Typhoon Trio Have Bathurst In Their Sights

After joining forces for the final round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship at Sandown in November last year, Jeremy Gray and Chris Delfsma reckon their Class B High Performance Rear Wheel Drive Ford Falcon FG Typhoon F6 is a definite Armour All Bathurst 12 Hour outright contender on Sunday February 14 now that Andrew Miedecke has enlisted in the team as the third driver.

This will be Delfsma’s fourth Bathurst 12 Hour while Gray will be having his first once-around-the-clock start. Miedecke too is having his first 12 Hour outing but has competed at Bathurst many times in the 1000 race.

Car owner Gray began development of his JMG Maintenance and Frabrication FG Falcon in 2008 (the first to do so) after ten years competing at national level in Motorcross and Supercross, two seasons in Improved Production and a stint in Combined Touring.

“It’s been a hard road developing the FG, trying to get the reliability. I am very happy and confident what we have achieved in the off season – the car is a rocket,” he added. In Combined Touring he won a round last year where there were several hot HSV Holdens in the field.

“I can’t wait to get to Bathurst! We have put a fantastic team and driver combination together, and our goal is not just a class win but to take it to the Evos,” Gray enthused.

Delfsma had a class win and ninth outright in his initial campaign of 2007, teamed with John Bowe and Jack Elsegood in Delfsma’s Century 21 Falcon XR8, had Bowe and Paul Stubber linked with him in same car the following year, and last year joined Wilson Brothers Racing in one of their team of three Subaru Impreza WRXs. Delfsma won his class in the Australian Manufacturers Championship of 2008 and was runner up last year.

He too is super enthusiastic about their chances this year. “The Typhoon is really quick and has loads of torque. I'll be surprised if anything passes it going up or down the mountain.

“I've known Jeremy for a while and he is a very capable driver, works well in a team and responds well to other drivers’ feedback. Having worked with John Bowe closely over the last few years I value greatly having another champion driver on board. I've learnt so much from John and looking forward to doing the same with Andrew," he added.

Originally it looked likely that George Miedecke would filling the third seat but the V8 Ute star has opted to try his hand in the United States racing NASCAR and then father Andrew stepped in to fill the void.

Andrew Miedecke’s record speaks for itself – from open wheelers to Group A Cosworth Sierras in the late 1980s, he was known as one of the most promising raw talents on the Australian motor racing scene, particularly after running stride for stride with awesome Eggenberger Texaco Sierras at Bathurst in 1987.

He raced in the late Peter Brock’s Mobil1team in 1990 and competed in the endurance races from 1991 through to 1995, albeit in less than top line machinery. His triumph in the 1994 Targa Tasmania in a Porsche 944 Turbo Cup was some consolation.

Miedecke continued in the V8 Supercar Championship as an Endurance specialist until 2001 and never finished outside the top 10, the highlight being a third with Mark Larkham and Pack Leader Racing (SBR).

In 2000 he also drove NASCARS for Adelaide’s Bob Middleton and his Whiteline racing team. Two exploratory outings that year led to two consecutive championship wins in 2001 and 2002, a feat Miedecke describes as one of the most enjoyable.

Comments

no comments so far