UDC V8 Utes marketing manager Richard Gee will make his series – and V8 racing – debut at the championship’s fourth round of 2013 at Taupo over the weekend of August 31st and September 1st.
It will be a race weekend with a purpose for the 46 year old – who will write about the experience for NZV8 magazine as part of his promotional work with the V8 Ute category.
Gee will compete in the Ford Falcon raced at Hampton Downs by Elton Goonan and at the recent BNT V8 SuperTourers Brother 350 meeting at Pukekohe by Aussie Chris Berry. It has been completely rebuilt since that round and enjoyed a trouble-free and successful test in slippery conditions at Taupo this week. A regular for the past four seasons in the Honda Cup, Richard is also a director of the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing and a huge racing fan.
“I’m very much an amateur driver and proud of that but I’ve been itching to try one of these monsters since I got involved helping the series with its marketing and promotion as the major support category for the BNT V8 SuperTourers. It’s completely different from what I usually drive in the Honda Cup but lots of fun and something that definitely rewards skill and technique. That’s almost certainly what’s going to let me down! As a machine, it’s heavy for sure, but everything else about it is full-on racing car – and the brakes are amazing.
“I was lucky enough to have a run in the passenger seat alongside driving, preparation and set-up guru Jake Stoneman and he set a very high benchmark, but I’ll keep plugging away and hopefully we won’t be too far off the pace and can get some respectable times during the weekend. We’re not there to win it, but we definitely still have a big job to do!”
Fellow Honda Cup racers and officials will crew for Gee over the weekend and the Ute will run with backing from Wattbike.co.nz as well as the popular NZV8 magazine.
