Acid test for Subaru at Killarney
Championship leader Hennie Groenewald (Sasol Subaru) will know the true performance of his 2011 specification WRX STIs after this
weekend.
Team
Sasol Subaru heads to Killarney in Cape Town for the second round of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship facing a tough test,
while the team is back to full strength following the appointment of Tannith Gardner as the third driver, joining Groenewald and Richard
Pinard.
"I have no reason to believe the cars will lose any performance against what they achieved at Kyalami," said Carel Pienaar,
SP Race Engineering's boss. "We won in Port Elizabeth last year, so we know Killarney is not a coastal issue but more performance
related with what we had last year. There is no comparison between the new and old cars. Killarney is all about speed down the two long
straights and we're right up there. Tannith was surprisingly quick after three short sessions and she will be a great asset to the Sasol
Subaru team. She displayed very good car control and was quickly down to within a second of the car's best time at Zwartkops."
Championship leader Groenewald is relishing the Killarney duel.
"The track is excellent for fast, close racing and I expect to race competitively," he said. "The braking zones are
really big and they present a couple of great slip-streaming and overtaking opportunities. Killarney is one of only two tracks where we
get to use sixth gear. The gearing on the car is suited to Killarney's layout and we get good drive out of the corners. The vibe
from the Cape Town fans is unique in South Africa; guys camp out at the circuit from Thursday already. It is always gratifying to
perform in front of a big, knowledgeable crowd. This race is important for us as it will set the tone for the championship for the rest
of the season, but it won't be easy because we've got the new Audis to deal with."
Richard Pinard, coming off his career-best performance at Kyalami is equally upbeat about racing at Killarney.
"I set my first ever pole in Cape Town and went well when I raced V8s so I have fond memories of the track. There's a big,
enthusiastic crowd and I want to do well for them. I want to keep the championship momentum going. The Subaru is an amazing car
this year - it goes where you point it which makes life a lot easier. The new Audis will be a threat but they may have new car gremlins.
I am hoping to bank as many points as I can while the going is good."
20-something Project Manager Tannith Gardner will slip behind the wheel of the third car, returning to the circuit
after an absence of ten years. She won numerous karting titles and competed successfully in Formula GTi, ending her third season as
championship runner-up, before heading to Formula Ford for a few seasons.
"I'm extremely excited to land the Sasol Subaru drive," Tannith enthused. "I did three short tests which was my first real
saloon racing experience. I just fitted right in and felt at home. The Subaru felt very forgiving - I had an absolute blast in the car. I'm realistic about my chances first time out. If I'm in the top 7 I will be very happy - in fact I won't settle for less! I
realise I'm up against some of the top driving talent in the country such as Johan Fourie and Anthony Taylor. I have raced against big
egos in the past and I don't intimidate easily, so I'm sure I'll be fine."