Aussie V8 champion loves NZ's BNT V8 SuperTourers

Media release from BNT V8 SuperTourers

Tuesday 19 November

Aussie V8 champion loves NZ's BNT V8 SuperTourers

Australian V8 Supercar endurance champion Warren Luff is greatly impressed by his first experience of New Zealand’s BNT V8 SuperTourers.

Today at Manfeild Luff tested the Ford Falcon he will share with Nelson driver John McIntyre in the Mike Pero Pukekohe 500 over the weekend of November 30-December 1.

“We got 40-odd laps in today and it’s been great,” the 37-year-old Queenslander said.

“I’ve been watching all the races on TV back home and the cars look fun to drive and you guys have certainly put on some great racing this year. I was really keen to come over and try it myself and I love driving the car.

“It’s not too far off the pace of a V8 Supercar but how it generates its speed is quite different. It doesn’t have the horsepower of a V8 Supercar but the torque is really impressive coming out of the corners. The grip of the Hankook tyre is what is really driving it, and the durability of the tyre.”

Luff teamed with the great Craig Lowndes to win the inaugural Pirtek Cup contested over V8 Supercars’ three endurance events, the Sandown 500, the Bathurst 1000 and the Surfers Paradise street races, in Lowndes’ Holden Commodore.

“I also came third in the Carrera Cup Porsche championship,” Luff said. “It’s been a good year’s racing for me. Getting to partner up with Craig at Red Bull Racing, it doesn’t get much better than that.

“And now I’m excited and very grateful to John and the team to have me over here.”

McIntyre’s regular endurance co-driver Jono Lester is unavailable for the Pukekohe event, so McIntyre was quick to snap up the highly rated Luff.

“Warren was at the top of the list when it came to selecting a co-driver who is quick and consistent for Pukekohe,” McIntyre said.

“It’s no secret that we [John McIntyre Racing] have had a trying season, actually our toughest in our seven years. We are taking on a maximum attack attitude to Pukekohe and I know Warren will be able to back me up as we try and win our first race of the season.”

The Mike Pero Pukekohe 500 is the most demanding event in the BNT V8 SuperTourers championship, the headline category in the Hankook Super Series. The meeting features a 35-lap race on the Saturday and then two 70-lap races on the Sunday, and in these long races the teams will use refuelling for the first time.

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John McIntyre (left) and Warren Luff

ENDS

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