'm looking forward to having a good go at the Gold Coast. One little mistake around there and it can bite you pretty hard so over the last couple of years I've had to be pretty cautious. This year I think we have a car that'll be strong around that track. I think it's capable but if we can get onto the podium it'd be a great bit of redemption after Bathurst."

Tim Edwards – Team Principal:
"The Castrol Gold Coast 600 is always a challenging event. We were fortunate to come away from Bathurst with four clean cars that all displayed strong pace and we hope to leave the Gold Coast the same way. Leading up to Bathurst we have made some ground on the soft tyre which we saw at Sandown. We are confident, despite the vast differences in the tracks, that that will translate at the Gold Coast."

EVENT NAME: Castrol Gold Coast 600

DATE: 21 – 23 October

LOCATION: Surfers Paradise, Queensland

EVENT NUMBER: 12 of 14

FORMAT: Friday – 3 x 30-min practice; Saturday – 1 x 20-min qualifying, 1 x 102-lap race; Sunday – 1 x 20-min qualifying, 1 x Top 10 Shootout, 1 x 102-lap race

CIRCUIT: Surfers Paradise

LENGTH: 2.984-kilometres

DESCRIPTION: The tightest street circuit on the calendar, this difficult layout combines straight-line speed with the slowest and narrowest of corners, making panel rubbing and major accidents normal for the event. Having stated this, drivers enjoy having a real go at this circuit as the rewards are great for the effort, but the price to pay for a mistake, just like any street circuit, can be major.

TRACK RECORD: 1m10.08s – Will Davison, 2011

PRA BEST RESULT: 1st – Mark Winterbottom (2009 & 2011), Will Davison (2012)

1st David Reynolds (2013)

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight: 2524

2) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight: 2385

6) Mark Winterbottom – Prodrive Racing: 1908

7) Chaz Mostert – Prodrive Racing: 1853

17) Cameron Waters – Prodrive Racing: 1233

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

1) Triple Eight: 4919

2) HRT: 3348