Former Australian GT driver Shane Smollen has said that he’s excited and focused for Round One of the Carrera Cup series, despite having limited experience on the track. Smollen said he’s been busy doing his homework to compensate for the low number of laps he’s done of the Albert Park circuit ahead of the series opener next weekend.
“It’s a track I have limited time around and I’m going there in a car I am still getting used to”, remarked Smollen. “We have done some pre-season testing, but there is still plenty to work on, particularly with some changing conditions possible this weekend”.
This year Smollen will be racing against several of his Australian GT Championship competitors from 2010, where he picked up the Rookie of the Year, as well as a strong group of professional drivers. He commented that it will be a great challenge in the one make series, particularly with the calibre of drivers on the entry list, but that it will only improve him as a driver.
“It’s a strong field.”, Smollen explained, “I wouldn’t have joined the series if I didn’t think I could learn from it. Having V8 Supercar drivers such as Skaife, Richards and Baird will only raise the series’ profile, but it’s important not to get carried away and to maintain focus on my own race.”
Sporting an exciting new livery, Smollen will once again have an Autohaus Hamilton prepared and managed car, a combination which saw him become Australian GT Challenge winner in 2010, finishing on the podium at nearly every round of the season.
Shane Smollen thanks the following for their support in 2011: