STUART Inwood did not even make it to the starting grid for a race in the Combined Sedans category at last year’s Bathurst 12 Hour, but that disappointment will now serve as motivation.
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The Combined Sedans series is one of the support categories to the main race on the Bathurst 12 Hour program, with Bathurst driver Stuart Inwood forming part of the 55-strong field.
In the February 3-5 event he will steer the same Corvette C5 which only gave a glimpse of its potential at Mount Panorama last year.
“It’s really a fantastic event, it’s taking off. This will be our third time running in it,” Inwood said.
“Last year we qualified as the fastest space frame, so fastest sports sedan, but on the warm up lap for race one the diff departed. It was weekend over.”
Having imported the car from New Zealand last year, the Corvette did well for Inwood in the qualifying session. He clocked a quickest lap of two minutes, 21.0250 seconds to not only be the fastest sports sedan, but earn fourth on the grid.
However, the diff issue meant Inwood did not get a chance to contest any of the races for the Bathurst 12 Hour round.
Inwood does boast a handy record racing sports sedans at the February event, having previously competed on the support program in 2012 and 2013.
On both those occasions it was in a Ford Falcon AU, Inwood notching up a first, second and third from the three races in 2012 then fifth and sixth placings a year later.
The Rise Again Smash Repairs/A1 Towing Corvette C5 is a different beast to the Falcon.
Though the handling may test Inwood more, it is capable of matching or besting the standing start acceleration times of some of the world's premier sports cars, including the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, and the Ferrari 355.
The Bathurst driver also has a new engine to help his cause at the Mount next month.
“We imported an engine from the [United] States four weeks ago now and we did a test day at Wakefield, so all-in-all things are running well for this year,” he said.
“The car seems to be doing the right thing now, we went through two engines last year just from engineering faults.
“It’s not as well balanced as the Falcon, but it’s 200 horse power more, it’s just a matter of getting it the the best car we can have.
“It’s quicker than the Falcon, but we are still working with it. Going in a straight line is naturally where it’s fastest, but it’s not as well balanced in the cornering.”
Inwood will face three 10-lap races at the Mount, one on Friday and two on Saturday. He will hit the track for the first time at 7.15am on Feburary 3 for a 25-minute qualifying session.
“I’d probably like it to be longer races, but most sports sedans wouldn’t make it. Australian ones don’t like distance that much, they’s probably prefer a six or seven lap race, but in my car I’d rather a 20-lap race,” he said.
It’s really a fantastic event, it’s taking off. This will be our third year running in it.
- Stuart Inwood